A British hero, the Olympic champion and a teenager living the dream: meet the 15 contenders for £1m Super Grand Prix
Tonight (Saturday 22 November) the highly anticipated Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix takes place in the O2 Arena in Prague at 20.10 local time (19.10 GMT).
The two-round CSI5* 1.65m showjumping contest is one of the most prestigious in the world, boasting €1.25m (just over £1,000,000) in prize money and held as part of the weekend’s GC Prague Playoffs. Athletes qualify to take part in this season finale by securing a golden ticket from one of the 16 grands prix across the LGCT series, resulting in an exceptionally high-calibre field. After the late withdrawal of an injured Jana Wagers, there will be 15 horses and riders rather than 16 competing in Prague’s O2 Arena.
So who are this year’s entries for the Prague Super Grand Prix?
Prague Super Grand Prix: runners and riders
- Christian Kukuk and Chageorge
The Olympic champion qualified with victory in the London leg of the LGCT and he brings the Beerbaum Stables’ 10-year-old Chacco-Blue stallion.
“Whoever has ridden in the LGCT Super Grand Prix once in their live wants to do it again,” says German representative Christian, who will be competing in the class for the fourth time. “Prague is an amazing show, the crowd is amazing and the atmosphere is incredible. It’s a really special show. It is the only indoor show we have in the season, which makes it even more special.”
- Scott Brash and Hello Chadora Lady
The sole British representative won two grands prix on this year’s LGCT series, in Shanghai and St Tropez. Both successes came with Hello Chadora Lady, owned by Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Kirkham, and he lines up on the daughter of Chacco-Blue again in Prague. World number two Scott last jumped in the Super Grand Prix in 2021 but he’s enjoyed outstanding success in 2025, including winning two silver medals at the European Championships and heading the sport’s richest ever showjumping class. “It’s incredible to be part of it again,” says Scott, adding of the 12-year-old mare: “She gives you so much confidence. It’s just about containing that energy she has.”
- Gilles Thomas and Qalista DN
The Belgian rider arrives in Prague having recently been crowned the youngest ever LGCT series winner, in a year when he also secured team gold and individual bronze at the European Showjumping Championships. The 27-year-old, currently ranked fifth in the world, earned his golden ticket in Paris, following up in New York for a spectacular brace of grand prix wins. In Prague he rides the joint-youngest horse in the field, the nine-year-old daughter of Emerald Van’t Ruytershof.
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- Anastasia Nielsen and Action Man
Representing Monaco, 19-year-old Anastasia made history in the 15th leg of the season in Rabat, Morocco, by becoming the youngest ever LGCT grand prix winner and she now lines up as the youngest ever contender of the Prague Super Grand Prix. Remarkably she had never even jumped clear in a five-star 1.60m class before her victory in Rabat and she now makes her debut in Prague, where she rides 11-year-old Action Man, a son of Action-Breaker. “This is what dreams are made of,” she says.
- Abdel Said and Bonne Amie
Another rider flying the Belgian flag in Prague is Abdel, who qualified for the Prague Super Grand Prix in the first leg of the season in Doha, Qatar for the second consecutive year. The towering Estonian-bred “Bonnie” is one of five mares in the class and Abdel is currently ranked number 12 in the world.
- Gregory Cottard and Cocaine Du Val
The Frenchman only finished fourth in the Rome grand prix but qualified for the Super Grand Prix as riders further up the placings had already earned a golden ticket or elected not to contest the final. Gregory is hugely popular for his natural approach both in the saddle and in the management of his horses, keeping his tack as simple as possible. Cocaine Du Val is a 13-year-old daughter of Mylord Carthago HN.
- Jerome Guery and Careca LS Elite
One of an incredible five Belgian riders in the Prague Super Grand Prix, Jerome is another rider to have earned a golden ticket despite not finishing on the podium. The 45-year-old won individual silver at the 2022 world showjumping championships and his mount for Saturday night’s competition is the 14-year-old gelding Careca LS Elite (Carusso LS La Silla x Rebozo La Silla).
