A number of sporting achievements can be seen in the maternal line of Hendence VDL. For example, mother Pendence achieved four nines for the jumping components in the mare test and she produced, among others, the International 1.60m jumping horse Dendence VDL (by Cardento), the international 1.45m jumping horse Fall River Blue (by Mr Blue) and the two 1.35 m-jumping horses Cendence VDL (by Lord Z) and our Hendence VDL (by Zapatero VDL). Pendence is also the half-sister of the international 1.40m show jumping horse Broker VDL (s.Hold Up Premier). Further along in the mother’s line is Independence (by Ahorn). She performed at 1.30m and is the half-sister of the international show jumping horses Arkansas (by Acrobat II), Everest (by Nimmerdor) and the KWPN-approved stallion Glennridge (by Wellington).
Zirocco Blue’s dam, Licorne des Forets, competed at the international 1.50m level and his grand dam, Gekas des Forets, not only competed at 1.40m level but was also called ‘the most winning’ 6-year old in France. Great-grand dam Rapsodie II also competed at 1.40m level.
Wherever Zirocco Blue competes all eyes are upon him with his scope, jumping style and efficiency. Under Jur Vrieling he has achieved several very impressive international results. They won the Team Gold Medal at the European Championship and individually were 5th. In the Las Vegas World Cup final they finished 10th. The World Cup of Oslo, the Grand Prix’s of Kopenhagen, Melsomvik (2x) and Geesteren, the Masters in Mechelen – all saw Zirocco wearing the winner’s sash. As a member of the Dutch team they won the Nations Cup of Rotterdam, Kopenhagen and Gijon. In the Dutch Jumping Championship he was 2nd.
Zapatero’s mother is the elite and sports mare Manieta, who jumped internationally under the name Brugman’s Princes and became National Champion of 4-year-old show jumping horses. Grandmother is the performance mare Anita, who is, among other things, mother of the international show jumping horse Orlando.
As a 3-year-old, Zapatero was reserve champion of the stallion inspection. As a 4-year-old he became reserve champion of the stallion competition. As a 7-year-old he was a finalist in the VION Cup and 2nd in the final of the Youngster Tour in Geesteren. Under Jessica Kürten, Zapatero won the Grand Prix of the KWPN stallion inspection and the VHO trophy.
They achieved a number of impressive international results, including: 6th GP Ebreichsdorf, 7th in the Salzburg Championat, 8th GP Oliva and 10th in the World Cup qualification Zurich. Under Robert Vos, Zapatero won the Medium Tour final of Wierden, won the CSI de Wolden and finished 7th in the ‘Championat von Kiel’.
