The 2026-edition of CHIO Rotterdam in the Netherlands – host to the third leg of the Longines League of Nations™ – kicked off on Thursday with wins for Italy and Saudi Arabia.

Italy's Giulia Martinengo Marquet and Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe (Cesano x Con Air) took first place in the CSIO5* 1.50m Nedspice Prize. With a time of 62.38 in the competition judged as a Table A, Martinengo Marquet took the top honours ahead of Richard Vogel (GER) on Uppsala JPS (United Touch S x Con Cento S) in second in 63.26, followed by Harrie Smolders (NED) with Devino vd Weretherbach Z (De Flor 111 Z x Calvin Z) in third in 63.71. Kevin Staut (FRA) and Exquis RB (Siwing de Triaval x Quamikase des Forets) took the fourth place, while Hessel Hoekstra (NED) on VDL Mindset ES (Aganix du Seigneur x Kannan) finished fifth.

Earlier in the day, Ramzy Al Duhami (KSA) and Addressee (Messenger x Chacco-Blue) soared to victory in the CSIO5* 1.45m Dura Vermeer Prize. Al Duhami edged out the Dutch Hessel Hoekstra on VDL Novacific Eickenrode (Baltic VDL x Labor’s VDL Indorado) in second place and Maikel van der Vleuten aboard Kentucky Tms Z (Kannan x Toulon) in third place. Callie Schott (USA) and Diamond Touch (Diamant de Semilly x Chin Chin) finished fourth, followed by Johnny Pals (NED) with Defender VDS Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Padinus) in fifth.