"A golden horse with the heart of a lion." And tonight, Stargos VDL proved it once again. For three consecutive years, Hessel Hoekstra and Stargos VDL (s. Stakkato Gold) have been unbeatable at the KWPN Stallion Show. Tonight, the duo claimed their first VHO Trophy powered by Arcaris over 1.40m. "This was great again; you always hope they jump well here," said a more than satisfied Hessel Hoekstra.

The VHO Trophy was a delight for breeders and sport enthusiasts alike. Many young, promising stallions competed in the final jumping class of the day, each leaving an impressive mark. The eight-year-old Stargos VDL (Stakkato Gold x Estella by Conthargos, bred by W. Winkeler in Herzlake) faced strong competition from his peers.

"I think he will go very far"
"This is the third time he has won here in Den Bosch. Before that, he won every competition with Iris, and with me, he has won all his classes, now including the VHO Trophy. This is fantastic—he jumped really well again today," said Hoekstra after the victory. "I don’t want to push him too fast; he still has to turn eight. I hope to give him experience at the 1.40m level this year," he added. "His drive, his motivation—he’s always on. The moment you enter the ring, he looks for the jumps. He’s careful, and I think he’s going to go very far."

A second and a half faster
Twelve stallions participated in the competition, with seven returning for the jump-off. VDL Stud rider Alex David Gill set a very sharp time with Mindset ES (Aganix du Seigneur x Hosanne ES keur pref sport-spr by Kannan, bred by E. Schep in Tull en ’t Waal). However, with Stargos VDL and Hessel Hoekstra on the start list, an even faster time was likely—and so it happened. With a time over one and a half seconds quicker, Hoekstra pushed Gill into second place. "I have to admit, Alex David Gill rode really fast," laughed Hoekstra.

High quality field
Third place went to the eight-year-old Dominator son Don Tarpania Z (out of Iralinde Tarpania ster pref sport-spr PROK by Glasgow-W van het Merelsnest, bred by A.P.G. de Lange from Swifterbant) under Lars Kuster, followed by Rianne Nalis with Mr. Cornet de Regor (out of Ohaj de Regor by Kannan, bred by W. van de Plasse from Kruiningen). All four of these combinations completed the VHO Trophy powered by Arcaris with double clear rounds, showcasing young stallions of great quality and character.

Special combination: Greve and Impian
The 5*-level 1.55m-qualified stallion Kannan Jr. (Cornet Obolensky x Van Meta ster prest sport-spr PROK by Quick Star, bred by M.G. Kramer van der Meer from Oud-Beijerland and S. van der Lei from Sint-Michielsgestel) unfortunately had one rail down in the jump-off under Jur Vrieling, finishing in fifth place. The special pairing of Willem Greve and Impian D (Bubalu VDL x Outlaw D ster prest sport-spr D-OC by Lux, bred by H.K. van Doorn from Lunteren) also impressed, securing sixth place. Seventh place went to Frank Schuttert with La Costa ES (Mosito van het Hellehof x Isolde ES elite pref sport-spr PROK by Cumano, bred by E. Schep from Tull en ’t Waal).

Results

JM for KWPN
Photo: Stargos VDL by Hippo Foto Media