Seven year olds
Mennell Watson was the best of the British contingent, finishing seventh in the seven-year-old final at the World Breeding Championships on Helen van Heyningens home-bred Halida Du Rouet.
Stallions dominated this final, with the impressive Caballero guided into first place by Bastian Freese, a stable jockey at Paul Schockemöhles yard.
The Netherlands Gerben Morsink settled for second on Carthino Z, by Carthago Z, with third going to Belgiums Yves Vanderhasselt on the French-bred Muscaris DAriel, a stallion with Diamant De Semilly-Laudanum bloodlines.
With the fastest four faults in the first round, Belgian-based Briton Joe Clee took eighth place on the Andiamo Z-sired An Sidec.
Six year olds
Holland dominated the hotly contested six-year-old final, which was topped by physics student Gerben Morsink on the Zandor-sired Zekina Z.
Stuart Neads was Britains only jump-off hope, but he dropped to 14th after tipping a pole on Andy Doswells Amoroso Van De Helle, a Holsteiner stallion by Acorado.
Laura Renwick on her British foreign-bred champion Beluga and John Popely with his wife Leas home-bred national champion Tiger Lily saw their hopes die with four faults apiece in the first round.
Five year olds
With 27 in the five-year-old jump-off, the clock was always going to dictate, but despite serious challenges along the way, Columbian Dayro Arroyaves devastating early round meant that Opera De Rizzi Z became the second champion for Zangersheide.
Mares were dominant here, filling the top six places, with second and third going to Marielle Schroders Virginia ahead of Anne van Vulpen and Societys Voila.
Laura Renwick again had four faults in the first round on Vernon G and Britains jump-off hopes rested with another Essex-based rider, Barry Dove. But four faults dropped the Chellano Z grey Cosmos to 22nd.
Sires of the World
The prestigious Sires of the World title went to Jaguar Mail, who covered 200 mares this year. He was ridden here by Swedens Peter Eriksson to win by just 0.04sec.
Four faults in round one kept Ronnie Healy out of the jump-off, but he brought Louise Mindermanns 15-year-old Grannus son Give Me Remus into 15th place.
Britains Carron Nicol rode her Kannan stallion Zorro into fifth place in the five-year-old consolation behind Belgiums Benny Naessens on Defender Z.
Read this report in full in the current issue of Horse & Hound (18 October, ’07)/strong>
