Jos Lansink clinched the GP at Zuidlaren

Climax of the CSI3* at the Zuidlaren show was the Grand Prix van Drenthe (1,40m) against the clock, which offered a rather unusual prize of a bed (or 6,000 euros) in addition to 5,500 euros.

The qualifiers and their starting order were decided by points awarded in accordance with placings in the jump-off classes on Thursday and Friday. Seven of the 43 starters went clear but only 3 could do so again in the jump-off.

The fastest round was from the newly-crowned World Champion, Jos Lansink from Belgium on Ta Belle van Sombeke who took 1.41 off the time set by the Dutch rider Marc Houtzager on Opium VS (10 year-old stallion by Polydor) whose 2nd prize was 7.500 euros. 3rd place and 5,000 euros went to Jur Vrieling on VDL Emmerton (8 year-old stallion by Emilion out of a Nimmedor mare) whose clear was much the slowest round of the jum-off.

Ta Belle van Sombeke is a powerful grey mare by Chin Chin out of a mare by Goliath II Z. Robert Whitaker on Prima Vera had 4 faults and was just over a second slower than Jos, to earn 4th prize of 3,500 euros.

Results (29.10.06)
CSI*** Zuidlaren
Grand Prix Van Drenthe – 238.2.2 (1,50m)

1º Jos Lansink (Bel) / Ta Belle Van Sombeke / 0/0-35,6
2º Marc Houtzager (Hol) / Opium VS / 0/0-37,01
3º Jur Vrieling (Hol) / Emmerton / 0/0-42,86
4º Robert Whitaker (Gbr) / Prima Vera / 0/4-36,77
5º Bart Bles (Hol) / Pokemon DDH / 0/4-37,05
6º Wim Schroder (Hol) / Vancouver / 0/8-36,13
7º Gerald Geessink (Hol) / Casco / 0/8-38,19
8º Vincent Voorn (Hol) / Priamus Z / 4-69,73
9º Angelique Hoorn (Hol) / O'brien / 4-70,42
10º Albert Zoer (Hol) / Okidoki / 4-72,65