It’s been a busy week of news in the world of international showjumping, not least for the Irish who have been celebrating victories in nearly every corner of the globe.

We also pay tribute to a remarkable horse who, after years of second-itits has finally found the key to success and, it appears, there’s no stopping him now.

Read on for this week’s round-up of international showjumping news and results

Showjumping news: a remarkable transatlantic team winning double

Fresh from celebrating Ireland’s four-star team success at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, Canada, last week, showjumping chef d’equipe Michael Blake swooped into La Baule, France to lead another quartet of Irish riders to victory five days later in the five-star Barriere Nations Cup.

Cian O’Connor riding Bentley De Sury, Bertram Allen (Qonquest De Rigo), 23-year-old Seamus Hughes Kennedy on ESI Rocky and Tom Wachman (Tabasco De Toxandria Z) finished on a perfect zero score, all four contributing clear rounds to keep Belgium and Brazil at bay.

“That was phenomenal. We came here with really high expectations but when we saw the start list, with some of the world’s biggest names in opposition, it put us back in our box a bit,” said Michael. “We knew how good we were, though, and we knew that if we kept jumping clear Belgium would have to match us and so would everybody else. The lads were magnificent and kept on ramping up the pressure on the rest, and eventually they couldn’t live with us.

“This competition is one that’s escaped us for a few years and I had it on my bucket list so I’m thrilled,” he added. “Obviously, it’s been a great week, having won last Sunday in Canada, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Michael paid tribute to “incredible riders” Cian and Bertram, and was “especially” proud of young guns Tom and Seamus.

“They have come through our youth programme and have gained valuable experience through the EEF series, and that showed today as they delivered at the highest level,” he said. “The last time we won here Seamus was eight years old and Tom was six! It shows how strong this programme is, that these two lads performed so well and we could have Shane Sweetnam here as our fifth rider.”

Great Britain finished fifth on a team score of 16 penalties, represented by Donald Whitaker on Millfield Colette, Jessica Mendoza with In The Air, Robert Whitaker (Vermento) and anchorman Scott Brash with Hello Folie.

“There were some very good performances, it was a good result in a strong field and some partnerships are definitely coming forward for the European Championship selections,” said Great Britain’s chef d’equipe Di Lampard.

“After competing in America, Jess’s horse is getting more into a rhythm in Europe now. Donald was unfortunate, his mare jumped a Nations Cup double clear in Abu Dhabi and they did well going out first to open with a clear; this partnership is getting stronger and better. Robert’s Vermento will only get better on grass. He’s proved himself in the World Cup Final but was a bit strong in the first round.

“Scott’s mare Hello Folie learned a lot in her first Nations Cup and I was delighted the way she improved over the two rounds,” added Di. “ She has been produced superbly and coped very well.”

Scott and Hello Folie went on to finish fifth to victor Daniel Deusser (Otello De Guldenboom) in Sunday’s Rolex grand prix, and Great Britain’s Millie Allen and Quick Diamant HR triumphed in Saturday’s CSI5* accumulator.

• La Baule results

Derby victory is written in the stars

Swiss showjumper Steve Guerdat exclaimed “At last!” after winning the La Baule Derby with Easy Star De Talma. Jessica Mendoza was best of the Brits in third on Disa DM 42.

“I had the feeling that everything was lining up and that this was going to be my year,” said Steve, who finished runner-up in this class last year and, drawn last this year, knew that a clear round would clinch victory. “I decided to keep in a good rhythm through the first two-thirds of the course and, if I was still clear, to play it a bit safer towards the end.

“My horse loves this competition and so do I.”

Showjumping news: Coyle doubles up for a third week

The green jackets of Ireland were back in the winner’s enclosure at Spruce Meadows, Canada, where Daniel Coyle bagged his third double in as many weeks, this time riding Incredible, while his team-mates Conor Swail and Darragh Kenny were also successful.

Darragh’s victory came with the appropriately named mare Lightning in a speed competition, and Conor completed his first five-star victory lap of the season with One Edition. Matt Sampson flew the British flag with success in a 1.30m riding Don Quentin.

“I can’t say enough good things about Spruce Meadows,” said Daniel.

The grand prix went to Canadian veteran, 60-year-old Mario Deslauriers with S&L Quartro Van De Meerputhoeve.

• Spruce Meadows results.

If at first you don’t succeed…

For years, Harrie Smolders’ mighty partner Monaco looked set to be remembered as the horse who showed remarkable consistency but always finished second, notching up so many incredible five-star results, without quite winning the big one.

But all that has now changed and the Dutch rider’s latest triumph with the 16-year-old son of Cassini II came in the €500,000 Longines Global Champions Tour grand prix of Cannes. Simon Delestre of France finished runner-up with Cayman Jolly Jumper and Maikel van der Vleuten completed the podium riding O’Bailey VH Brouwershof NOP.

