Text © World of Showjumping

Harrie Smolders (NED) and the 11-year-old Uricas v.d. Kattevennen (Uriko x San Patrignano Cassini) won Sunday's CSIO5* 1.60m Longines Grand Prix at the 2023-edition of Longines CSIO St. Gallen in Switzerland, becoming the second Dutch rider ever to have won the prestigious title after Jan Tops took the top honours back in 1988. 

"Uricas jumped extra today," Smolders said in a press release from KNHS. "He did his five-star Nations Cup debut in Rome last week. Last month during the Dutch Championships, I felt that there would be more to come from him. I knew I just needed to have patience and stay quiet until he was ready – and today he was. Over the last six months, Uricas has made a lot of progress and now he is really ready for this level. Last year, I had him with me a lot to gather experience. He is eleven now, and has waited long enough for this kind of success." 

Eleven horse-and-rider-combinations out of the 44 pairs at start qualified for the second round, with only the top four delivering a double clear result. With a time of 41.43 in the second round, Smolders and Uricas v.d. Kattevennen took the win ahead of Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Commissar Pezi (Commissario x Böckmann's Lord Pezi), who had to settle for the runner-up spot almost a second behind the winners after the clock stopped on 42.40 for the Swiss pair. 

Harry Charles (GBR) and Romeo 88 (Contact van de Heffinck x Orlando) placed third with a time of 45.28, while Janika Sprunger (SUI) and Orelie (Emerald vh Ruytershof x Nabab de Reve) finished fourth in 51.81, followed by Jur Vrieling (NED) and Long John Silver N.O.P. (Lasino x San Patrignano Corrado) in fifth in 54.36 carrying a single time fault from round one.