Looking back at the Dutch Masters and the final of the EquiLannoo Belgian Stallion Competition

The Dutch Masters in ’s Hertogenbosch is one of the finest competitions in the world, featuring the absolute world elite at the start. Gilles Thomans took Qalista DN, Plus Belle van T&L, Chuck Marienshof Z and the nine-year-old stallion Happy Landais to De Brabanthallen, and the horses performed more than respectably on Dutch soil.

Qalista DN jumped to seventh place in the 1.55m class on Friday evening. In the jump-off with fourteen competitors, it was that one small mistake that kept them off the podium. On Sunday, the mare jumped to thirteenth place in the Grand Prix. Richard Vogel and United Touch S won the class, ahead of their Belgian colleagues and friends Thibeau Spits (Impress-K Van't Kattenheye Z) and Pieter Devos (Casual DV).

Happy Landais (Andiamo Semilly x Helios de la Cour) performed superbly on Friday evening during the ‘Best of Champions’ round. Four riders, four horses: Willem Greve, Gilles Thomas, Richard Vogel and Julien Epaillard. Like the winner, Easy de Grandy, Happy Landais finished with a final score of 4 penalty points after four rounds. Willem Greve’s experienced Easy de Grandy won the class because his total time was shorter. For the second year running, the victory went to Willem Greve.

More good news from our stallions, by the way. In the final of the EquiLannoo Belgian Stallion Competition, Ultra Star JM, ridden by Gilles, produced a clear-round in the first phase and a clear-round in the second phase. The son of Ermitage Kalone out of the Calvaro Z-dam Hanky Panky showed a great deal of quality in the process. The Lewis van het Heidehof jumped to fourth place in the seven-year-olds’ class thanks to a clear first phase and a fast and clear second phase. In the overall rankings, the son of Udarco van Overis out of a Chin Chin dam also secured fourth place.