Opglabbeek (BEL) – April 2026 – VDL horses once again put their best foot forward at the international show in Opglabbeek. With victories in the Grand Prix for young horses and several class wins, it proved to be an extremely successful weekend.
Most of the attention was focused on the 2* Grand Prix (1.45m) on Sunday 19 April. Here, Hulahupe JR (by Bubalu), bred by J. Reitsma from Driezum, secured victory under the British top rider Joe Whitaker. In a clear-round jump-off, the pair clocked a fast time of 41.50 seconds, securing the win and €7,050 in prize money.
Quianna ter Wijnen (by Cardento) also performed strongly in this Grand Prix. Ridden by Kevin Jochems, the pair remained double clear and finished in a creditable seventh place with a time of 45.06 seconds. The Cardento daughter is bred by Jean-Luc de Pelsmaeker.
In the 8-year-olds (1.40m) class, there was further success for the VDL genes thanks to Niarma (by Dakar). With Lars Kersten in the saddle, the mare jumped convincingly to victory in 38.70 seconds. Earlier in the week, on 16 April, the same pair had already won the 1.35m class, further confirming their strong form. F. Marsman is the breeder of the Dakar daughter.
A VDL offspring also stood out among the youngest horses. In the 5-year-olds’ class (1.15m), victory went to Horatio Z (by Harley), ridden by the French rider Axelle Vernhes Cappelle. The pair rode clear and clocked 66.26 seconds. In addition, this talented horse had already won the 1.10m class within the CSI2* on Thursday and Friday, underlining the promising future of this offspring. The son of Harley is bred by A. Hassing.
With a Grand Prix victory, multiple first places and consistent performances across various age categories, the VDL horses are confirming their strong position in international show jumping.
Verlinkte Pferde
