Jessica Springsteen Speeds to Victory on Opening Day of the Longines Tops International Arena Summer Classic

CSI2*

The first competition in the grass arena of Longines Tops International Arena offered great sport. The 2* Big Tour combinations had to start immediately in full speed in this against the clock class (1.45m). 82 riders entered the arena of which 42 remained clear. Brazilian Eduardo Pereira De Menezes was the fastest with Calypso des Matis (SF, Padock du Plessis HN x Tresor de Cheux). Pereira De Menezes,, was the only one to cross the finish line under 60 seconds: 59.87. American Natalie Dean part of the GCL Cannes Stars team was second with Oasis van de Bucxtale (BWP, Quinn vd Heffinck x Skippy 12) in a time of 60.08 seconds. Third place went to Luxembourger Victor Bettendorf and Eytuka of Two Notes Z (Zang, Emerald x Chin Chin) with a time of 60.89 seconds.

The final competition in the sand arena during the first day of the Summer Classic was a Two-Phases class (1.40m) for the 2* Medium Tour combinations. Big names and up-and-coming talent alternated in this exciting competition. A total of 71 horses competed, 18 of which stayed clear in both phases. Valentina Arenas Saravia from Guatemala was by far the fastest in the second phase, stopping the clock at 29.11 seconds after a great round with her 12-year-old gelding Lacido (OS, La Calido x Julio Mariner XX). Second place went to Belgian Koen Vereecke and Riverflow van't Ruytershof (BWP, Tornedo FCS x For Pleasure). The Belgian from Waarschot is on a good run as he won the Big Tour competition in the morning. Third place went to Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa and Ziggy Stardust (AES, Mosito van het Hellehof x Toulon).

CSI1*

In the first CSI1* competition, riders from Qatar did good business by taking first and second place. Victory went to Mohammed Khalifa A Al Baker with Dukhan 3 (OS, Toulon x Quo Vadis). The 24-year-old rode a super fast round with the eight-year-old stallion, stopping the clock at 55.60 seconds. He thus relegated his compatriot Rashid Towaim Ali Al Marri, who was in the lead for a long time, to second place. As the fifth starter, the former tennis player had already set a very fast time of 56.17 seconds with the 12-year-old BWP mare Navaronne (Deauville by T L x Coriander 7). Belgium's Helena Beyers came third with Sapphire van Stal Petit Breck (BWP, Elvis ter Putte x Eros Platiere) with a time of 56.49 seconds. Best Dutchman was Piet Raijmakers Jr with Orazy van 't Landouwehof in fourth place.

The 1* Two-Phases competition (1.10m) was convincingly won by Dutch Rosanne Janssen with her grey Caprice K Z. The Zangersheide mare (by Scuderia 1918 Casago) jumped smoothly and at a high pace through the course and crossed the finish line in a super fast time, 24.22 seconds and the 16 combinations that came after her could not improve on that. Russia's Oksana Kosolapova finished in second place with Easter Cec KAR with a time of 25.32 seconds in the second phase. Third place went to 12-year-old Thai Apinyapat Jirasuwannakul, who crossed the finishing line in 26.60 seconds with her horse Marco R (KWPN, Entertainer x VDL Douglas).

Belgium's Clémentine Lux outsmarted the competition in the Two-Phases competition (1.20m) for 1* combinations. The 2023 European Children's Champion rode a super fast second phase in 21.66 seconds with the eight-year-old Zangersheide mare Cyclone W van de Dauwhoeve Z (Cicero Z van Paemel x Gottwald), allowing her to collect the first prize. Dutchman Piet Raijmakers Jr came second with Van Schijndels Hanibal (KWPN, Van Schijndel's Rascin). Last year, Raijmakers managed to win no less than five classes in Valkenswaard with Hanibal. Third place also went to a Dutch combination, Merel Murris Schreur with Django Beer M (KWPN, Ilmeo x Nimmerdor). They crossed the finish line in 23.32 seconds in the second phase.

CSIYH

The Summer Classic at Longines Tops International Arena was opened by the Young Horses. 52 talents came to the start in the sand arena. Of all participants, 33 stayed clear in both phases. Two combinations had only a time fault in the first phase. The fastest was Belgian Koen Vereecke with Siebe van de Nieuwburghoeve (BWP, Atomic Z x Coriano Z). The 55-year-old from Waarschoot steered the seven-year-old approved (Zangersheide) stallion over the finish line in 21.26 seconds. Silver medal winner of the 2023 Milan European Championships Philipp Weishaupt finished in second place with Coffee Shock. The German has had the seven-year-old Westphalian gelding (Cornet Obolensky x Quidam de Revel) under saddle for just over a month. The combination needed only 0.10 seconds longer to clear the second phase. On third place was Tom Schellekens with Eldoranus C-G Z and with this placing they were both the best Dutch rider and the best six-year-old. The grey (Eldorado van de Zeshoek TN x Lordanos) set a time of 21.41 seconds.