Text © World of Showjumping

This week, the GC Playoffs of the GCL Super Cup and the LGCT Super Grand Prix take place at the 02 Arena in Prague (CZE), with a total of 11,25 million Euros in prize money on offer.

The best four GCL teams from the 2025-season’s overall standings head straight into Friday’s GCL Super Cup Semi-Finals, while 12 teams – those placed 5th to 16th during the season – had to battle for a spot during Thursday’s Quarter Final. The best eight teams from Thursday meet the pre-qualified top four teams in Friday’s Semi-Final, which will decide which six teams get to compete in Sunday’s GCL Super Cup Final worth €6,5 million Euro.

Thursday’s GCL Super Cup Quarter Final was a 1.60m Table A, one round against the clock – with €1,350,000.00 in prize money – with three horse-and-rider combinations per team. The teams started in reverse order of their placing on the GCL 2025 overall standings. With no drop-score, the classification was established according to the total penalties of the three riders per team, as well as their aggregate times.

Rome Gladiators powered by Cavalleria Toscana – represented by Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) on Esteban de Hus (Cornet Obolensky x Baloubet du Rouet), Yuri Mansur (BRA) with Elano de Laubry Z (Echo van’T Spieveld x Prince Royal) and Peder Fredricson (SWE) aboard SV Vroom de La Pomme Z (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Untouchable) – took the top honours on Thursday after keeping their score on a zero in a combined time of 205.49 seconds.

The home team Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team – consisting of Fernando Martinez Somer (MEX) on High Five (Glasgow vh Merelsnest x Corland), Pieter Devos (BEL) with Casual DV Z (Cornet Obolensky x Cicero Z) and Thibeau Spits (BEL) aboard Impress-K van’T Kattenheye Z (Indokto K van’T Kattenheye x Vagabond de La Pomme) – finished second as another team that kept a clean score.

St Tropez Pirates finished on a score of four, as did Basel Cosmopolitans and Scandinavian Vikings, while Doha Falcons, Madrid in Motion and New York Empire powered by Lugano Diamonds ended on eight faults – completing the top eight and moving on to Friday’s Semi-Finals.

A controversial decision by the ground jury left Istanbul Warrios powered by Carpe Diem Equestrian Team out of Friday’s Semi-Final, following an elimination of their rider Simon Delestre (FRA) – who had jumped a clear round with the 13-year-old gelding Cayman Jolly Jumper (Hickstead x Quaprice Bois Margot). The elimination was a consequence of the chinstrap on Delestre’s helmet coming unfastened during the last two lines of the course. With Delestre eliminated, Istanbul Warrios had to add 32 penalty points to their score – putting them on 40 in total and side-lined from the Semi-Final.

In a joint statement, Global Champions and the Prague Playoffs organisers shared the following: “As organisers, our priority is always to ensure the best possible decisions are made for the sport and for the safety of all involved. We are fully aware of the situation in question; however, in our assessment, the matter is extremely minor. Even the appointed judges did not identify the issue during the competition. For these reasons, we believe it should not influence the rider’s result or carry any implication to the team results of the GCL Super Cup Quarter Final.”

“While we respect that we are not the FEI or the official judges who are responsible for rule enforcement, we must express our disappointment with the decisions which also has a significant impact on the wider event. Decisions of this nature affect not only the fairness and integrity of the sport, but also the hard work and commitment of the athletes and our entire organisation,” their statement concluded.

“At fence number 9, the chinstrap of my helmet came undone, unintentionally and without me even realizing it,” Simon Delestre shared in a statement on social media. “I therefore jumped the last four fences with my helmet unfastened, without the judges signalling to me to stop by ringing the bell. At the end of my round, a clear round was recorded and my performance validated at the end of the competition.”

“Ultimately, the ground jury decided to eliminate me. The consequences are extremely serious, preventing my team, Istanbul Warriors, from reaching the semi-finals. My teammates also suffer the consequences indirectly,” Delestre wrote, questioning the decision made by the ground jury. “I find this decision unfair and inappropriate. Why do other riders, in the same circumstances as me, have their scores upheld, while I am eliminated?"