After his superior clear ride with Grandorado TN NOP (by Eldorado vd Zeshoek TN) in the second part of the Senior National Championships, Willem Greve benefited from the jumping error of Harrie Smolders and Mr. Tac (v.Nonstop), who took the lead on the first day. Greve rose from 2nd place to the top spot in the standings. Matthijs van Asten won the second part of the National Championships and is in eighth place in the rankings after two parts.
On the second day of the National Jumping Championships, more was asked of the horses and riders. It resulted in the necessary shifts in the rankings. Last starter and leader after day one, Harrie Smolders and his ‘new’ horse Mr. Tac, received four penalties in the course and dropped to 12th place in the championship standings.
‘Hope it all goes well’
Willem Greve and Grandorado TN NOP performed convincingly flawlessly as the penultimate starters and take the lead in the standings with 0.14 penalties. “They jumped well again today,” Greve repeats his statement from the first day, when he finished second with Grandorado TN NOP and ninth with the nine-year-old mare Pretty Woman van ‘t Paradijs (who was again convincingly clear today). “The level is high. It is very close together. I did take some risks on the first day. Pretty Woman jumped phenomenally today, I thought. Grandorado TN NOP is still under construction for the outdoor season. That’s why I want to let him run for a few days in a row here at the National Championships. He also jumped very well. Tomorrow a day of rest and then again on Sunday. Then do the same as today, keep your head down and hope things go well.”
‘Just drive’
Greve won the title in 2022 with Highway TN NOP and was recently the winner of the Rolex Grand Prix in ‘s Hertogenbosch with the stallion. The current number 29 in the FEI world rankings does have the Olympic Games in his sights, but with reservations. “I don’t feel like speculating about Paris yet. We just have to drive. I only want to go there if I can go there and if one of my horses is in the shape of its life. I have two horses, Highway TN NOP and Grandorado TN NOP, that I am going to work towards in Paris. Can I come along, then with the horse that is in the best shape.”
Interim score
But first on Sunday the Dutch title battle where Greve is closely followed by Jur Vrieling with Jourdain VDL (by Zapatero VDL), who also remained clear in the second part and rose from third to second place in the rankings. Michael Greeve is third. Willem Greve is sixth in the standings with his mare. The final of the National Jumping Championships over two heats is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The best twelve combinations have less than 1 jumping error difference between them. Reigning champion Maikel van der Vleuten is number 14 in the standings with 5.44 penalty points.
1. Willem Greve (Markelo), Grandorado TN NOP (by Eldorado van de Zeshoek), 0.14 st pnt
2. Jur Vrieling (Holwierde), Jourdain VDL (v.Zapatero VDL), 0.74 st pnt
3. Michael Greeve (Veeningen), Denver (by Diarado), 0.86 st pnt
Complete standings
Day victory for Mathijs van Asten
The second part of the National Championships was a competition on penalty points and time. That was won by Matthijs van Asten and Sirocco. Lars Kersten finished second with the stallion Funky Fred vh Marienshof Z, who are now in 5th place in the standings. Kars Bonhof and Hernandez TN NOP, who are included on the Olympic longlist of national coach Jos Lansink, came third and did good business in the rankings and are now in 11th place ahead of Harrie Smolders and Mr. Tac that have 4 penalty points.
1. Matthijs van Asten (IJsselsteyn), Sirocco (by Balou du Rouet), 0 – 69.30 sec
2. Lars Kersten (Eghel), Funky Fred vh Marienshof Z (s.Fantomas de Muze), 0 – 70.20 sec
3. Kars Bonhof (Epe), Hernandez TN NOP (by Kannan), 0 – 70.93 sec
Full results
Source: KNHS
