Houtzager and Sterrehof’s Dante Deliver Again in Amsterdam
Marc Houtzager (NED) and Sterrehof’s Dante © FEI / Leanjo de Koster
In front of a sell-out partisan crowd, Dutchman Marc Houtzager aboard his long-term partner, the 17-year-old Sterrehof’s Dante, delivered two faultless performances to win the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup leg in Amsterdam (NED). It was a case of déjà vu for Houtzager as he and the evergreen mare had taken victory in the same class five years ago. A picture of health and fitness, the game little mare fought her way around Quintin Maertens tracks with the enthusiasm of a horse half her age and delighted the occupants of Amsterdam’s electric arena.
Maertens’ first round track wasn’t, on paper, the biggest that athletes have encountered over this season, but his use of strategically placed oxers and lines proved a genius piece of course building, producing a thought-provoking track that only six of the 40 athletes could master despite a lenient time allowed. Oxers proved the most influential fences in round one with fence seven, a Liverpool standing at 1.53m high and 1.65m wide, causing 11 combinations to fault, whilst fence nine, a 1.53m high oxer with a width of 1.60m, on a related distance from the combination, claimed 12 victims.
Three athletes returned with just a single fence down well inside the time before Michael Greeve (NED) found all the answers to Maertens’ questions and raised the roof of the RIA Convention centre. Knowing that the time allowed had posed no threat to the athletes that proceeded him, Greeve took his time to get the inexperienced 10-year-old deep into corners on the approach to fences in order to get straight and balanced approaches to the combination and final line. This proved the key to the first round track and saw Greeve earn his place in the jump- off.
Three horses later, Leopold van Asten (NED) followed suit with VDL Groep Nino du Roton and made it two out of two for the home side. Not to be outdone by his fellow countrymen, Jur Vrieling, spurred on by the incredible atmosphere created by the knowledgeable and appreciative crowd, expertly steered Helwell du Chabus around the course without fault to further ignite the already explosive atmosphere. Fifteenth into the arena and the fourth athlete representing the host nation, Marc Houtzager and his feisty little mare rose to the occasion. Dante, ears pricked and gamely taking on fence after fence, looked as determined as her partner to leave all the fences intact and join the Dutch party in round two. Belying her 17 years of age, she stormed around to deliver clear round number four of the class and for the Netherlands.
France’s two flying Juliens (Anquetin and Epaillard) were unlucky to collect 4 faults each to round out the first half, much to the relief of the Dutch contingent. Despite the calibre of athletes in the second half, only two further combinations came up with all the answers as Denis Lynch (IRL) and Max Kühner (AUT) delivered the fifth and sixth clear rounds with Vistogrand and EIC Julius Caesar.
The home nation was in a strong position going into the jump-off, with four of the six athletes representing them. With quick combinations behind him, Michael Greeve produced a fast round with the relatively inexperienced 10-year-old gelding Denver. A tight approach to the vertical at fence 10 proved costly as he rolled the pole and completed with four faults in 37.60 seconds. Again, pressured into taking risks due to the calibre of combination waiting in the wings, Leopold van Asten set off at a gallop and after a brilliant start, paid the price when two fences fell late on the course.
Lit up by the atmosphere, a beaming Jur Vrieling pre warned the audience in his post first round interview that his jump-off tactics were going to be ‘all or nothing!’ He never quite hit a rhythm and fences weren’t presenting themselves on the first distance. As a result, he lost valuable time waiting for fences but nonetheless worked his magic to give his new partner an accurate ride to produce the first clear in 40.03. His lead was short lived as Houtzager came next with Sterrehof’s Dante. Whilst oxers had proved the nemesis of athletes in round two, it was the tall and delicate verticals at fence 8b and 10 that proved difficult to negotiate cleanly in round two. Houtzager used the agility and neatness of the diminutive mare to his advantage around the twisting turns of the jump-off track to break the beam in 38.30 seconds and take the lead with two athletes remaining.
The in form combination of Lynch and Vistogrand once again showed their class cruising round the tight turns with an immaculate round of jumping in 38.99 seconds. Kühner set off at speed looking likely to spoil the Dutch party, but the vertical at fence 10 once again hit the ground after a tight approach and cost him the win. His time of 37.58 seconds was the fastest of the day, but four faults saw him hand victory to a delighted Marc Houtzager and have to settle for fourth place.
It was an emotional win for Marc and his team as their tactic to preserve the mare by jumping her at some smaller shows before coming to Amsterdam had really paid off.
“Happy face for me today! It’s unbelievable, it’s five years ago since I won here on Sunday. Five years is a long time! I didn’t expect this; I got an extra stride from 2 to 3 in the jump-off and one extra to the combination so I didn’t think I’d be quick enough,” he said, before cheekily adding, “Luckily, Denis was on my side so, thank you, Denis!” He was full of praise with his faithful partner. “Dante is 17 now but she is in great shape. She’s a fighter; all credit to my mare. Thank you, Dante!” he concluded.
Denis was very happy with Vistogrand’s performance and particularly the consistency he is showing at this level. “I’m delighted with him. We are really forming a partnership and he’s a really reliable horse now. It’s great for Marc,” he added graciously. “Fair dues to him, in front of a home crowd. We’ll try again in Bordeaux and see where we’re lying.”
All of the athletes were full of praise for Quintin Maertens and the clever course he set to provide great sport for all to enjoy. The Dutch dominance of the competition will surely be cause enough for celebration in Amsterdam. Whilst any one of their men would have been popular winners, one can’t help but think that the partisan crowd may have been wishing a little harder for Dante to repeat history and her victory may have caused a few teary eyes in Amsterdam.
After 12 legs of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League 2024/2025, the top four athletes remain unchanged as Kevin Staut (FRA) holds on to his lead with 70 points, Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) retains second position with 66 points, Robert Whitaker (GBR) sits in third place with 60 points, and Gregory Wathelet (BEL) lies in fourth with 56 points. Max Kühner moves up to fifth position with 55 points, Julien Epaillard moves up one place into sixth with 49 points, Pieter Devos (BEL) drops two places to seventh with 47 points, and Ben Maher (GBR) rounds out the top eight on 46 points,
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League 2024/2025 season moves south to Bordeaux for the penultimate leg on 9 February 2025 before the series makes its final move to Gothenburg (SWE) for the 14th and final qualifying leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League 2024/ 2025.
by Alice Watson
