Simon Delestre and Olga Van De Kruishoeve Take the French Baton in Tetouan
French anthem rings for Simon Delestre © R&B Presse / Morgan Froment
Friday marks the second day of the 2024 Moroccan Royal Tour (MRT) here in the stunning mountainous city of Tetouan, and it’s evident competition is heating up with victory smiling upon Morocco in the opening classes.
This morning it was a top-9 Moroccan wave in the CSI1* PRIX DE ZOUADA 1.25m that delighted the home audience. Zakaria Zoundi led the contingent with a proud salute aboard 15-year-old gelding Vincenzo du Ter, the singular rider in the strong 35 combination class to break the 60-second barrier, clocking in at 59.82 seconds. Hot on his heels was the young Rayane El Ouarzazi with his ‘heart horse,’ 17-year-old mare Carousa 2.
The pair have been partnered for just shy of a decade, and he’s determined this will be their final year showing together. So naturally, he cherishes each top result.“This mare is like my daughter. For me, you have one horse in your life you can connect with like this. It’s very, very nostalgic for me to be in our final year of competition. She’s been to the Moroccan Championships eight or nine times. She is still in top form, and even though she doesn’t want to stop and definitely could continue for a few more years, I want to end our career on a high note. After, she will enjoy a nice retirement at home and hopefully have a few babies,” said El Ouarzazi, who trains out of their family-run stable in Rabat.
“My mother [Regine] was a rider. She manages our team, including me and my sister [Mlle Lina El Ouarzazi]. We have good energy in the stable because I love my mother and I trust her. I know that she always has my best interest at heart. My sister and I also work well together and are happy when the other one wins. Two months ago, she was the Morrocan champion, and I was fourth. We need to share!”Regarding the special connection between El Ouarzazi and Carousa, it seems the love is mutual.“Yesterday morning, she escaped the box and went looking for me. I got a phone call from my friend that my horse left the stall, and then she came right up to me here,” El Ouarzazi laughed.
While the Moroccans have been dominating the 1* division, the French have naturally left nothing on the table for the week’s highlight 4* classes. During today’s CSI4*-W Grand Prix Qualifier, French star Simon Delestre rode 10-year-old mare Olga Van De Kruishoeve to yet another victory. The pair have racked up almost a dozen CSI5* wins within the year they’ve been together.“Olga is a very nice horse, very clever and pleasant to ride. She’s a classical mare, and the connection came very fast with her.
With some horses, it takes much longer, but she always fights for you and helps you in the arena,” said Delestre.“For sure, the winter is going to be long and tough, so it’s great to have some shows like this. I always try to bring some new horses here because I can build them up at this level while taking my time.”It’s exactly what he did last year when the pair won last year’s two opening 4* classes in Tétouan including the CSI4*-W Grand Prix Qualifier, the Prix de la Marche Verte. For Delestre, it is a welcomed case of deja vu.
Whether this pair will contest Sunday’s Grand Prix is still to be seen because, as usual, Delestre came to Morrocco well-equipped.“I came with three good horses that could all jump the FGrand Prix. I’ll have to decide who is going to jump the Nations’ Cup next week in Rabat, and from that, I’ll decide who to enter on Sunday. I need to see how the other classes go for now.”With that, all eyes are on tomorrow’s CSI4*-W 1.50m PRIX DE DAKHLA. Will the French maintain their position in Tetouan? Or will we rise for another nation’s anthem?
RESULTS
PRIX DE ZOUADA
CSI1* – 1.25 m – Faults & Time – 238.2.1
38 participants and 12 placed
1) Zakaria Zoundi, MAR – Vicenzo du Ter 0/59.82, 2) Rayane El Ouarzazi, MAR – Carousa 2 0/60.06, 3) Yassir Arbain, MAR – Copacabana du Nord 0/60.21, 4) Soukaina Ouaddar, MAR – Berlin du Loc’H 0/60.93, 5) Majid Djaidi, MAR – Amidam Tivoli Z 0/62.11
PRIX DE LA MARCHE VERTE
CSI4*-W – 1.45 m (LR) GP Qualif. – Faults & Time – 238.2.1
43 participants and 12 placed
1) Simon Delestre, FRA – Olga van de Kruishoeve 0/67.40, 2) Ramzy Al Duhami, KSA – Addressee 0/69.66, 3) Alix Ragot, FRA – Gotcha de Baerenrain 0/70.12, 4) El Ghali Boukaa, MAR – Ugolino du Clos 0/71.47, 5) Nico Lupino, ITA – Iniesta 0/72.47
Press release Morocco Royal Tour
