Last weekend, Gilles Thomas travelled to Poland for the CSIO4* Warsaw Sluzewiec. The final of the EEF Nations Cup. Team Belgium (Gilles, Wilm Vermeir, Rik Hemeryck and Virginie Thonon) jumped to silver in the Nations Cup. Before that, Gilles rode Luna van het Dennenhof (Prince van de Wolfsakker x Quidam de Revel) .  In the first round the duo from Stal Nieuwenhof jumped clear, in round two there was one jumping fault.  On Saturday, Kivolette van Beek (Cidane x Indoctro) already jumped into the prizes in a 1.45m class.  On Friday, the eight-year-old Panenka de Kalvarie showed great things in the 1.40m class resulting in ninth place. On the opening day, Kivolette van Beek also jumped to tenth place after a clear round in the 1.50m class. 

Meanwhile, Gilles is already back home in Nieuwenrode and the focus is on Lanaken, where he will participate in the BK Seniors, the World Championships for young horses and The Sires of the World on Saturday evening.

Ermitage at the start of Belgian Championships

" I just got back from Poland and now it's really looking forward to the week in Lanaken. Wednesday starts the Belgian Championships. I'm taking Ermitage Kalone (Catoki x Kannan) for the BK.  He has covered a lot this year and not really jumped much, maybe that's why our preparation for the BK was not optimal. But he is such a good horse and the courses he did jump felt so good that I still believe in it.  I see this first championship in his career more as a learning moment. To gain experience with multi-day championships. So I'm riding this championship with Ermitage mainly with an eye on the future, but that doesn't mean I have no ambition. You never know how things will go at a BK. Last year I had a really super year with Luna and it was disappointing at the BK. For the same money, it's just the opposite this year." winks Gilles.

Lavanoche T&L Z and Super Star van 't Keikelhof jumping the World Championship - Feromas in The Sires of the World

Gilles: In the World Championship for young show jumpers, I'm riding Lavanoche T&L Z (Lavallino ter Klomp x Bentley vd Heffinck) in the seven-year-olds.  The mare won the 1.45 class for young horses (7- and 8-year-olds) in Brussels and she won the 1.40 class for seven-year-olds in Moerzeke.  If things go well, we can go far.  In the five-year-olds, I will take Super Star van 't Keikelhof (Big Star x For Pleasure). An approved stallion who was ridden by Maverick Van Lent. But Maverick recently left our stables for a new challenge. I have not yet ridden the approved BWP stallion in competition, but I have already taken him on a training course and that felt very good. In the Sires of the World class, Feromas van Beek Z (Fantomas de Muze x Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve) will start.  In Ascona last week he jumped in the prizes and in Brussels the stallion also jumped well.  I am also looking forward to that. 

China

Gilles: After Zangersheide, I will go on holiday for a week and the horses will also get some rest. Then I will go to China with nine other European riders for a 3* competition with horses that we will get on site. That will be a bit special ... The really serious showjumping then comes again with the last Longines Global Champions Tour in Riyadh at the end of October. (smile)