Ridden by Luke Hill, the Harley VDL-daughter Neelena VDL charged to the first victory in Exloo. Displaying a great mindset, sharpness and carefulness on the jump, the mare seized the championship for five-year-old horses. 

The competition went down to the wire as the jump-off included no less than 21 combinations. Course designer Louis Konickx had built a beautiful final test, in which the jump-off proved to be a good mix of long lines and sharp turns, without asking too much from the horses. 

Best mare and stallion from VDL

VDL Stud topped this championship thanks to a daring and successful ride of Luke Hill aboard the ster mare Neelena VDL (Harley VDL out of Welena VDL ster pref prest by Chin Chin). Being the fourth entry in the jump-off, Luke knew what he had to do. “Neelena VDL is a very careful, sharp mare so I knew I could take risks in the jump-off. My aim was for her to qualify for Lanaken, and that it turned out to be the winning ride is the cherry on top!” Janko van de Lageweg received the breeders check presented by Friends of the KWPN and thanks to the performance of the KWPN-approved stallion Night Life VDL (s.Erco van ‘t Roosakker) as best stallion of the final standings, he was handed another breeders premium. 

Strong season

Renee de Weert and the athletic, scopey Highway TN-son Nelson (out of Fanory elite EPTM-spr pref PROK by Cardento, bred by family Kuipers of Hengelo) saw their solid jump-off being rewarded with a second place. Earlier this season they triumphed in the Stal Hendrix competition and last year they won the semi-final of the Blom Cup. In Exloo Nelson demonstrated to still be on an upward trajectory and became the best gelding in this championship. The third position was claimed by the cooperative Narcos (Balou du Rouet out of Valuta van de Heffinck by Clinton) of breeder T. Verberk of Oploo, ridden by Karolina Vasiliauskaite. They also cleared the jump-off course in a quick time. 

The best ten five-year-old horses earned a ticket to the WC for Young Horses in Lanaken.

Results

Photo HippoFoto