That you don’t just win a 1.40m Grand Prix at Paardensportcentrum Lichtenvoorde became clear again on Saturday evening, October 14. Jumping riders, who are also successful internationally, rode with the knife between their teeth in the jump-off and Dennis van den Brink won. With two runners-up (Eric ten Cate and Vincent Geerink) with the same finishing time and another Eric ten Cate at two hundredth of a second distance, it showed how close the field was.
The four-day national show jumping competition Jumping Lichtenvoorde had nearly 1,100 starts and of those, 49 came out in the Grand Prix. It was the comeback of course builder Jos Brinkman, who lost his wife to a fatal accident on her bike in August and battled his way valiantly through the competition days. “I’m glad I was there, with all the support and interest from everyone. There were difficult moments but also beautiful ones. Gerda would also have wanted me to continue,” Jos Brinkman said, who did not always make it easy for the riders. “It is also a national competition, not a weekday training competition,” is his reasoning.
High level
In short, you had to be of good stock to win a class. But let as many as eighteen go clear in the Grand Prix. “There were just a lot of very good riders with very good horses. And if a Grand Prix is written out at 1.40m, you shouldn’t make it 1.45m,” Jos Brinkman said. Fifteen of them came back for the jump-off and that became a spectacular final battle for all the audience.
Pim Mulder kicked off and rushed I am a Rebel-S (Numero Uno) to full speed. That his time of 38.35 seconds would yield only sixth prize, no one could have imagined. Eric ten Cate immediately dipped below it by 0.72 seconds with Incredible (Clinton), the grey with which he won the 1.40m GP of Outdoor Vragender in August. Dennis van den Brink went another 1.5 seconds faster with his efficient Aonia Domain (Mylord Carthago) and that turned out to be the winning time: 36,13. No one tipped it yet.
Vincent Geerink finished with Fifty-Fifty (Zirocco Blue) in the same time as Eric ten Cate and shared second place. Ten Cate additionally finished fourth on HorseDeals Prima Donna van ‘t Roosakker (Comme il Faut), ahead of Gerben Morsink on Carina Z (Carthino Z). Home amazon Micky Morssinkhof also rode double clear on her stallion Quintendros E (Quintender) and finished eleventh.
Happy in the pasture
Dennis van den Brink received yet another PSC Lichtenvoorde trophy. Last week he also won the 1.40m in IJsselmuiden and before that the Grand Prix of De Wolden. “Started three times, won three times in a row,” says the rider from Nijkerkerveen about his thirteen-year-old mare Aonia Domain. “She likes this kind of competition best. One round and then jump-off. Then she is fresh and in the mood. Internationally she is also doing very well, she won a 1.45m in Kessel and in Ommen and was second here in the 1.45m Medium Tour final of Outdoor Gelderland, but she prefers to jump one day and then go home and into the meadow. She certainly walks five to six hours a day outside, even in winter and when it rains. It’s a matter of keeping her happy and in shape. She knows the game.”
Fast by nature
Dennis van den Brink also picked up a seventh prize with Joy of Spring R (Andiamo), which he also rode very fast anyway. “Also a very good horse, but she is not yet as fast as my grey and I still have to ride her much more carefully myself. Aonia wins because of her flat canter, she stays low to the ground. She lands and is gone. Most horses also take more time on the jump, this one jumps efficiently, not higher than necessary. With that you can win such classes,” laughed the rider.
The numbers one and two in the 1.35m on Saturday are familiar names: Pim Mulder with Kentucky Balia NL (Carambole) and Eric ten Cate with HorseDeals Nada van het Spieveld (Elvis Ter Putte). Pim Mulder also won the 1.35m with Jetset on Friday. The 1.30m classes on Thursday and Friday were won by Joanne Wes with Koh-I-Noor and Ester Damman-Blekink with Jillmore WV.
Meanwhile, PSC Lichtenvoorde is busy organizing the famous international show Jumping de Achterhoek. From November 23 to 26 the best youth riders from all kinds of countries will compete in Vragender. From November 29 to December 3 is the CSI1* and CSI2* jumping.
Top-10 1.40m Grand Prix Jumping Lichtenvoorde 2023
- Dennis Van den Brink, Aonia Domain (0/0-36,13
- Eric Ten Cate, Incredible (0/0-37,63)
- Vincent Geerink, Fifty-Fifty (0/0-37,63)
- Eric Ten Cate, HorseDeals Prima Donna van ‘t Roosakker (0/0-37,65)
- Gerben Morsink, Carina Z (0/0-37,69)
- Pim Mulder, I am a Rebel-S (0/0-38,35)
- Dennis Van den Brink, Joy Of Spring R (0/0-38,4)
- Vincent Geerink, Gelster (0/0-38,78)
- Daphne van der Schaar, Iceman VDS (0/0-39,16)
- Sander Geerink, Laretto (0/0-39,68)
Auteur/pictures: Wendy Scholten
