Press release from GCL, edited by World of Showjumping

Under the lights of Port Hercule and against the glittering backdrop of Monaco's iconic harbour, Riesenbeck International powered by Horse Gym continued their remarkable run of form with a third consecutive GCL victory, tightening their grip on the 2026 overall ranking as the season reached its pivotal halfway point.

Following victories in St Tropez and Paris, the German outfit once again proved untouchable in Monaco, producing four immaculate clear rounds across both phases to secure a perfect score of 0 penalties.

After both Riesenbeck International and Madrid In Motion finished on 0 penalties, the title came down to combined time, with Riesenbeck stopping the clock just 0.06 seconds faster than their rivals in one of the closest finishes in GCL history.

Maximilian Weishaupt (GER) and Zuccero HV (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caretino) opened the team's account with another polished clear before Marco Kutscher (GER) partnered Pikeur Lemar NRW (Los Angeles x Baloubet du Rouet) to a second faultless round. Returning for round two, they simply repeated the performance, delivering another pair of clears to finish on a combined time of 139.61 seconds, edging Madrid In Motion's 139.67 seconds by a whisker.

Marco Kutscher reflected on the historic achievement, praising the team's consistency and the horses' performances in a demanding Monaco test: "To win three GCL stages in a row is something very special. We've achieved back-to-back wins before, but this is the first time we've managed three consecutive victories, so we're incredibly happy. Today's competition was tough over two demanding rounds, and for my horse it was the first time jumping under the floodlights here in Monaco. The feeling was fantastic, and both horses delivered brilliantly. To repeat what we achieved in Paris with the exact same riders and horses makes this result even more satisfying."

Weishaupt highlighted the adaptability of the horses and the significance of repeating the Paris-winning performance in a completely different arena: "Coming here after Paris with the same horse and producing another winning performance shows just how versatile these horses are. Monaco asks completely different questions, but my horse felt super all day and it was a lot of fun to ride here. To make it three wins in a row for the team is an incredible achievement, and having our owners here to celebrate with us makes it even more special."