Edited press release from Longines Tops International Arena

The inaugural edition of the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy kicked off on Thursday at the Longines Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands. With a total prize fund of €170,000 over the weekend, the innovative WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy will see classes for five, six, seven and eight year old horses. The event location offers these young horses a unique opportunity to compete at the Longines Tops International Arena, home of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Valkenswaard. 

Over ten WBFSH studbooks went head-to-head on this first day of competition, including the home nation’s own KWPN, Belgium’s BWP & Zangersheide, Denmark’s Danish Warmblood, Selle Francais from France, Germany’s Hanoverian & Oldenburg, the Irish Sport Horse from Ireland, Spain’s ANCADES, as well as the AES from the UK.

In the 1.45m 8-year-old class, Commandant Geoff Curran (IRL) exhibited sheer brilliance aboard the magnificent DHF Alliance (ARD VDL Douglas x Lux Z / bred by Paul Douglas and owned by Jessica Stallard / ISH Studbook). Their seamless round set the bar high for the rest of the field as Irish Sport horses took first and second in the first class of the day with Jonathan Gordon (IRL) and CBI Karhari (Goodluck VDL x Kroongraaf / bred by Aidan Carroll and owned by Denis Gallagher / ISH Studbook) finishing just less than a second slower, followed by Erika Lickhammer-Van Helmond (SWE) and Koberlina TN (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Verdi TN / bred by Team Nijhof and owned by Whitney Sorensen / KWPN Studbook) in a close third place.

The 1.35m 6-year-old class saw Dieter Smitz (GER) and Diabolo 588 (Don Diarado x Grey Top / bred and owned by Eduard Voss / Hannoverian Studbook) steal the show. With 20 clears around the 1.35m track, it all came down to time as Tereza Vesela (CZE) riding Mark HDH (Gladstone HDH x Cream On Top / bred by Hans Dings BV and owned by Tereza Vesela / KWPN Studbook) secured second place in exactly 27 seconds, while Thomas Mertens (BEL) took home third place on Cosimo de Leau Z (Cicero Z x Mr Blue / bred by Hof Ter Leeuwe and owned by Philippe Bormans / Zangersheide Studbook).

In the 1.25m 5-year-old section, Lola de Braekeleer (BEL) took the win with Toulouse ter Doorn Z (Toulon x Sir Lui / bred by Brits' Stables Bvba and owned by Steven van Britsom / Zangersheide Studbook), with Seppe Wouters (BEL) and Libelle Asborne Z (Lector vd Bisschop x Calvaro Z / bred and owned by Bvba Asborne / Zangersheide Studbook) following in second and Luka Lisens (BEL) aboard Boeff van de Molen Z (Bamako de Muze x Kannan / bred and owned by Kristof Engelen / Zangersheide Studbook) in third. Just under half the field of 5-year-olds produced clear rounds, a testament to the class of horsepower at the Longines Tops International Arena this weekend.

"The WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy has truly set the stage for a new era of equestrian competition," remarked Ellis van Himbergen from the organization. "With today's thrilling performances from all the Studbooks, we have witnessed the birth of an event that promises to be a mainstay in the world of equestrian sports."

In addition to providing an educational and promotional opportunity for these talented young horses, the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy creates an event for WBFSH member studbooks to showcase their associations and breeding programs. It is an opportunity to bring breeding and sport closer together and to recognise the breeding successes of breeders from around the world. For those looking to invest in exciting prospects for future top sport, the event will also see the first Tops International Auction taking place on Saturday, 30th September.