Press release by Joachim Tietz

Following the long hiatus in the show jumping circuit caused by the pandemic, the Global Champions Tour is now back in action and riders can once again compete for substantial prize money.

The top-earning Holsteiner over the Whitsun weekend was the stallion VDL Cartello, ridden by his Irish rider Darrack Kenny, at the CSI5* in Madrid. They won a total of €74,660. €29,660 was awarded for second place in the team jumping event at the Global Champions League in Madrid, and €45,000 for third place in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Madrid. Following a convincing round, in which unfortunately just a minor fault at the final jump prevented them from qualifying for the jump-off, they secured third place behind the two jump-off contenders.

The pair, VDL Cartello and Darrack Kenny, offer great promise for the future, particularly as Madrid was only the second event the pair had competed in together, following the competition in Valkenswaard in early May. Prior to this, since mid-2020, the stallion had been ridden primarily in Wellington, Tryon and Lexington by the Irish rider Lorcan Gallagher. Before that, he was ridden by Carnac Hanley and, from 2014 to 2018, by the British rider James Billington.

VDl Cartello was born in 2007, sired by Cartani out of B-Estelle by Lord – Sacramento Song xx from line 741, bred by Witt Pferdezucht Gbr., and is a half-brother to the stallion Cardento.

There was also a victory in Madrid for another son of Cartani in the final of the 1.40m Tour: Chocco 18, born in 2008, out of Up and Down by Con Air–Caletto I–Urioso, ridden by the Spaniard César Bascones Picarro, Breeder: Heike Arendt, Sollwitt, line 1155.

A Cartani offspring was also successful in eventing: in the CCI4*-S at Montelibretti (ITA), Cartania by Cartani-Clinton (Günter Koch, Vollerwiek), line 2895, and Felix Vogg (SUI) took silver.

Joachim Tietz