“Incredible Monaco, once again so consistent – he’s one of a kind,” said Harrie, who collected a golden ticket to the LGCT Super Grand Prix in Prague at the end of the season.

“The atmosphere is unbelievable here in the evening with the crowd, the horses also feel this atmosphere and they give everything they have. We saw a very big track today and it was exciting right until the last rider and the last jump.”

• LGCT Cannes results.

British grand prix success

And finally in this week’s international showjumping news round-up, hats off to Great Britain’s Graham Gillespie, who landed the CSI3* 1.55m grand prix at Sentower Park, Belgium, with his great partner Veneno.

• CSI3* results from Sentower Park.
• To stay up to date with all the breaking showjumping news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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“Nobody remembers second” the famous saying goes and it’s the harsh reality of so many sports where victory is the ultimate goal.

Showjumping is no exception – we all remember the winners of the Hickstead Derby, the major grands prix and even our national titles, but can you remember who finished second?

For many years, one brilliant horse looked like falling into the category of a showjumping “also ran”. Monaco, a super talented German-bred gelding ridden by Dutch showjumper Harrie Smolders, has proved to be an exceptional talent in the ring. His clear round strike rate is phenomenal and he’s lightning-quick against the clock.

But during a five-star campaign spanning the past few years, Monaco and his popular rider suffered an agonising bout of seconditis, finishing runner-up an astonishing 12 times in some of the world’s biggest competitions.

Harrie Smolders and Monaco: second, second and second again…

The pair’s first big class runner-up spot came in the World Cup of Amsterdam at the start of 2020, continuing in earnest at the end of 2021 when they finished second in the Rolex grand prix of Geneva, followed by the World Cup at the London International, the Rolex grand prix at the 2022 Dutch Masters, the World Cup Final then the Longines Global Champions Tour grand prix of Saint Tropez and Riyadh.

It was at the London Horse Show that Monaco and Harrie Smolders even went viral when a brilliant photo taken by photographer Peter Nixon captured the moment when the duo “missed” at the first fence in the jump-off for the World Cup, leading Harrie to quip, “I had the right distance – but the fence was in the wrong place!”

The partnership remained intact and they crossed the finish line with a clear but, you guessed it, they were pipped at the post on that occasion by Harry Charles and Stardust.

Harrie and Monaco were still knocking on the door into 2023 and 2024 with a runner-up spot in the Hermes grand prix in Paris, the LGCT grands prix of Monte Carlo and Valkenswaard, and in November of last year the pair even managed a double of seconds in Lyon, finishing runner-up in both the grand prix and the World Cup in one weekend.

Finally the stars aligned

Harrie must have been left wondering what he needed to do to score that elusive five-star grand prix victory with Monaco. But on one glorious afternoon in December, everything changed and the stars finally aligned in Geneva.

Competing in the Rolex grand prix, Harrie and Monaco were faultless in round one and, from first draw in an incident-packed jump-off, they scorched home clear once again and guess what? This time nobody could beat this hugely consistent duo. Monaco would, finally, join an illustrious roll of honour and write his name in showjumping history as one of the equine greats to have won a major grand prix. It was also a first Major success for Harrie, who admitted to being “unbelievably nervous” watching the jump-off unfold.

“Throughout his career, Monaco has finished second many times, so at the CHI Geneva, my colleagues, grooms, and everyone behind the scenes were really rooting for him,” says Harrie. “He is such a special horse and everyone wanted to see him get the win he deserved.

“Monaco’s consistency throughout his career has been unbelievable. He has an incredible ability to recognize when it is important to perform, and he is always there when you need him,” explains Harrie, who took the reins on the Cassini II x Contender gelding bred by Ralf Leutja, when he was eight.

Monaco was produced in his early days by Italian rider Bryan Mascenti and Belgium’s Dimme D’Haese before first stepping up to five-star level at the end of 2018 with Harrie. Jennifer Gates (now Gates Nassar), co-owner of Evergate Stables, for whom Harrie rides, took over on Monaco for a while. Then, with Harrie back in the saddle, Monaco landed a milestone first CSI3* grand prix in 2019.

“I have known Monaco since he was seven years old and we know each other inside out,” says Harrie. “Our bond is incredibly strong, and we have maintained great consistency over the years. He has been a key horse for the Dutch team at championships and the FEI World Cup Finals, always delivering when it matters most.”

Harrie Smolders on Monaco: “A rare quality among the horses I’ve worked with”

That victory in Geneva made Harrie the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping and, while the Dutch rider didn’t manage to follow up in the next leg at the recent Dutch Masters, the victory was life-changing, he says.

