Edited press release from Longines Tops International Arena

On the penultimate day of the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy, the first final took place and it was the Westphalian Studbook that secured gold in the 8-year-old category. In the final, each studbook put forward three combinations, each team starting on a clean sheet with no drop score – the winning studbook being the team with the least combined faults in the fastest combined time.  

The Westphalian Studbook was crowned champion after finishing on a team total of eight faults in 226.04 seconds, just a second faster than Zangersheide in second and the Danish Warmblood in third. The Westphalian Studbook's team consisted of Marie Ligges (GER) and Ballerina 328 (Balous Diamond x Cachas, bred by Ludger Gripshöver and owned by Anke Nettebrock and Kai Ligges), Lara Weber (GER) and Project One (Pilothago x Lamoureux II, bred by Paul Beutelmann and owned by Lara Weber) and Hendrik Dowe (GER) aboard Lajacuma (Lycon x Rockwell, bred by Hannelore Reibke and owned Ursula Rosendahl). 

Selle Francais will be the last team to go in Sunday's final for the 7-year-old horses after dominating the two qualifiers. On Saturday, the French team had three clear rounds from Emeric George (FRA) and Gengis Kann de Londe (Kannan x Diamant de Semilly, bred and owned by Mathias Spilmann and Pierre Spilmann), Robin Lesqueren (FRA) and Giorgio d'Ellipse (Prestigio Ls*la Silla x Kannan, bred and owned by S.N.C. Ellipse) and Sara Brionne aboard Grand Duc du Paradiso (Vagabond de la Pomme x Toulon, bred by Jean Marie Lefevre and owned by Alain Leclercq and E.A.R.L. Quibel Stables).

The second qualifier for the 6-year-olds saw Zangersheide on top as Thomas Mertens (BEL) and Cosimo de Leau Z (Cicero Z van Paemel x Mr. Blue, bred by K.I. Hof Ter Leeuwe and owned by Philippe Bormans) took the individual victory. Representing AES, Leo Lamb (GBR) and Chrysler Key SR (Comme Il Faut x Calido I, bred by Keystud and owned by Carron Nicol) followed in second, while Dieter Smitz (GER) and Diabolo 588 (Don Diarado x Grey Top, bred and owned by Eduard Voss) took third for the Hannoveraner Verband.