Oliva Nova, Valencia, Spain – March 15, 2026 – On Sunday afternoon, the Grand Prix CSI 2* – 1.45m presented by Dammann Reitplatz- u. Sportplatzbau GmbH concluded the first week of Spring MET III 2026 at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova in Spain.
A total of 54 horse-and-rider combinations lined up for the challenge set by Elena Boix (ESP), with twelve pairs clearing their way into the jump-off. In the end, it was the Dutch rider Dennis van den Brink (NED) and the 9-year-old mare La Rouge JT (Ducati van Schuttershof x Kannan) that took the top honours after stopping the clock on 35.97 seconds.
“The course was very nice because there were some options in quite a few lines, and I added a few strides,” the happy winner analysed afterwards. “Then in the jump-off my plan was to aim to be in the top three, because my horse already did an amazing job by winning the ranking class on Friday. We ended up winning again today, it was an unbelievably nice surprise.”
“We bought her as a five-year-old in an online auction,” Dennis shared about his winning mount La Rouge JT. “All her life, she’s been a clear round machine, and this today was her first two-star Grand Prix – and she immediately won it. That’s really cool. For this summer, we’ll see where things go, how she feels and how she takes on the bigger jumps. I don’t think we have to worry about the future with this one!”
“We have come here already for eight years and always in March,” Dennis said about the venue in Oliva. “It’s great for the horses, especially also for the young ones. The outdoor season has not yet started at home, so this is a nice way to get ahead and see where you’re at. And the beach, of course, is very nice for the horses in between the classes.”
Sweden’s Andrea Persson (SWE) and F. Las Vegas (Carembar de Muze x Cardento) placed second with a time of 36.01, followed by Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele (BEL) on Lotti Blue Z (Le Blue Diamond van’T Ruytershof x Wandor van de Mispelaere) in third in 36.44, Marco Antonio Peixoto Ferreira Filho (COL) with Everest V’t Hof V Eversem Z (Epleaser van’T Heike x Concreto) in fourth in 37.35 and Kasper H. Hansen (DEN) aboard Katrinelund Satisfaction (Sandro’s Adel x Crelido) in fifth in 37.76.
Spring MET III continues next week and runs until March 29th, followed by Spring MET IV in April.
Final Results – €30,150 Dammann Reitplatz- u. Sportplatzbau Trophy CSI 2*
1) Dennis van den Brink (NED) & La Rouge JT – 0 / 0 – 35.97
2) Andrea Persson (SWE) & F. Las Vegas – 0 / 0 – 36.01
3) Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele (BEL) & Lotti Blue Z – 0 / 0 – 36.44
Source: Press Release from the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour
Photo: © MET / http://www.1clicphoto.com by Hervé Bonnaud
