“He’s an amazing horse. He’s lovely to ride, and he always gives his best," Nicola Philippaerts said about Gadget Mouche. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography.
Press release from World Equestrian Center - Ocala, edited by World of Showjumping
International sport took center stage Saturday evening at World Equestrian Center – Ocala as spectators filled the stands for a night of top competition. While hunter riders contested the $75,000 MARS Equestrian USHJA International Hunter Derby in the WEC Stadium, the highlight jumping event of the week unfolded in the WEC Grand Arena: the CSI4* $200,000 MARS Equestrian Grand Prix.
Thirty-four horse-and-rider combinations representing 11 nations stepped forward to contest the 1.55m track designed by 2024 Paris Olympic course designer Gregory Bodo (FRA) with assistance from Pieter Vitse (BEL). Twelve combinations produced clear first rounds to advance to the jump-off, where Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts ultimately piloted his own Gadget Mouche (Andiamo Semilly x Consul DL Vie Z) to victory in the CSI4* $200,000 MARS Equestrian Grand Prix.
Germany’s André Thieme was first to return, laying down an efficient, clear aboard his own Paule S (Perigueux x Sir Shutterfly) in 42.27 seconds to set the early standard.
Nicola Philippaerts and Gadget Mouche accept their awards alongside Bridgett McIntosh of MARS Equestrian, Mason Jordan on behalf of the Roberts family, and Jim Wolf of World Equestrian Center. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography.
Olympic gold medalist Laura Kraut (USA) entered next aboard Cherry Knoll Farm, Inc.’s Bisquetta (Bisquet Balou C x Takashi van Berkenbroek), the 12-year-old Zangersheide mare she has partnered with for nearly six years. According to Kraut, the mare knows her job well. “She’s just an amazing mare. I mean, she really knows the sport, she knows she’s not supposed to touch any poles, and she’s just everything you could ask for in a horse.”
Making her first start back since December 2025, Kraut approached the jump-off with a plan. “My plan was to not go full throttle, because she’s just not fit yet,” she shared. “Once I actually got in there, I got going, probably more than I intended, but not enough to beat them.” The pair crossed the timers in 41.31 seconds to take over the lead.
Belgium’s Zoé Conter and her longtime partner La Una delivered in the jump-off to ultimately claim second place. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography.
Belgium’s Zoé Conter followed with her longtime partner La Una (Chacco-Blue x For Pleasure), a 15-year-old Oldenburg mare she has ridden since the age of seven. “‘La Una and I go way back. I’ve had her since she was seven years old. She’s 15 today. She’s been my loyal partner,” Conter expressed. “We’ve had some bumps in the road when she was young, trying to build the partnership. But for the last four or five years, she’s been my steady partner. She’s more than just my best horse, she’s also my best friend.”
Heading into the jump-off, Conter stuck to her strengths. “I’m not the fastest rider, and my horse is not the fastest mare, and I know that about myself and about the horse. So I made my own plan and just wanted to stick to it to see what I can do and what my horse can do.” The pair delivered a clear in 41.17 seconds to take over the lead by just one tenth of a second.
She’s just an amazing mare. I mean, she really knows the sport, she knows she’s not supposed to touch any poles, and she’s just everything you could ask for in a horse," Laura Kraut said about Bisquetta. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography.
Next to return was fellow Belgian Nicola Philippaerts with his family-owned 10-year-old Selle Français gelding, Gadget Mouche. “He’s an amazing horse. We bought him as a seven-year-old in France. It’s a bit of a family horse, actually. My dad rode him for two or three years as a young horse, then my brother rode him, and I rode him a bit at some other shows. The last two years I’ve been riding him a lot, and last year he really stepped up,” Philippaerts shared. “He’s lovely to ride, and he always gives his best.”
His plan for the jump-off was simple. “Try to go as fast as possible,” he laughed. “My horse naturally is very fast. He doesn’t have the biggest strides, but you can really ride him in the turns. He doesn’t lose much time over the ground. For me, it’s more important that I stay a little bit quiet myself, but I think he jumped great again today.”
Philippaerts executed just that, stopping the clock in 40.30 seconds to secure the victory and claim the top spot on the podium. Looking ahead, Philippaerts also shared his thoughts on WEC – Ocala and his excitement for the upcoming Longines League of Nations™ Ocala. “We come all the way from Europe to show here. I think it’s truly amazing to be able to ride here,” he said. “It’s always nice to represent your country. People are coming from all over the world, and I think it’s going to be very good sport. I’ll be coming back again this year as well,” he added of the Longines League of Nations™ Ocala. “It’s something we always look forward to, and the horses love it here.”
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