On eve of its tenth anniversary: Zangersheide sponsors Belgian horse sport Ludo Philippaerts, Jos Lansink and Marc Van Dijck form the basis of Studbook Zangersheide Team

Studbook Zangersheide, on the eve of its tenth anniversary, has taken an important initiative for a Belgian jumping team. From now on Ludo Philippaerts, Jos Lansink and Marc Van Dijck will appear in the international arena wearing 'the yellow-rimmed blue coat'. These three riders will form, according to team-builder Léon Melchior, the basis of the Belgian Studbook Zangersheide team. The trio - Ludo Philippaerts and Jos Lansink in the top-ten of the world list and Marc Van Dijck not far from it - will be further expanded in the near future. First objective of Zangersheide and Léon Melchior is to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Studbook by promoting and stimulating the jumping sport in Belgium as in the same way they have been supporting sport and breeding over the past more than thirty years. Jumping Mechelen will be the 'opening night' for the blue-coats.

Photo: Tonny Strouken

The Malesan (French wine-sellers) team has been trend-setter for many years. When Malesan's PDG, Bernard Magrez, retired, there were no real teams left. During the past years several teams returned on a commercial basis. In Great Britain this was the Traxdata team with Peter Charles and others and Virtual Village with the Whitaker brothers and Geoff Billington. Italy has Loro Piana. But the big bang came with the 'green' team of Swedish electro-technical giant Ericksson who contracted Franke Sloothaak, Marcus Ehning (Germany), Jerry Smith (Italy), Markus Fuchs (Switzerland), Olivier Guillon (France) and Maria Gretzer (Sweden) in one sweep. With the arrival of Studbook Zangersheide's 'Blue-yellow' team, the pattern of riding-coat colours becomes even more intricate. Léon Melchior's first priority is not to give more 'local colour' to horse events, but to stimulate the Belgian horse sport - which received Jos Lansink with open arms - with a team and to promote Studbook Zangersheide, and therefore breeding in general.

"We have thought about it a long time, we studied and considered the plan, and came to the conclusion that the best opportunity for our studbook and the Belgian horse sport was to build a top-class team. We have constantly aimed to realise both targets. With a top-class team starting in national and international competitions, there to have outstanding success, we realise a double-function both towards the Belgian jumping sport and to Studbook Zangersheide", explains Léon Melchior, who ten years ago, when presenting the studbook at Jumping Maastricht, was not yet taken seriously by the, specifically, larger studbooks in Germany, the Netherlands and France. That the 'midget' among the 'giants' has meanwhile grown up and entered the third millennium under European flag, and, on its way, stamped the world championships for young showjumping horses - in spite of opposition - out of the ground, is now taken for granted.

The team, with Ludo Philippaerts and Jos Lansink, already in the absolute world-top for over ten years, and 'rookie' Marc Van Dijck, will be further expanded with other Belgian riders in the near future. The idea is, in consultation with the KBRSF (Royal Belgian Riding Sport Federation), to add always one or two other Belgian top-riders to the 'blue coat' team for major international (read: nations cup) competitions. "Evidently, riders will be added", says Léon Melchior. "But always in mutual agreement and good harmony with the all riders concerned, with the jumping committee and the KBRSF management."

The Belgian team that to everyone's surprise, won the 2001 Nations Cup in Aachen consisted of Philippe Le Jeune (Nabab de Rêve), Marc Van Dijck (Verelst Goliath), Jos Lansink (AK Caridor Z) and Ludo Philippaerts (Verelst Parco). The team that concluded the Nations Cup in Dublin with a victory also had as a basis the three riders which recently signed a contract with Studbook Zangersheide, this time with addition of Stanny Van Paesschen (O de Pomme).

Jos Lansink has been successfully promoting the success of Studfarm Zangersheide for several years. To attract additional riders, who each individually are protecting the interests of separate sponsors and owners, will not form an impediment for building up a Studbook Zangersheide Team. Léon Melchior is quite clear about this: "I know how hard it is to stay with the top in the jumping sport and how difficult it sometimes is for riders to find a sponsor or convince an owner not to sell his horse. So I will give the team complete carte blanche. The decision which horses from which owners (Ludo Philippaerts and Marc Van Dijck are riding for Stal Schranshof from Luc Verelst) and the Belgian riders that will be added later, is totally left up to the individual rider. Studbook Zangersheide does not mind that horses from third parties carry a pre- or affix that represents a certain sponsor or owner, such as in the case of the Verelst-horses. Of course, this cooperation could only be realised in good consultation with and with the agreement of Luc Verelst. And the cooperation will even go further than that: all stallions started by Ludo Philippaerts and Marc Van Dijck will be registered with Studbook Zangersheide.

Jos LANSINK
Born 19.03.1961
Married with Marielle, daughter Rozane
Hobby: soccer
Jos Lansink is a very experienced showjumping rider who won the last ten years more than 40 Grand Prix. In 1989 Jos Lansink won on Felix the individual bronze medal at the European Champiohsips and two years later with his BWP horse Egano the European individual bronze medal and the gold medal with the Dutch team.
1992 (Barcelona) Jos Lansink was with the Belgian Warmblood Egano rider in the Dutch team who won the gold medal at the Olympic Games. In 1994 he won the three classes and the Final of the Volvo World Cup in 's Hertogenbosch on the stallion Libero H. Jos Lansink worked for Hans Horn from 1982 till 1996. Then he moved to Zangersheide where he is still riding. After having lived in Belgium for more than five years and as full time rider for the Belgian owner Léon Melchior, he decided last year to change nationality and to defend in the future the Belgian colours. He was a member of the winning Belgian team of the Nations Cup in Aachen.
With AK Caridor Z Jos Lansink took 5th place at the 2001 European Championships in Arnhem.
Number 10 at the FEI World Jumping Rankings (per 18.11.2001)

Marc VAN DIJCK
Born: 29.04.1960
Married: Carine De Vos (also showjumping rider), no children
Hobby: driving with his motorbike (Harley Davidson)
Marc Van Dijck started his career as a Rural Rider (LRV) and was also a famous rider with BWP approved stallions. He started at the big shows with the horses of The Verelst Stables and jumped to a top 30 place at the FEI Riders Rankings with the Holsteiner Verelst Goliath. Last year he won the Grand Prix of Drammen. Best results last year: 4th in the Zurich and Helsinki Grand Prix on Verelst Goliath, 2nd at the Geneva Grand Prix, 5th in the Berlin GP on Verelst Othello and 6th place at the Paris-Bercy GP.
With Verelst Goliath Marc Van Dijck took 11th place at the 2001 European Championships in Arnhem.
Number 17 at the FEI World Jumping Rankings (per 18.11.2001)

Internet: www.zangersheide.com