Edited press release from Longines Global Champions Tour

Stage 11 of the Longines Global Champions Tour's 2023-season concluded with the thrilling LGCT Grand Prix of Riesenbeck, held at the magnificent venue of Riesenbeck International in Germany. 

Harrie Smolders (NED) and Uricas vd Kattevennen (Uriko x San Patrignano Cassini) clinched the top spot by just over half a second, with Max Kühner (AUT) and Elektric Blue P (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x For Pleasure) taking the runner-up position, closely followed by Daniel Deusser (GER) and Killer Queen VDM (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x For Pleasure) in third. While Smolders earned the coveted golden ticket to the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix by placing behind Julien Epaillard in Monaco, second placed Kühner had the luck on his side this time around, securing a place at the Prague Playoffs – a ticket handed to the winner of each leg of the season. 

Making history as the third-ever rider to secure a third consecutive LGCT Grand Prix podium, Harrie Smolders told GCTV that records could come, but his focus remains on his horses and results that follow: “I am focusing on my horses; if they feel well, I have to ride well, and then the results will come. I just need to be patient, take my chances, and if that leads into records then that is of course brilliant.”

Max Kühner told GCTV that his horse Elektric Blue P really settled into the brilliant grass arena at Riesenbeck International: “I tried to be as quick as possible, now afterwards I can see I could have done one stride less in a turn, but I am very happy with the result. I know that he can be quite fast on a big place like that, I felt really good in the first round – he really needs two rounds to feel good on the big arena. There were a lot of people cheering, you could see that there were a lot of horse people here – they were riding with us!”

Jumping in front of a home crowd, Daniel Deusser questioned whether he could push it in the second to the final line. He told GCTV: “It’s always easier said than done, of course I was always doubting whether I could go to the second last fence with one stride less like Max did. Today I did what I could do and I am very happy with my third place. It is a fantastic show with big arenas with good ground. Everything is done for the horses, grooms, and riders and it attracts a lot of public which makes it brilliant!”

After stage 11 of the LGCT, Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) still leads – staying on 231 points. Christian Kukuk (GER) moves up to 205 points, while Harrie Smolders (NED) leaps up to third place on 194 points after collecting maximum points today. Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) sits fourth with 181 points and Simon Delestre (FRA) rounds off the top five just three points behind on 178.