Text © World of Showjumping

Friday's highlight at the CSI5*-W IFEMA Madrid Horse Week 2023 was the 1.50m Estrella Damm Trophy – counting for the Longines Ranking Group B – and it was Belgium's Nicola Philippaerts and the 10-year-old Derby de Riverland (Kannan x L'Arc de Triomphe, bred by SCEA Riverland) that took the top honours. 

The twelve best pairs from round one moved on to the winning round, where Philippaerts and Derby de Riverland were the quickest, stopping the clock on 35.48 and taking the win – making it an impressive debut on five-star level for Derby de Riverland and Nicola, a horse previously competed by his younger brother Thibault. Roger Yves Bost (FRA) and Ballerine du Vilpion (Baloubet du Rouet x Quidam de Revel, bred by Christophe Legros) finished second with a time of 35.72 in the winning round. 

"To be honest, I didn't really expect to be so quick tonight, because I haven't had Derby that long," Philippaerts told World of Showjumping after his victory. "Thibault was second at the European Championships with Derby last year. He is a really good horse, with a lot of quality. It was a really fast jump-off tonight and I gave it everything, I am really happy with the result." 

The current world number one and the winner of Friday's CSI5*-W 1.50m Caser Grupo Helvetia Trophy, Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and the 10-year-old Dzara Dorchival (Qlassic Bois Margot x Raphael, bred by Sebastien Fonck) had to settle for the third place this time around, when crossing the timers in 35.78. Max Kühner (AUT) and EIC Julius Caesar (Couleur Rubin x Cancara, bred by Spexgoor Stables/L. Spexgoor) finished fourth in 36.54, and Niels Bruynseels (BEL) fifth aboard Nauwsika van de Pereboom (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Ranzel Z, bred by Godfried Storme).

Earlier in the day, France's Olivier Robert and Espri du Figuier AA (Upsilon x Ryon d'Anzex, bred by Thierry Fruchet) won the CSI5*-W 1.45m Marques de Vargas Trophy, counting for Longines Ranking Group D. With a time of 55.33, Robert and Espri du Figuier AA took the win ahead of Philippe Rozier (FRA) and Dirty Sweet (Cornet Obolensky x Lavillon, bred by Andre Kobouloff) in second in 55.36, while Therese Søhol Henriksen (NOR) and Iron Maiden (Quasimodo van de Molendreef x Indorado, bred by A.O. de Haan) placed third in 56.31.