Edited press release from Longines Tops International Arena

The inaugural WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy at the Longines Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, concluded on Sunday. 

It all came down to the very last fence in the 7-year-old championship. Last to go, Studbook Selle Francais looked on track to take the title, but eventually handed the win to KWPN. Finishing on a team total of 13 faults, the KWPN-squad of Let's Wait and See HX (Entertainer x Colman, bred by Stal Hendrix and owned by Hx Breeding) ridden by Gaj Riossa, Loekie-Douglas (Douglas x Corland, bred by Vof Platenkamp & Evenhuis Services and owned by Johannes Woudstra) ridden by Hilde Woudstra and Lavesther (Elvis Ter Putte x Guidam, bred by G.J.A. Moerings and owned by Bas Moerings) ridden by Bas Moerings delivered in front of the home crowd. 

The Anglo European Studbook featuring Wild Star HF (Big Star x Oklund, bred by Nicholas Ward and owned by Haddon Farms) ridden by Emily Ward, If Evers Girl (If Ever x Arko III, bred by Harry Whall and owned by Abbie Summers) ridden by Benjamin Bick and Gmail (Cornet Obolensky x Diamant de Semilly, bred by Tops Horse Trading BV & Camaran Stavble BV and owned by Carron Nicol) ridden by Leo Lamb held their nerve to secure silver medal position on 16 faults.

Studbook Selle Francais had to settle for bronze with their team of Giorgio d'Ellipse (Prestigio Ls La Silla x Kannan, bred and owned by S.N.C. Ellipse) ridden by Robin Lesqueren, Grand Duc du Paradiso (Vagabond de La Pomme x Toulon, bred by Jean Marie Lefevre and owned by Alain Leclercq and E.A.R.L. Quibel Stables) ridden by Sara Brionne and Gengis Kann de Londe (Kannan x Diamant de Semilly, bred and owned by Mathias Spilmann and Pierre Spilmann) ridden by Emeric George ending on a total of 16 faults.

The 6-year-old final was filled with thrills from start to finish. The Belgian Warmblood-squad had almost flawless rounds to finish on a team total of five faults with a clear from Rhythm-K van 't Kattenheye (Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve x Cornet Obolensky, bred by Annemarie & Tony Raman-Strobbe and owned by JV Horses) ridden by Jan Vermeiren. A single-time fault from Ransome 111 (El Barone 111 Z x Der Senaat, bred by Stal Harrie Theeuwes and owned by Stud 111) ridden by Gilles van Hamme and one down from their third team member of Rhapsody van het Netehof (Chacoon Blue x Darco, bred and owned by Roger De Winter) ridden by Jeroen de Winter rocketed them to the top of the leaderboard. 

The Danish Warmblood squad were first to go in the final after not having the best start to the week, but they saved it all for the last day as they took home the silver medal. The team made up of Feldborgs Cantonelli (Cantolar x Cabachon, bred by Arne Feldborg Johannesen and owned by Nordentoft Equestrian Aps), Syvhoejegaards Final Edition (Comme Il Faut Plus x Royal Z II, bred and owned by Niels Osterland) and Emmett H DWB (Emerald x Cancara, bred by Marie-Louise & Lars Wulff Henriksen and owned by Sporthorses V/Brdr. Laursen I/S) finished with a total of nine faults and the riders Rikke Andersen, Anne Katrine Kolborg Johansen and Mikkel Laursen exited the arena smiling from ear to ear. 

Last to go, Anglo European Studbook couldn’t quite handle the pressure and finished with a total of 16 faults – good enough for the bronze medal. The team of Millfield Lottery (Plot Blue x Mr Blue, bred by Millfield Stud and owned by Angela Hunt and Nick Ward) ridden by Emily Ward, Chrysler Key SR (Comme Il Faut x Calido I, bred by Keystud and owned by Carron Nicol) ridden by Leo Lamb and Heart of Cicero (Cicero Z x Heatbreaker, bred by G Reynolds and owned by Weston Lawns Stud) ridden by Georgia Wells fought until the last fence giving it everything. 

It was a dramatic 5-year-old final as it fell apart for the favorites from Studbook Selle Francais that finished at the bottom of the order today. Having led the age category all week, the Hannoveraner Verband converted their pole position into the win as Dicardo 7 (Diacontinus x Calido's Chalet, bred by Enno Köster and owned by Corinna Passy) ridden by William James Passy, Diarello 3 (Diamant de Semilly x Cascadello, bred and owned by Stefan Aust) ridden by Tim-Uwe Hoffmann and Constable (Contednro I x Diarado, bred and owned by Ilona Turowska) ridden by Jaroslaw Skrzyczynski finished with just a single rail down over all three rounds. 

Team Zangersheide was unlucky to collect eight faults between the team and finished just behind Hannoveraner Verband with silver, ahead of Anglo European Studbook in bronze position.