“Winning the Rolex Grand Prix at the CHI Geneva in December last year was my first Rolex Major victory, and with that has come more attention – and more pressure,” says Harrie. “We all know how difficult it is to win just one Major, let alone two in a row. To win three consecutively is the ultimate challenge, and it has only happened once in history.”

Harrie describes Monaco as “always full of energy”.

“He is an incredibly smart horse,” says Harrie. “Even as he has got older, he has continued to develop and remains eager to improve – a rare quality among the horses I have worked with in my career. His drive to keep getting better is what sets him apart.

“Monaco is naturally athletic but he also has a cheeky, mischievous side. In the stable, he knows exactly where the snack box is and which groom he can charm into giving him treats.”

Monaco has been back out competing with Harrie at five-star in recent months and, while he’s yet to get his nose in front, he’s definitely proved himself as one of the all-time greats of the sport.

Monaco, we salute you.

With thanks to Rolex Grand Slam.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Dutch showjumper Harrie Smolders delivered the perfect jump-off performance to land his first Major in the Rolex grand prix at CHI Geneva, Switzerland, with his outstanding partner Monaco.

This phenomenal pair have been so consistent at the highest level over several years, but always seem to have played the part of bridesmaid, finishing on the podium at many of the world’s five-star grands prix and World Cups, including in this class in 2021.

But on Sunday afternoon (15 December) in the vast Palexpo Arena it was the Dutch combination’s turn to shine as they produced the winning round in an incident-packed jump-off to decide top honours and win the Rolex Grand Prix, part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping.

“Monaco really deserved this after all he’s done for my career,” said a delighted Harrie Smolders, who now becomes the new live contender in the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping. “He’s in fantastic shape at the moment and he’s so smart, so experienced. What he showed today is outstanding.”

An incident-packed jump-off featuring 10 high-calibre contenders to decide the Rolex grand prix

Harrie Smolders, ranked 23rd in the world, was drawn first in a 10-strong, high-calibre jump-off, featuring many of the world’s elite equestrian athletes. He and Monaco, a 15-year-old son of Cassini II x Contender, really packed a punch with a relentless gallop. The tail-swishing Monaco opened up during the early stages, before obliging at every turn in the slalom-esque home stretch. The duo stopped the clock clear in 41.74sec, setting a strong target for the chasing pack, but the normally calm Dutchman had to endure a long, anxious wait.

“I’ve never been so nervous watching the jump-off,” he admitted. “I don’t usually get nervous but as the first rider to go in and then have to watch all those other fantastic riders and horses go after me, I was unbelievably nervous.”

Drama immediately followed as the mighty combination of Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward for Sweden had a glance off at the problematic second fence. This eye-catching oxer from the Paris Olympics was sited off a swinging right-hand bend which drew horses heavily to the left, and the same fate befell Henrik’s team-mate Peder Fredricson with Catch Me Not S, who did well to stay on when the veteran gelding ducked out.

Heartbreak for Rolex Grand Slam contender Martin Fuchs

The Rolex Grand Slam live contender and home hero Martin Fuchs with Leone Jei also suffered heartbreak at the same fence, splintering the top pole when arriving off an ambitiously long stride. More drama followed for the first of two Italian contenders, Lorenzo De Luca (Denver De Talma), who fell off at the penultimate Rolex fence when hesitating for a split-second to plot his line through the technically difficult snaking final line and the powerful Denver put down on him.

We had to wait for the sixth rider to witness a second double clear, Italian Giulia Martinengo Marquet and Delta Del’Isle (ITA) leaving the ring with a broad smile and plenty of pats for the 11-year-old gelding, having slotted in behind the Dutch leader some two seconds adrift with a superb faultless performance.

Great Britain’s hopes rested with Ben Maher and Point Break but, having accelerated into the aquamarine double at fence three, they paid the price when toppling the vertical out. However, the pair cruised home carrying just those four faults in a time of 42.53sec to keep them in the hunt in this high-faulting decider.

Rolex grand prix hinges on final rider McLain Ward for USA

The only other clear of the afternoon came from young Belgian talent Gilles Thomas with the 10-year-old Ermitage Kalone, but this pair were significantly slower than their Dutch and Italian rivals.

The result of this thrilling and unusually dramatic contest hinged on the lightning quick final rider, McLain Ward of USA riding Ilex. Having pivoted round the track with great agility, almost matching the pace set by Harrie Smolders and Monaco, there was heartbreak for the US rider at the final vertical, which fell just as the clock stopped in what would have been a winning time of 41.48sec. But, with four faults to add, it dropped McLain to fourth behind the podium finishers of Harrie, Giulia and Gilles and just ahead of Ben Maher in fifth.

