Valkenswaard in the Netherlands proved fertile training ground for the kick-off event of a three-week Dutch tour for Blue Atlantic’s stars Victoria, Steyburn, and Ghana. There, the string, piloted by Faleh Suwead Al Ajami of Qatar, earned a win and numerous top placings against world class competition during week one of the acclaimed Summer Festival at Longines Tops International Arena.
On Friday, June 7, Blue Atlantic’s 2008 Swedish Warmblood mare Steyburn began her weekend with a strong finish in the CSI1* 1.35m two-phase. She and Al Ajami stopped the clock at 30.34 seconds, good enough for a sixth-place finish in the field of 40 combinations.
Having tested the waters, Al Ajami and Steyburn doubled down on Saturday, June 8, making the most of the mare’s trademark footspeed to take the win in the CSI1* 1.35m class against the clock. The pair’s time of 64.27s just pipped Dutch rider Roel Holthuizen and Captain Cash, who stopped the clock at 64.51s; New Zealand’s Richard Gardner and Ippolito took third (66.4s).
Finally, on Sunday morning, June 9, Steyburn proved her consistency, closing out the weekend with another top finish, this time in the €10,000 CSI1* 1.35m Grand Prix. Forty competitors took the field during round one, with nine jumping clear and within the time allowed to advance to the shortened course. In the jump-off, Al Ajami and Steyburn stopped the clock at 36.74s, good enough for fifth place in good company.
Partnered since February 2023, Al Ajami and Steyburn have collected eight podium finishes to date and boast 100% top 10 finish and 75% clear round averages over eight rounds at the 1.35m height, according to Jumpr App.
Blue Atlantic’s Victoria was also in top form during Friday’s (June 7) CSI2* 1.40m two-phase class, where the 2009 Westphalian mare by Vleut made easy work of the 14-obstacle track,jumping clear over both phases. Victoria and Al Ajami were one of many talented combinationsin the class field, which included eventual winner Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli (SWE) and Dyrka du Carry, Marlon Zanotelli (BRA) and Electro vd Kromsteeg Z, and Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA)and Killer Queen.
Al Ajami and Victoria, who have been partnered together since May of this year, recently earned a series of impressive finishes in 1.35m–1.40 classes at Societa’ Ippica Sanremo inNorthwest Italy. To date, the pair has earned 80 and 67% clear round averages at the 1.35mand 1.40m heights, respectively (Jumpr App).
Finally, the 2006 Belgian mare Ghana demonstrated her impressive quality on Sunday, June 9,jumping clear in the first round of the CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix. Competing against a field ofmore than 60 riders, Ghana was one of 24 horses to master the first-round track and punch herticket to the jump off, ultimately finishing 19 th in the competitive, international field.
Ghana and Al Ajami have an impressive 50% clear round average over six rounds at the height, according toJumpr App. Ghana was previously campaigned by Ireland’s Peter Moloney, who earned top placings withthe mare by Vigo D’Arsouilles STX in major events including the Yageo-Prize Speed Derby atCHIO Aachen, and the Tom Hudson and Bunn Leisure Derbies in Hickstead, England.
