Brussels Stephex Masters 2018: Strong start for the Belgian riders
The home riders came strong in force as the 2018-edition of the Brussels Stephex Masters kicked off on Wednesday, taking four wins out of six possible.
In the opening class, the CSI2* 1.35m Super Cup presented by Dietz, Ugo Berrittella and Leonie Peeters made it double Belgian on top – taking first and second place respectively. Berrittella’s win came on the 12-year-old mare Secrete du Sartel (Quaprice x Bolero de Brecey).
The second Super Cup class of the day, the 1.40m presented by Outré, saw last year’s Top Series Leading Rider snatching the win. Riding the 11-year-old gelding Sir Landal Joter (Singular Joter x Landadel), Brazil’s Joao Victor Castro denied the hosts another victory as he took the top honours ahead of four Belgians. Best on behalf of the hosts was Leonie Peeters, who claimed another second place – this time aboard the 9-year-old mare Quaresmas de Marchesana (Conte Della Caccia x Graf Sponeck).
In the CSI1* Prestige League, five home riders topped the 1.10m competition presented by Parlanti with Anke de Breucker being the fastest aboard Justice Van ‘t Verloren Kost (Cicero Z Van Paemel x Robijn van het Lindenhof). The Belgian domination continued in the 1.20m presented by Knokke Out with Mathieu-Maxim Goossens winning aboard the 8-year-old Klunten B (Hunters Argentus x Tenor Manciais), followed by four more home riders in the top six.
Belgium’s Koen Vereecke got off to a great start in the CSI3* Top Series when winning the 1.35m presented by Stageteam, riding the 9-year-old Zangersheide gelding Diadarco Van Evendael Z (Diamant de Semilly x Darco). Concluding the first day of competition, Germany’s David Will took the first prize in the Top Series 1.40m class presented by STX Horseboxes. The victory came on the 12-year-old gelding Forest Gump 29 (Forsyth x Feuerwerk), with more than a second separating Will from Koen Vereecke who once again made it to the podium – this time as runner-up with Jativia (Cardento x Gottwald).
The Brussels Stephex Masters continues tomorrow, with the Prestige League kicking it all off at 9.30 AM. The feature class of the day will be the CSI5* 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier presented by Carlsberg counting for the world ranking, which will close off Thursday’s competitions.