Harrie Smolders is now on target for the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping

This was a milestone victory for Harrie to celebrate in Geneva’s Rolex grand prix and he will arrive in his home leg of the series, the Dutch Masters, early next year as the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping.

“It’s fantastic to go there now as the live contender. It’s my first Rolex Grand Slam, I’m so happy,” said Harrie.

You can read the full report from the CHI Geneva in this Thursday’s Horse & Hound magazine.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout major shows such as London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘I had the right distance – the fence was in the wrong place!’ Harrie Smolders reacts to THAT epic World Cup save

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US showjumper Jessica Springsteen topped a thrilling 10-way jump-off to land the five-star grand prix at the London leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT London) on Sunday 13 August.

Riding the charismatic 14-year-old Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve, Jessica rocketed round Uliano Vezzani’s towering jump-off track to win nearly a second clear of her closest challenger Olivier Philippaerts of Belgium on H&M Miro to record her first LGCT grand prix win for nearly four years.

“The crowd here in London is unbelievable, it’s such a special atmosphere and they give you so much motivation. It was so much fun!” said Jessica, daughter of Bruce Springsteen, who has represented her country at the Olympic Games , winning team silver with this same horse, and the 31-year-old enjoys plenty of success at the top level of the sport.

“Don Juan always gets really excited when he hears the clapping and everything like that – it really winds him up, so he’s quite a handful! But this was really special, it means a lot.”

LGCT London: ‘You’re not going to get a podium unless you go for it’

The final line from an airy vertical on a sharp bend to the final Longines oxer proved a real conundrum, with most riders opting to hold rather than gamble with taking a stride out, but Jessica’s round was determined and quick from start to finish.

“With 10 of the fastest riders in the jump-off, I knew it was going to be really quick and you’re not going to get a podium unless you really go for it. I saw one less stride to the last fence and I was like, ‘Should I?’ revealed Jessica Springsteen. “But when you’re going so fast, it’s hard – you can’t really keep pushing. So I said, ‘No, reel it in!’ Because I had the last jump down in the Paris grand prix, so I was thinking about that a bit. But Don Juan was incredible.”

When Jessica’s nippy jump-off round is compared with Olivier’s in the head-to-head below, you can see how much time she makes up on a staggeringly quick turn back to the double, midway on course.

Finishing third in front of the imposing Royal Hospital Chelsea on the final day of the LGCT London, and claiming an astounding 24th LGCT grand prix podium, was Dutch showjumper Harrie Smolders on the great Monaco NOP.

Best of the British riders was a delighted fifth-placed Olli Fletcher riding Hello William in his first ever five-star grand prix jump-off, on a horse who has made a remarkable comeback after colic surgery.

Jessica’s victory in the LGCT London grand prix earns her a ticket to the LGCT Super Grand Prix in Prague in November. In the overall LGCT Championship standings, Maikel van der Vleuten still leads on 238 points, nine points ahead of Harrie Smolders, with Christian Kukuk sitting in third.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

British showjumpers Ellen Whitaker, Joe Stockdale, Jodie Hall McAteer and Lily Attwood will be flying the flag this afternoon (Thursday 29 September) in the first round of the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, Spain.

A total of 14 nations line up for this prestigious finale to the Nations Cup series, held at the Real Club de Barcelona, all bidding for a place in Sunday afternoon’s final when the winner will be decided.

With an average age of just 25, the British squad is packed full of young talent. Pathfinder Ellen Whitaker, 36, is the senior member of the team and rides Tilly Shaw’s 10-year-old mare Equine America Spacecake. The only rider from GB’s bronze medal-winning team at the World Showjumping Championships last month is 22-year-old Joe Stockdale with his top mare Equine America Cacharel. Jodie Hall McAteer, also 22, brings her superstar 13-year-old Salt’N Peppa and team anchor is 20-year-old Lily Attwood and the hugely consistent Cor-Leon V Vlierbeek Z. The fifth member of the British squad in Barcelona is William Whitaker, a late replacement for Harry Charles after his mount Casquo Blue wasn’t quite fit enough to compete.

“The Brits always look forward to coming to Barcelona for the Nations Cup Final and we have a group of riders who are very excited to be here,” said chef d’equipe Di Lampard.

Nations Cup Final defending champions

The defending champions are the Netherlands, three-time winners of this final, who are represented by big names Maikel van der Vleuten (Beauville Z NOP), Johnny Pals (Zarkava Hero Z), Jur Vrieling (Long John Silver 3) and Harrie Smolders riding Monaco NOP with Jos Lansink at the helm.

Argentina and Brazil, who have been drawn first, will represent South America while Canada and Mexico qualified ahead of surprise absentees USA.

