Text © World of Showjumping

The action at CHIO Rotterdam 2025 in the Netherlands – where the third of four qualifiers in the FEI-series Longines League of Nations™ takes place this weekend – got underway on Thursday with a Swedish victory in the CSIO5* 1.50m Port of Rotterdam Prize.

Stopping the clock on 66.84 seconds in this competition against the clock, Petronella Andersson (SWE) and the 11-year-old mare Odina van Klapscheut (Zazu x Landor S) bested a field of 55 horse-and-rider combinations – taking the win ahead of the 2024 Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk (GER) on Just Be Gentle (Tyson x Ticallux Verte) in second in 66.98.

Laura Kraut (USA) and Baloutinue (Balou du Rouet x Landor S) completed the podium in third when crossing the finish line in 67.20, while only the top two stayed under the 67-second mark. Jörne Sprehe (GER) and Toys (Toulon x Quidam de Revel) followed in fourth in 68.61, while Giulia Martinengo Marquet (ITA) and Captain Morgan Weering Z (Carrera VDL x Arezzo VDL) finished fifth in 69.56.

The second CSIO5* class of the day, the 1.45m Dura Vermeer Prize, went to the host nation’s Logan Fletcher (NED) and the 12-year-old mare D-Iness Z (Darius x Osmium). With a time of 35.53 seconds in the second phase, the Dutch rider took the top honours, followed by Hessel Hoekstra (NED) on VDL Helena van Perbeemd (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Cardento) in second in 35.60, Aaron Vale (USA) aboard Styles (Cornet Obolensky x Canturo) in third in 36.07, Egor Shchibrik (PLE) on Cornet’s Spirit (Cornet Obolensky x Con Air) in fourth in 37.59 and Karl Cook (USA) with Candy (Coventry x King Louie) in fifth in 37.79.