DOUBLE WIN FOR RIESENBECK INTERNATIONAL
The 12th edition of the Longines Global Champions Tour - Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping kicked off this Thursday, returning to its original setting, Place Joffre, in front of the École Militaire. The first highlight of these three days of competition was the GCL team event, which saw Riesenbeck International emerge victorious thanks to Maximilian Weishaupt and Marco Kutscher.
The Grand Prix London (GCL), a two-round team competition, served as a warm-up for the CSI5* riders this late afternoon. The Turkish Airlines Prize, the first round, saw all 17 pairs compete. Over the course designed by Grégory Bodo, 12 pairs managed to complete the course without penalty. Among them were the riders from the Valkenswaard United team: Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander with Caetlin vd Heffinck Z and Belgian Gilles Thomas on Luna van het Dennehof, followed by the Riesenbeck International team of German riders Maximilian Weishaupt and Marco Kutscher, riding Zuccero HV and Pikeur Lemar NRW respectively. The Riyadh Knights are currently in third place, with Irishman Cian O'Connor on Kentucky TN (1 time penalty) and Frenchman Olivier Perreau with his Olympic mare GL Events Dorai d'Aiguilly.
AMONG THE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINERS
Briton Scott Brash, currently world No. 3, Olympic team champion in Paris in 2024 and reigning European champion, will be there.
Germany will be represented by Sophie Hinners (No. 21), Daniel Deusser and Christian Ahlmann, the only rider to have won the Paris stage twice, in 2019 and 2023.
On the Scandinavian side, Swedish legends Henrik von Eckermann and Peder Fredricson will be back in Paris.
Belgium will arrive in force with Nicola Philippaerts (No. 13), Thibault Philippaerts, Zoe Hank Conter, Jérôme Guéry, but also Gilles Thomas (No. 5), winner of the LGCT – Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris 2025 with Ermitage Kalone, and Abdel Saïd, recent winner of the Cannes stage and the Eiffel Challenge 2025.
Ireland, meanwhile, will rely on Bertram Allen, Tom Wachman, Cian O'Connor, and Denis Lynch.
Everything was still to play for in the second round to reach the top step of the podium! As permitted by the rules, team managers are allowed to change riders and horses for the second round, which was not the case for Riesenbeck International. This strategy paid off, as they were the only team to achieve another double clear round, securing the victory—their second in just a few days, having already been in pole position at the Ramatuelle-St. Tropez leg last weekend. "We are incredibly happy to have a second consecutive victory, especially here in Paris," began Maximilian Weishaupt. "After the first round, we really hesitated about the setup for the second, but in the end, our choice was the right one." "Like all the teams, we were hoping for this result, especially since our horses are in great form right now," continued his teammate Marco Kutscher. "We couldn't be happier than two double clear rounds." The all-female Cannes Stars team, powered by Iron Dames, who were 5th after the first round (4 faults), managed to climb to 2nd place on the final podium thanks to two clear rounds by Sweden's Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli on Iron Dames Calvino II de Nyze Z and Germany's Jörne Sprehe with Hickstead White. The Riyadh Knights maintained their 3rd place, but this time with a change of mount for both riders. Olivier Perreau was partnered with Himalaya du Temple (4 faults) and Cian O'Connor with Gospel Tame. In addition to competing as a team, the GCL riders also had the objective, in the first round, of qualifying for the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris this Saturday, June 20th. Only the top 30 riders in the event earned their place.
JULIEN ÉPAILLARD FOR THE FIRST MARSEILLAISE OF THE WEEKEND
The new GCL format includes a separate individual competition, in which the top 10 riders qualify for the LGCT - Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris on Saturday evening. Out of 22 pairs starting, Julien Épaillard unsurprisingly won the Prix Evian, a 1.60m speed class. Riding the stallion Le Coultre de Muze, he finished almost two seconds ahead of his German competitor Daniel Deusser on Pepita van T Meulenhof BR (63.57 seconds to 65.21 seconds). Belgian rider Thibault Philippaerts completed the podium with Pittman v/h Lilleveld. ©BertilleFonteneau
Julien Épaillard's reaction:
"Le Coultre jumped really well today. I'm lucky to have a horse like him in my stables, he's a superstar! We haven't been competing together for long, but he already has a lot of experience thanks to Philippe (Rozier). My role is simply to continue taking him to good competitions and make sure he enjoys them. Tomorrow's Grand Prix will be tough; it's always easy to knock down a rail, but we've qualified, and today's victory gives us a bit of confidence that we hope will serve us well tomorrow."
CSI1*
Early this morning, the CSI1 competitions inaugurated the LGCT - Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping arena. The CSI1* Prix Querella at 1.15m was won by Austrian rider Theresa Singer on Espri 4. Qatari rider Suhaim Hamad Al Yafei on Flash du Puits triumphed in the Prix Lagree France at 1.25m. Finally, the American national anthem was played.
honor in the Selman Marrakech Prize at 1.40m thanks to Philippa Ammann and Cascalretto.
The first day of competition ended on a high note with a performance by equestrian artist Samuel Hafrad, with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, and everyone already looking forward to tomorrow, Saturday, June 20th.