Hosts Spain, as well as Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland will also be in action.

France’s chef d’equpe Henk Nooren said: “We are bringing the same team as we had at the World Championships in Herning but we need to see how the form of the horses is because most of them have only jumped one show since Herning so there’s a bit of a question mark but we will see!”

Irish team ‘hope to be lucky – and good’

Ireland will be well represented by Trevor Breen (Highland President), Jack Ryan (BBS McGregor), Mark McAuley (Jasco V Bisschop) and Andrew Bourns (Sea Topblue).

“We love Barcelona and we are reasonably lucky here normally so we hope we will be lucky, and good, this year!” said Irish chef d’equipe Michael Blake. “We have a slightly less experienced team, they have experience but have never been to this final before.”

The reigning Olympic and world champions Sweden are another country bringing a younger team of riders to Barcelona – having finished bottom of the European Division 1 series alongside Norway they didn’t earn direct qualification to the Nations Cup Final, however with no participating teams from the Middle East region attending, both countries were invited to compete.

“We are excited to be here and happy to be here because we were struggling a bit, but now we are here with a team of the future I hope,” said Henrik Ankarcrona, Sweden’s chef d’equipe.

With eight of the top 18 riders in the world rankings in action, this is sure to be a hard-fought and thrilling contest.

Surprisingly, the Swiss have never won the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final title but they, along with Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Norway, will be bidding for the single qualifying spot on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from this competition.

Competition begins for all 14 nations at 1pm BST on Thursday 29 September, with the top eight finishers going straight through to Sunday’s €1,250,000 final. The remaining six countries return for Saturday night’s Challenge Cup, won last year by Great Britain. Olympic course-designer Santiago Varela will once again be setting the tracks.

• H&H will be bringing you all the latest news from the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final online and there will be a full report in next week’s magazine, on sale in shops on Thursday 6 October

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Jubilant Irish and a mare’s miraculous comeback – who won showjumping ribbons this week?

‘All you want to do is please your home crowd and we didn’t’: Team GB reflections after Nations Cup ‘disappointment’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs came out on top of a thrilling final round at the FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany, while two Brits claimed spots within the top five.

This is Martin’s first World Cup title, having finished in an agonisingly close second at the last final, in 2019. He and the superb 15-year-old Verdi TN stallion Chaplin have been on winning form all week, topping the opening leg of the Jumping World Cup Final on Friday. Martin then swapped horses to the somewhat less reliable The Sinner for Friday’s second round, where a pole down dropped him slightly down the order. He came into the final leg, reinstated aboard Chaplin, lying joint third on the leaderboard with Britain’s Harry Charles.

A flawless first clear from the pair set up an exciting second round, and when Harry tipped the middle part of the enormous treble, Martin knew that a clear inside the time would mean a guaranteed podium position. His trusty little stallion duly delivered, and when The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders, lying one point ahead, also rolled a pole, only the USA’s McLain Ward lay between Martin and victory.

It just wasn’t McLain’s day. He revealed that his Tokyo Olympics horse contagious had slightly lost his footing in the combination, and the pair ended up with two down. The title was Martin’s.

“This horse is just fantastic. He is really the horse of my heart. Every time he enters the ring he is the biggest fighter and when you’re riding it, there’s nothing else like it,” said Martin.

“The plan was perfect,” he added, of the strategy to ride two horses in the competition. “Honestly, after having a rail down on Friday I wasn’t so sure it was right. Afterwards, I walked back to the warm-up and was pretty upset, but Steve [Guerdat] came up to me and said, ‘Congrats’. He told me I could still win on Sunday, and I was still third, which was good. I knew that two clear rounds today and we’d stay on the podium.

“To end up winning this prestigious competition is a dream come true. Earlier I looked at all the names on the World Cup and they are the best of the best. To be able to add my name is fantastic,” he added.

Harrie Smolders hung on to his second-place with Monaco, here competing at his first championships – “it won’t be his last,” said Harrie – while Sweden’s Jens Fredricson moved up from fifth after today’s first round to fill the third spot on the podium at his first World Cup Final appearance since 2013.

It proved a brilliant week for the Brits but with a heartbreaking conclusion, as Harry Charles and Jack Whitaker finished in fourth and fifth respectively – arguably the hardest places to be. A spot on the podium, even perhaps atop it, was within touching distance for Harry in particular, but an unfortunate fence down aboard Romeo 88 left him in fourth. Jack finished fifth after a stunning clear on Equine America Valmy De La Lande – the horse’s fourth clear of the week — added nothing to his score.

