The Brussels Stephex Masters are proud to welcome some of the world’s very best riders to its 2016-edition. Entered for the CSI5* competitions – that will begin on Thursday – are some of the champions of the sport, and many of them come straight from the Olympic Games in Rio with medals.

Highlights on the entry list include:

Eric Lamaze (CAN – currently ranked no. 10 on the world ranking): 2008 Olympic Champion (individual), 2008 Olympic silver medalist (team), 2016 Olympic bronze medalist (individual), 2010 bronze medalist (individual) at the World Equestrian Games, 2011 World Cup Vice Champion and 2015 gold medalist (team) at the Pan Am Games. Lamaze has won countless Grand Prix and World Cup titles such as at Spruce Meadows in 2007 and 2011, Geneva in 2008 and Aachen in 2010.

Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA – currently ranked no. 140 on the world ranking): 2004 Olympic Champion (individual), 2000 and 1996 Olympic bronze medalist (team), 1998 World Champion (individual) at the World Equestrian Games, as well as 1998, 1999 and 2000 World Cup Champion, 2001 and 2003 World Cup Vice Champion and 2007 gold medalist (team) at the Pan Am Games. Pessoa has won the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final twice in 2003 and 2005, the Grand Prix of Aachen in 1994, as well as taking countless Grand Prix, World Cup and Nations Cup victories during his career.

Steve Guerdat (SUI – currently ranked no. 20 on the world ranking): 2012 Olympic Champion (individual), 2008 Olympic bronze medalist (team), 2015 and 2016 World Cup Champion, 2012 and 2013 World Cup Vice Champion, 2009 European Champion (team) as well as 2005 silver medalist (team) and 2003 bronze medalist (team) at the European Championships. Guerdat has won the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in 2010, the Grand Prix of Geneva in 2006, 2013 and 2015 as well as taking countless victories in other Grand Prix, World Cup and Nations Cup competitions.

Kevin Staut (FRA – currently ranked no. 8 on the world ranking): 2016 Olympic Champion (team), 2009 European Champion (individual), 2010 and 2014 silver medalist (team) at the World Equestrian Games, as well as 2011 silver medalist (team) at the European Championships. Staut has countless of Grand Prix, World Cup and Nations Cup victories attached to his name.

Daniel Deusser (GER – currently ranked no. 7 on the world ranking): 2014 World Cup Champion, 2007 World Cup Vice Champion, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist (team) as well as 2013 and 2015 silver medalist (team) at the European Championships. Deusser has won the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in 2013, and has numerous Grand Prix victories as well as World Cup and Nations Cup wins on his record.

Kent Farrington (USA – currently ranked no. 3 on the world ranking): 2016 Olympic silver medalist (team), 2014 bronze medalist (team) at the World Equestrian Games as well as 2011 gold medalist (team) at the Pan Am Games. Farrington has won the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in 2015 and has an endless amount of international Grand Prix victories on his record.

Among the Belgian riders on the entry list are 2016 Olympic participants Jerome Guery and Nicola Philippaerts, as well as 2016 European Champion (team) for junior riders Zoe Conter. Other big Belgian names include Olivier Philippaerts, Gudrun Patteet, Jos Verlooy and Niels Bruynseels.

Last year's CSI5* Grand Prix winner Lucy Davis (USA) will also be attending. Who will succeed her in the Rolex Grand Prix presented by Audi on Sunday?

The Brussels Stephex Masters will be live streamed on ClipMyHorse TV, and the full broadcast schedule can be found via this link.

Start lists and results for the competitions can be found on Brussels Stephex Masters’ website.

Source: Press release from Stephex Brussels Masters