Justin Verboomen & Zonik Plus set the tone at the 's-Hertogenbosch World Cup Grand Prix

It's the same scenario every year, as the candidates for the World Cup Final, three weeks later, are held in 's-Hertogenbosch. Between those competing there to prepare for the Final, those close to the top nine who will qualify in the Western European League, and those absent, anxiously awaiting the results to see if they'll be heading to Texas, the Bois-le-Duc leg is always full of suspense. And this year, the icing on the cake is that it hosts not only world number one Justin Verboomen and his brilliant Zonik Plus, but also Charlotte Fry & Glamourdale; a first battle for these two, who haven't faced each other since the European Championships in Crozet last summer, a duel between strength/power and discretion/absolute discretion.

Last to start, Justin Verboomen knew what he had to do to have any hope of winning the Grand Prix, where he finished 3rd last year. How far he's come since then! The world number one and his 10-year-old stallion showed a first extended trot, elastic, ears forward, easy, bouncy, elastic half-passes and a first piaffe slightly in two times. Well-relaxed in the extended walk, the stallion came back perfectly, in the collected one but became a bit tense in canter. Looking towards the end of his extended canter diagonale, he made a mistake at the end of his zig-zag and struggled to transition from canter to trot: a few imperfections largely compensated by two excellent pirouettes. The Belgians were scored with 78.457%.

Since December, Glamourdale and Charlotte Fry seem to have refound their full former form, winning the London and Amsterdam legs. Not always very well-balanced and on his back in the piaffe, the KWPN could have been more ground covering in the extended walk and showed a second piaffe realised in two times, ; a test ended with a very difficult second pirouette. Nevertheless, with a score of 78.022%, they finished second.

3rd place went to Marieke van der Putten & Zantana. The rider from the RS2 stables is well on her way to participating in the second Final of her career, after the one she competed in in 2023 in Omaha with Tørveslettens Titanium RS2, although she was unable to take part in the freestyle because the son of Totilas suffered from colic. Sometimes a little bit tense, Zonik's daughter showed some tension but a performance without major faults and earded a 74.609%.

Full results HERE

crédit photo : FEI