“Fourth is where no one wants to be,” said Harry, who was one of three riders, including Martin Fuchs, to use two horses across the three rounds of competition. “I came here with high expectations and I knew I had a shot if everything went to plan, but we were just short of a bit of luck on the day. But I’m so proud of my horses – I just wish I could have given them the result they deserved.”

John Whitaker finished in 12th with Equine America Unick Du Francport, finishing on a high with a clear in the last round.

You may also be interested in…

‘Romeo’s a tough lad and he gets stuck in’: World Cup title within reach for Harry Charles – with Whitakers in the running too

‘I never thought he’d be a championship horse’: overnight leader McLain Ward on his Jumping World Cup Final ride

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It’s being billed as the most amazing comeback of the London International Horse Show and Harrie Smolders’ breathtaking recovery from a first-fence blunder in Sunday’s Longines FEI World Cup qualifier is certainly an example of never giving up.

The Dutch showjumper and his great campaigner, the Evergate Stables-owned 12-year-old Monaco (Cassini II x Contender), set off with great determination in the 11-way jump-off for the London leg of the winter series. But their challenge almost came unstuck at fence one, a seemingly straightforward Longines FEI World Cup-branded vertical.

On approaching the first obstacle, Monaco misjudged the take-off and then appeared to hover in the air, somehow using every muscle in his body to clear the poles at a very awkward angle – as you can see from the picture below.

“I don’t know what happened. I think I had the right distance – but the fence was in the wrong place!” quipped Harrie after the class.

Unbelievably, he and Monaco reached the landing side with their partnership still in tact and not a pole out of place. The pair then immediately accelerated into top gear and soared home clear and into the lead in a time of 36.77sec, knocking John Whitaker (Unick Du Francport) off the top spot on the leader board.

Unfortunately for Harrie, the class eventually fell to young British talent Harry Charles with the great 11-year-old mare Stardust, competing in only her third five-star grand prix. They managed to stop the clock around three-quarters of a second faster than the Dutch contenders and Harrie was left pondering what might have been…

This was Harrie and Monaco’s second feature class runner-up spot in a row after they finished behind Swiss rider Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei in last Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva.

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Egyptian showjumper Nayel Nassar was not only celebrating winning his second grand prix on the trot on Sunday (21 November), but the brace of victories also book-ended his wedding to fellow showjumper Jennifer Gates last month.

Nayel’s second victory came at the ESP Pre-Charity CSI3* in Wellington, Florida, where he rode LLC’s Igor Van De Wittemoere to top spot in the $137,000 (£102,800) grand prix.

Only he and Irishman Capt Brian Cournane (Vittorio 12) had managed to jump clear in round one of the class, over a track set by Hector Loyola. Nayel secured victory when Brian and Vittorio 12 hit the final fence of the jump-off and Igor produced the sole double clear.

“The course had a lot of questions today,” he said. “I think you had a few tricky distances and a lot of awkward lines, which gives you a lot of room between the jumps. You would think that’s an advantage, but it actually gets the horses long and makes it harder for them to stay focused throughout the course. There were also a few bogey spots, which took out some horses and riders.” 

Nayel decided to play it safe in the jump-off after watching Brian’s four-fault round.

“When I saw Brian go, I thought I should just try to chase down the time because Igor is so fast and if I had a fence down I could still clip him,” said Nayel Nassar, who jumped at the Tokyo Olympics with Igor. “However, I didn’t get the turn I wanted from one to two, so I decided to just play it safe and try to leave the jumps up, and that strategy paid off.”

Nayel, who also won the $150,000 (£116,300) CaptiveOne Grand Prix of Greenwich CSI3* in October, shortly before his marriage to Jennifer Gates and their honeymoon, said: “Marriage looks good on me; I won my last grand prix before getting married and the first one after getting married, so it’s been a good luck charm.” 

Igor Van De Wittemoere is a 13-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding by Cooper VD Heffinck, who the couple bought in 2020.

“Igor is Nayel’s ride and always has been,” said his wife Jennifer, the daughter of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. “My former coach and still a mentor of ours, Harrie Smolders, found the horse, and I actually sat on him a year prior for myself and thought he was really nice but maybe a bit too much blood. 

“Then in January 2020, he was available again and was purchased for Nayel. It’s been really fun to see them both come along. I think Nayel has really worked with him to get him a lot slower in his mind. He’s super athletic, and he comes off a break really easily. I’m so proud of how they performed today after the break that we recently took. He was a little nervous about coming back but he did an excellent job,” she added.

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Five weeks ago, the Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders came off a horse and broke his ribs. At about the same time, his first-choice Tokyo Olympics ride, Dolinn Nop, was injured.

But with his ribs carefully taped up, the 2017 European silver medallist and his 10-year-old ride who had never competed at a championship — and was making his debut in this Olympic competition — went into the ring and jumped a superb clear in the Olympic showjumping team final.