- Marco Kutscher and Catelly
The German rider has enjoyed something of a resurgence this year, qualifying via his runner-up finish in Madrid, Spain, early on in the season. The double Olympic bronze medallist is a championship veteran so no stranger to a high-pressure cauldron such as the Super Grand Prix. He boasts great form with 13-year-old Catelly, who he only started riding a year ago, including Nations Cup success at Hickstead this year.
- Nicola Philippaerts and Katanga VH Dingeshof
One of the most successful combinations on the showjumping circuit line up for the Prague Super Grand Prix as a result of their runner-up finish in Valkenswaard behind the already-qualified Harrie Smolders after an unusual two-way jump-off. Nicola has the added opposition of his younger brother Thibault (see below) and will be among the crowd favourites as Katanga is a hugely popular 15-year-old Cardento mare. Nicola’s father Ludo Philippaerts was the inaugural LGCT champion in 2006.
- Philipp Weishaupt and Kokomo B
One of four German riders competing in the Super Grand Prix, Philipp won the LGCT grand prix of Vienna. For the final at the GC Prague Playoffs, he rides the nine-year-old Kannan son who is more often ridden by his younger brother Maximillian. “Prague is my favourite week of the year without a doubt,” says Philipp, who was part of the GCL Super Cup-winning team at the venue in 2023.
- Gerrit Nieberg and Ping Pong Van De Lentamel
German star Gerrit and his striking coloured gelding have earned a huge legion of fans as they go from strength to strength in the ring. Their victory came on home soil at the LGCT grand prix of Riesenbeck, earning Gerrit a ticket to his first ever Super Grand Prix. “He’s an amazing horse,” says Gerrit of the 10-year-old Emerald son. “He’s still quite inexperienced at this level. He’s such a cool horse – the easiest character every single day.”
- Simon Delestre and Cayman Jolly Jumper
The Frenchman made earning a golden ticket for the Prague Super Grand Prix his target for this season and he achieved his aim with victory in Monaco with the “truly amazing” and highly experienced son of Hickstead, who he also brings to Prague. “Cayman Jolly Jumper is a legend, it’s amazing for me to ride a horse like him,” says Simon of his Olympic partner and Dutch Masters Rolex grand prix winner.
- Thibault Philippaerts and Pittman VH Lilleveld
Olympic showjumper Ludo Philippaerts will have split loyalties – not to mention frayed nerves by the end of the evening – with two of his sons in action in the Prague Super Grand Prix on Saturday night. Thibault, 24, is the rising star of the sport and qualified with a breakthrough performance on his debut in New York, finishing runner-up to Gilles Thomas, with the 10-year-old black gelding Pittman (Diamant De Semilly x Toulon), owned by Censtables NV and Team Philippaerts. “The Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix is a very big class,” he says. “I have been watching my brothers compete there for the past few years.”
- Emanuele Camilli and Chacareno PS
Italy’s sole representative in Prague may not be a familiar name to many showjumping fans but the Germany-based showjumper stamped his ticket to Prague with an outstanding victory in Mexico. The 43-year-old competed at his first championship in 2022 and is now ranked 31st in the world. He brings Chacareno, one of three Chacco-Blue offspring in the Super Grand Prix.
- Harrie Smolders and Monaco B
Last but certainly not least in the running order for Saturday night’s Super Grand Prix is one of the all-time greatest combinations in the sport. Harrie and Monaco have developed from eternal runners-up to racking up a dazzling string of five-star grand prix as they’ve flourished during a golden era. Three of their grand prix successes came on the LGCT circuit and come to Prague as one of the favourites to win. “Monaco feels the atmosphere, it lights him up, it gears him up,” says Harrie, ranked number seven in the world.
President and founder of Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL, Jan Tops, said: “The GC Prague Playoffs represent the highest level of our sport – a week where the best riders and teams in the world come together to compete for titles that define careers. This season has shown remarkable depth and quality across both the Longines Global Champions Tour and the GCL Championship, and it all builds to this moment here in Prague.”
H&H will bring you all the action from the Super Grand Prix and the rest of the GC Prague Playoffs in next week’s Horse & Hound, in the shops Thursday 27 November.
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.