The thursday evening of the KWPN Stallion Show will be completely  dedicated to the jumping sport. Big names will compete for the prizes in the final of the Blom Stallion Competition, the VHO Trophy and the KWPN Grand Prix of the Brabanthallen.

In the 1.50m Grand Prix, six very experienced stallions will enter the arena. Among them Arezzo VDL (Chin Chin out of Sarjolijn ster prest by Heartbreaker, breeder H. Mulder from Blankenham) with olympian Jur Vrieling, a rider that knows what it is to have success on the jumper night of the KWPN Stallion Show. Arezzo will be challenged by the Larino-son Carrera (out of Ehrentender ster pref prest by Contender, breeder Arend Florijn from Geesteren), who is showing lots of progress with Willem Greve and Don Diablo HX (Vittorio out of Zolaniki keur sport-spr by Calvados, breeder Stal Hendrix from Kessel) with Michel Hendrix in the saddle. This pair won the KWPN Grand Prix of the Brabanthallen last year. Other competitors are Dexter R, Baltic VDL and Carrera VDL.

Strong competition in the VHO-Trophy

The list of competitors in the VHO Trophy will guarantee exciting sport as well. In this class on 1.40m level, we will see mostly stallions of the E and D year. But also the successful Zapatero VDL (Chin Chin out of Manieta elite sport-spr pref prest by Ircolando, breeder Hans Brugman from Hengelo), ridden by James Billington will undertake a serious attempt to win this prestigious prize. Out of the same stables he will find competition in the always spectacular jumping Etoulon VDL (Toulon out of Itareusa elite pref by Calvados, breeder Piet Sleutels from Roggel) again with Jur Vrieling. But it can as well be that the new VHO winner will come from Limburg. The well jumping Entertainer (Warrant out of Shilavsca Fortuna ster prok by Corland, breeder Ronald Kouwenhoven from Oldemarkt) ridden by Michel Hendrix or the always quickly jumping son of Vleut, Edinburgh (out of Olympic Queen keur sport-spr prest by Darco, breeders Evert Meijer and Gerard Lindeboom from Dalfsen) under Kristian Houwen both stand a good chance! The other competitors are Elton John, Dakar VDL, Durango VDL, Emir R, Extase, Elvaro and Starpower. These eleven stallions will do everything to win on Thursday February 2nd.

Blom Stallion Competition finals

And what about the exciting finals of the Blom Stallion Competition in the L, M and Z classes. Will the Zirocco Blue VDL-son Florian (out of Beyoncé ster sport-spr by Cardento, breeders P.W. and T.F. Pijnacker-Dam from Augsbuurt) win again with Albert Zoer, but this time at Z-level? In the M Class, the differences are only small and anything can still happen. Last year’s winner Willem Greve and Grandorado TN  (Eldorado van de Zeshoek out of Charmieque elite IBOP-spr EPTM-spr sport-spr by Carolus II, breeders M. Rietberg and D.J. Verhoeven from Holten) hold the lead, but they are closely followed by Isah Cup-champion Global Express (Oriënt Express out of Dame Ricard by Laudanum xx, breeder Haras de la Gisloterie) with Lennard de Boer. And also the L class will be very exciting. The careful, scopy Highway M TN (Eldorado van de Zeshoek out of  Zelana prok by Chellano Z, breeder Peter Verdellen from Horst) is in the lead with Patrick van der Schans. But will he keep it? That is the question, because his opponents are getting close. Keep an eye on Hotspot (Hors la Loi II out of  Hermione de la Pomme by Nabab de Rêve, breeder Dingen family from Sint-Oedenrode) who is doing really well under Mathijs van Asten and the super jumping Hermantico (Comme Il Faut out of Chiquitta by Colbert GTI, breeder M.Renzel) with Jesper Romp. The competition is strong and everything can still happen. It will most certainly be an exciting but also very informative night. Come to watch the young stallions!  

YBF/JS

photo: Vrieling Jur, (NED), Arezzo VDL © Hippo Foto - Dirk Caremans