“It was very hard for me to go in there because this is the first class I’ve jumped [here], and straight away it was the most important one, for the team,” Harrie said.

“I’m very proud of my horse; he did an unbelievable job today – he’s very inexperienced.

“He was my second horse for the Olympics. My first horse got injured, and a few weeks ago I had a bad fall, and broke my ribs, so I came from very far.

“Then, to be here at the final moment, and to go clear, it’s a super achievement.”

Harrie Smolders said his ribs are taped and that last week, they “started getting much, much better”.

“[The fall] was on a different horse, then my first horse for the Olympics got injured about the same time, Murphy’s Law!” he said.

“Then they asked me to come with this horse, who’s never done a championship, this was his first championship round, so to perform like that is amazing.”

Harrie said he had taken the selle francais gelding to Wellington, Florida, early this year to accustom him to jumping at night under lights.

“I knew he was coping with it very, very well and he showed it today, he was in his element,” he said.

Harrie added that he used his experience to guide his horse, and “give him a split second of breath”.

“But you have to be a partnership and you have to be with both to achieve like this,” he said. “I cannot be prouder of him.”

And did his ribs hurt?

“Not yet, it’s the adrenaline now!” he said.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The great showjumper Don VHP Z was retired from the sport in an emotional ceremony at the Longines Global Champions Tour show in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands on Saturday 12 September. Harrie Smolders, who jumped the stallion internationally for the past six years, described the 16-year-old as “one of a kind”.

“I don’t think many horses will ever match him,” said the Dutchman.

As a tribute to one of the sport’s most successful grand prix horses, we picked out just a handful of our favourite “Don” moments.

1. Don, or ‘Paris’ as he was known in his early years, was owned by the Brendon Stud and produced through his early years by Louise Simpson (then Pavitt). The supremely talented youngster earned the title of six-year-old champion at Horse of the Year Show in 2010, won the Walwyn novice championship at Royal Windsor 2010 and was crowned grade C champion in 2011.

2. The precocious talent also finished fourth in the King George V Gold Cup at Hickstead with Louise when just eight years old.

“He showed that big scopey jump right from the word go,” says Shirley Light of the Brendon Stud. “He would make you smile every day in the yard with his hilarious sense of humour.”

3. Don VHP Z was sold as an eight-year-old in 2012 and USA rider Saer Coulter took the ride. The Coulter family, under the Copernicus Stables banner, still own the stallion with Harrie Smolders taking the reins in 2014. Don went on to become one of the most consistent five-star grand prix horses in the world.

4. Standing 17.1hh, Don jumped a phenomenal 111 clear rounds over 1.60m tracks. The pair won individual silver at the 2017 European championships and the stallion helped his rider become world number one.

“He’s been jumping clear rounds all his life and what makes him so special is that you know exactly how he’s going to be tomorrow — he’s very manageable, very straightforward and that behaviour makes him so consistent,” says Harrie. “It’s rare to see such a big horse that is so careful.”

5. The stallion son of Diamant De Semilly is out of Sara Van’t Parelshof (Voltaire x Ramiro), who also produced McLain Ward’s grand prix showjumper HH Carlos Z and was bred in Belgium by Guy De Schuymer. Among their many successes, amassing nearly €2m in prize-money in the process, Don VHP and Harrie took the Global Champions Tour-Global Champions League championship double in 2017.

6. Some of his best grands prix victories came in Hamburg, Shanghai, Rome, Vienna and Royal Windsor, but his outstanding consistency made him a brilliant team player, too, in Nations Cups and championships.

7. Don VHP Z was retired in a moving ceremony in Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard on Saturday 12 September. Harrie said: “Don and I are an inseparable pair, I really enjoyed riding him and I will miss him very much.” Won’t we all? Farewell Don, you’ll be very much missed, but we are already enjoying watching some of his wonderful offspring in action around the world. The legend lives on.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The 15-year-old stallion Don VHP Z NOP, the ride of world number three Harrie Smolders, is one of the world’s leading showjumpers. The hugely imposing 17.1hh liver chestnut, who was produced through his early years in Great Britain, has helped the Dutchman win individual silver at the 2017 European Championships as well as some of the most prestigious grands prix in the world. What makes him so good? We find out from those who know him best.

1. “I’ve never ridden a horse who jumps 1.60m fences so easily and, because he’s so scopey, it doesn’t cost him a lot of energy,” says rider Harrie Smolders.

2. “He showed that big scopey jump right from the word go,” says former owner/producer Shirley Light of the Brendon Stud, whose father Cyril bought “Paris” from Belgium as a two-year-old after seeing him loose jumping.

