Press release from Longines Global Champions Tour, edited by World of Showjumping

On the final day of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Paris 2025, Abdel Saïd (BEL) and his electric mare Bonne Amie (A Big Boy x Landfriese) lit up the arena with a foot-perfect performance to take victory in the CSI5* 1.55m Eiffel Challenge, capping off an unforgettable weekend of world-class sport in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

With 13 powerhouse combinations qualifying for the jump-off, the final five-star class of the event was stacked with speed, talent, and big names ready to go head-to-head. The stage was set, the grandstands were full, and the crowd was ready for a showdown.

“I’m super proud of my mare Bonnie, she jumped incredible," the happy winner said. "It took me a little while to figure out jump-offs with her, she has a huge engine - a bit like a G-Wagon with a Ferrari engine, she is incredible, a real fighter.”

Germany’s Maximilian Weishaupt was first to go and set the early pace with a tidy clear in 36.95 seconds aboard his relatively new mount Zuccero HV (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caretino). The home crowd then erupted for Philippe Rozier (FRA), who rode a fluid and crowd-pleasing round on Le Coultre de Muze (Presley Boy x Vigo d'Arsouilles) going clear just fractions behind the lead.

But the tempo shifted when Max Kühner (AUT) entered the ring with EIC Up Too Jacco Blue (Chacco-Blue x Ard VDL Douglas). With trademark sharpness and precision, they produced a masterclass in efficiency, slicing more than two seconds off the lead with a time of 34.63 seconds. It looked like the winning round.

That was until Abdel Saïd and Bonne Amie took to the arena. Riding second-last, the Belgian rider attacked the course with focus and confidence, finding every forward stride and finishing in 34.43 seconds - just enough to steal the win from Kühner and spark a huge cheer from the crowd.

There were strong efforts across the board. Gilles Thomas (BEL) fresh from his Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix win the night before, delivered another brilliant clear with Qiara de Kalvarie (Sea Coast Don't Touch Tiji Hero x Zandor Z) to slot into third. Denis Lynch (IRL) wasn’t far behind, finishing just tenths outside the top three on the experienced Cordial (Casall x Chicago Z).