By Jo de Roo
Photography: Jo de Roo

Special Agent Amour, Franziskus, Urano de Cartigny, Catoki, and Casino Grande, all suppliers of the foal champions in Glabbeek during the BWP-division in Tienen. From the aforementioned names, Amour and Franziskus provided the dressage winners, while descendants of Urano, Catoki and Casino were showjumping oriented.

Special Rebel van de Bruel (Special Agent Amour - Joyeuse van den Bruel x Diamond Hit), bred by Walter and Lily Blockx-Vansweevelt, was the best colt in the option dressage. Talking about Joyeuse, Lily said: “She became national champion and champion of the day on the occasion of the BWP breeding day, in 2012 and 2013. In 2012, she also won the Corsendonck Cup in partnership with my husband Walter. Afterwards, our daughter Kim rode Joyeuse, but she is no longer performing,” but enjoying life as a broodmare.

In Glabbeek, Walter and Lily were laurelled as ‘breeders of the year’, thanks to their own-bred Picasso van den Bruel (Zack - Esthee Fravanca x Florestan I). This year, Picasso was approved and crowned as the dressage champion of the BWP stallion approval. According to Lily, Picasso covered many dams this season. “We are not only talking about quantity, but also about quality: Picasso’s had beautiful dams with outstanding pedigrees. Also, strikingly, he’s had dams from all over Belgium, which means that breeders appreciate his breeding value. We are looking out for his first offspring next year.”

Savanna vd Guldennagel claimed victory in the category ‘fillies, option dressage’. Stijn Thijs bred this daughter of Franziskus out of Johanna van de Guldennagel (Johnson/ex-Verdi V). Stijn said: “Johanna didn’t perform in sport. She’s honest, so we started using her as a broodmare. Breeding and riding at the same time is difficult. Last year, her son Risk It All vd Guldennagel became the winner in the category ‘colts, option dressage’ on the occasion of the BWP national foal championship. Johanna is now in foal to our own stallion, Pegasus van de Guldennagel...