3. “Travelling in the lorry he just goes to sleep and doesn’t move. But when you open the ramp, he’s ready to go and you can’t get him off the truck quick enough otherwise he tries to get off before you do,” says Don’s groom Alex Tyler-Morris, who has looked after the stallion for the past five years. “There’s never a dull moment with Don around.”

4. “Don’s very trainable at home and a pleasure to ride. He’s very cool headed, too — he’s never impressed by a fence or anything new,” says Harrie, who will be aiming Don VHP Z at this year’s European Championships in Rotterdam.

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5. “He would make you smile every day in the yard with his hilarious sense of humour and I think he’s still as cheeky as he ever was,” says Shirley Light. “Louise [Pavitt, who rode him until he was sold as an eight-year-old] always said if it took three of us to tack him up, she knew she was going to win.”

Don’t miss the full feature in this week’s showjumping special issue of Horse & Hound, out today (Thursday 21 February 2019).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The showjumping daughter of Microsoft magnate Bill Gates has formed a new “training partnership” with world number one Harrie Smolders.

Jennifer Gates, owner of Evergate Stables, announced the partnership with the 2017 European Championships individual silver medallist yesterday (21 June).

Jennifer, who graduated from Stanford University this June, plans to focus on her riding full-time until she starts medical school next year.

Her plans for the coming 12 months include “competing in several grand prix events on the Global Champions Tour and other high-level show jumping competitions”, a spokesman said, adding: “Gates is excited to elevate her competition through this new partnership with Smolders.”

Jennifer, 22, has been enjoying international success up to five-star level.

“Harrie is incredibly talented, and I’m looking forward to training with him. It’s an exciting time for me to be graduating from college and shifting my focus to training and competing full-time this year,” she said.

“Harrie is not only a world-class competitor with an unparalleled ability to shape great riders, but also a wonderful horseman. I am eager to learn everything I can from him.”

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Harrie recently took the number one spot in the Longines world rankings for the first time. The Dutch Olympic rider had been close on previous leader Kent Farrington’s heels for some time, after a very successful 2017 during which he also helped his country secure a Nations Cup final win in Barcelona.

“I’m looking forward to working with Jennifer to help channel her ambition, passion, and work ethic to reach the highest level in our sport,” he said. “It’s going to be a fun year and I’m excited to see the success she achieves as she focuses full-time on riding.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

World number one showjumper Harrie Smolders has bought a one-third share in the British-produced six-year-old stallion Escape Z.

The son of the Dutchman’s Olympic partner Emerald was bred in Holland by Willem van Hoof and has been produced in the UK since a three-year-old by Danielle Ryder.

In 2016 he claimed the national four-year-old title at Addington and last year was named leading five-year-old stallion at the world young horse championships in Lanaken.

The 166cm (16.1hh) chestnut will remain in the UK with Danielle — who along with his breeder Willem retains a one-third share — to produce for the next year and a half.

“I am often away from home and he would not get enough exercise at my place. He has to keep up with his peers, no more. Hopefully he will be the successor of his sire Emerald,” Harrie said.

“He is a very remarkable horse. I believe that he has great quality and enough power to cover wide oxers. I am always looking for horses like that. As long as they have something exceptional, the right instincts, things you can not change as a rider.”

Danielle said Harrie — who claimed a European individual silver medal last year with the British-produced stallion Don VHP — had confidence in the UK’s young horse system.

“Harrie has known the horse for a year and a half and followed him since he did his first international shows as a five-year-old, then he saw him jump at Lanaken on the z-tour and he approached us from there,” Danielle said. “He will ride him a few times over the next two years and then take him over as an eight-year-old. He knows Willem well and trusts us 200%.”

Danielle, who runs Sports Horse Direct, has been sourcing horses from Willem for 14 years and believes Escape Z is the best to have passed through her hands.

“We’ve had a feeling from the horse from the beginning,” she said. “I always believed in him, Harrie believed in him before he rode him and when he sat on him he said he was even better than he thought. He can make power from nothing.

“He’s a simple horse to ride because he’s so balanced and easy in his character. I can collect [semen] off him in the morning and go to a show in afternoon, but in the ring he’s a fighter — he only ever sees the jumps and is totally focussed on his job.”

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Escape Z has some superb competition bloodlines, being out of the mare Promesse (Heartbreaker x Cathargo), who is also the dam of the popular five-star grand prix stallion Untouchable 27.

Escape has already made a mark on the breeding world, having served 70 mares last year. His foal Escape The Opposition was awarded the best show jumping foal at the BEF Futurity, achieving the highest points of any age and any category in 2017.

As well as continuing with stud duties, the AES and Zangersheide-approved stallion will be aimed at newcomers second rounds this year and will also contest the six-year-old classes at Lanaken.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now