Press release from Rolex Series Equestrian, edited by World of Showjumping

The highlight of the Jumping International de La Baule – Officiel de France took centre stage on Sunday afternoon as a packed Stade François André gathered to witness the prestigious CSI5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule.

Just two weeks after claiming victory in the Rolex Gran Premio Roma, Italy’s Piergiorgio Bucci once again delivered on one of show jumping’s biggest stages. Riding Hantano (Quasimodo Z x Numero Uno), Bucci triumphed in La Baule and became the first rider to win two Rolex Grand Prix events during the 2026 Rolex Series season.

A total of 45 horse-and-rider combinations came forward to tackle Grégory Bodo’s (FRA) demanding 1.60m course. Featuring 14 obstacles, 17 jumping efforts and a time allowed of 82 seconds, the track quickly proved a true test of precision, scope and consistency.

The current world no. 3 Scott Brash (GBR) and Hello Folie (Luidam x Diamant de Semilly) were first to enter the arena and immediately demonstrated the technical challenge awaiting the field. Throughout the first round, faults accumulated as riders struggled to master one of the most demanding tracks of the week. One of the biggest challenges came in the latter stages of the track, where the triple combination and following vertical caught out numerous competitors.

The first rider to crack the code was Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs aboard Conner Jei (Connor 48 x Cosimo). Delivering a beautifully balanced performance, the Swiss rider became the first athlete to qualify for the jump-off.

The home crowd soon had reason to celebrate as Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Fringant de Vesquerie (Mylord Carthago x Diamant de Semilly) produced an amazing clear round to secure France a place in the deciding round.

Belgium’s Pieter Devos and Casual DV Z (Cornet Obolensky x Cicero), Gilles Thomas (BEL) and Ermitage Kalone (Catoki x Kannan), Ireland’s Bertram Allen and Qonquest de Rigo (Fantomas de Muze x Indoctro), and Cian O’Connor (IRL) aboard Chatolinue PS (Diablo Blanco x Stakkatol) all added their names to the jump-off line-up.

The final rider to enter the arena would provide the perfect ending to the first round. Fresh from his Rolex Series success in Rome, Piergiorgio Bucci and Hantano delivered a flawless performance to secure the seventh and final place in the jump-off.

Only seven combinations managed to leave all the fences intact, while Sweden’s Petronella Andersson and Odina van Klapscheut (Zazu x Landor S) finished eighth as the fastest four-fault combination.

In the jump-off, Martin Fuchs was first to return and immediately set the benchmark. Riding Conner Jei, the Swiss star produced another faultless round in 41.03 seconds, applying significant pressure to the remaining contenders.

Julien Epaillard responded with a bold and ambitious approach. Stopping the clock more than two seconds faster than Fuchs, the Frenchman looked set to take the lead before a rail at the second element of the double combination left him with four faults. Pieter Devos, Gilles Thomas, Bertram Allen and Cian O’Connor all attempted to challenge the Swiss rider’s time but faults prevented them from taking over the lead. Everything would therefore come down to the final rider.

Knowing exactly what was required, Piergiorgio Bucci entered the arena with remarkable composure. Combining speed, precision and efficiency, the Italian rider delivered a magnificent clear round in 40.61 seconds to secure victory. As the crowd erupted, Bucci added the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule to his growing Rolex Series record and strengthened his position as one of the standout riders of the 2026 season.

Despite narrowly missing out on victory, France’s Julien Epaillard was pleased with both his horse and his week in La Baule. “First of all, thank you to the organisers. It has been a fantastic week in La Baule and everything was perfectly organised. I came here with this class as my main objective, so overall I am very happy. My horse performed brilliantly throughout the week. I took a lot of risks in the jump-off and made one mistake, but he was perfect. It gives us a lot of confidence for the future.”

Runner-up Martin Fuchs admitted there was initial disappointment but was quick to praise both the winner and the event itself. “In the first few minutes you are disappointed, of course, but afterwards you realise how much there is to be happy about. La Baule is one of my favourite Rolex Series events. Piergiorgio was simply better than all of us today. He produced an incredible jump-off, played his cards perfectly and fully deserved the victory.”

For Piergiorgio Bucci, the victory capped what he described as two unforgettable weeks. “These have been two magical weeks. I am fortunate to have fantastic horses. I won in Rome two weeks ago with a horse that has already achieved so much, and today Hantano was incredible. Starting last in the jump-off was definitely an advantage because I could see what everyone else had done, especially Martin’s round. That helped me a lot.”

The Italian also paid tribute to the organisers and the La Baule crowd. “Thank you to everyone involved. The course was magnificent and everything is perfect for us as riders, owners and grooms. The crowd here is incredible. Their support gives us even more motivation to give our very best.”

Asked about his winning strategy, Bucci smiled: “I came into the jump-off determined to win. The left turn suited my horse perfectly and I decided to go for it.”

In front of a passionate crowd and after a jump-off featuring some of the sport’s biggest names, Piergiorgio Bucci etched his name into the history of the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule. Following his triumph in Rome, the Italian rider has now claimed two Rolex Series Grand Prix victories in 2026, further cementing his place among the leading contenders on this season.