Last weekend, Rolf-Göran Bengtsson was at the show in Opglabbeek, Belgium. Also in attendance were Zuccero and Catch, two stallions owned by Holsteiner Verband Hengsthaltungs GmbH. Both stallions secured placings and gained valuable experience at Sentower Park. Zuccero by Zirocco Blue (Hanno Köhncke, Badendorf) featured twice on the winners’ podium in jumping classes up to 1.40 metres. “Zuccero has an incredibly good attitude, and in one jumping class I tried to ride a bit faster. That’s something the stallion needs to learn now as well,” reports his trainer Rolf-Göran Bengtsson. “He makes me feel increasingly confident on the course and, with his impressive results in the Youngster Tours, has shown that he can deliver everything one would expect from an eight-year-old.” Next season, Zuccero will be nine years old, and the plan is for him to compete in the intermediate tour, or jumps up to 1.45 metres.
Zuccero’s stablemate is Catch, a son of Colman (Hans-Peter Löding-Hasenkamp, Quarnstedt). He, too, has performed well at Opglabbeek. “Catch is growing in confidence from course to course,” says Bengtsson. “Over the past few months, I’ve worked a lot on his jumping technique. He now jumps with a completely different arc. This suits him particularly well over verticals and in combinations.” Catch is now seven years old and is therefore still eligible to compete in the Youngster Tour next year. Rolf-Göran Bengtsson would then like to ride the young stallion a little faster from time to time, “because the confidence Catch has now gained means he has become more dynamic overall,” his Swedish rider continues. “Both stallions – Zuccero and Catch – have developed in exactly the right direction. Now we’re hoping that the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t throw a spanner in the works of our competition plans for the coming season,” said Rolf-Göran Bengtsson.
There is less positive news to report regarding Quibery (Hobe Magens, Ottenbüttel), a son of Quintero. Unfortunately, the sporting hopes that this stallion had raised in the past have not been fulfilled. The reason for this is ossification in the thoracic spine. Trauma cannot be ruled out as the cause. As a result, Quibery will no longer compete in sport.
Photos: DigiShots.nl, Karl-Heinz Frieler
