The German quartet of Maximilian Lill, Britt Roth, Chef d’equipe Ralf Runge, Justine Tebbel and Tobias Meyer celebrate their victory atop the podium at the CSIO3* Budapest (HUN) on Friday 26 June at the second region central qualifier of the Longines EEF Series 2026. Photo © EEF.
Press release from Longines EEF Series, edited by World of Showjumping
Germany came out on top in the hotly contested CSIO3* 1.50m Longines EEF Series central qualifier in Budapest (HUN). Czech Republic came second while the Netherlands pipped Ireland for the remaining podium spot.
The lead changed multiple times throughout the two round competition but it was the German quartet of Tobias Meyer riding Caillou 57 (Christian x Andiamo), Justine Tebbel aboard Cote de Pablo (Chacco’s Son x Argentinus), Britt Roth with Jeffrey 19 (Comme Il Faut x Cachas) and Maximilian Lill on Kommandant 10 (Comme Il Faut x Diarado) who held their nerve right to the end to clinch victory.
It was a second victory this season for Germany, who also triumphed on home soil in the first central group qualifier in Mannheim. This leaves them at the top of the Central Region leaderboard on 100 points ahead of Czech Republic with 90 points and the Netherlands on 80 points.
Maximilian Lill on Kommandant 10 clinch the victory for Team Germany at the Longines EEF Series Region Central qualifier in Budapest. Photo © EEF.
“I am totally happy because how team worked together, how they helped each other. If something happens the next one is there. They were hungry for victory. It was very easy job for me,” said Germany’s chef d’equipe Ralf Runge. “You can see the mixture we have in the team: we have more and less experienced riders, younger people with younger horses, older people with younger horses. [The series] helps the younger to improve, it gives the stability to improve.”
Maximilian and the nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding Kommandant 10, who is owned by WOW Trading, were one of just four horse-and-rider combinations to record a double clear around Elio Travagliati’s (ITA) testing track.
“With these teammates it was easy for me to focus full on my round. I fully trust them. In the second round there was more pressure to jump clear, luckily it worked out,” said Maximilian.
Germany finished on a score of eight, four penalties ahead of Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Ireland who all completed on 12 faults and had to be separated by time.
Justine Tebbel aboard Cote de Pablo. Photo © EEF.
Just 0.15 of a second separated the third and fourth placed teams. The Netherlands took third thanks in part to a quick double clear from Jur Vrieling and the nine-year-old grey KWPN stallion VDL Mattias (Comme Il Faut x Catoki). Mark McAuley and Clooney van Spalbeek Z (Comilfo Plus Z x Diamant de Semilly), a nine-year-old Zangersheide stallion, were the only other pair in the competition to jump a double clear, a result which helped Ireland to fourth.
Fifth position was awarded to 2023 champions Austria on 20 penalties, the same score as hosts Hungary who were second at the end of round one but finished sixth. Great Britain failed to record a clear round to wind up in seventh while Slovakia occupied eighth.
Poland, Switzerland and Brazil filled the next three places while three-time champions Italy had a disappointing day, finishing in 12th - and last - position.
Then