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The fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League delivered the moment that 39 years of Stuttgart German Masters competition had been waiting for: a Dutch victory in the Grand Prix. Willem Greve 🇳🇱 and his 10-year-old mare Pretty Woman van't Paradijs N.O.P. broke through in spectacular fashion, claiming not just a World Cup win but a piece of German equestrian history.

The numbers tell part of the story—53,900 guests across five days, four sold-out sessions, and a passionate crowd that stayed for every discipline (Jumping, Dressage, and Driving World Cup legs ran concurrently). But the real story was written in the arena, where Christa Jung's 13-fence masterpiece separated pretenders from contenders.

Jung, a German course designer from nearby Bad Rappenau, presented a relentless technical test featuring three difficult combinations: a double of verticals, a vertical-oxer-vertical treble, and a Liverpool-oxer to vertical double. The brilliance of her design was its consistency—fallen fences were evenly distributed across 15 of the 17 jumping efforts. There was no single bogey fence, just sustained pressure that demanded collection, responsiveness, and precision throughout.

The track claimed several victims, including two absolutely brilliant rounds that fell to the clock. Christian Ahlmann 🇩🇪 on Untouched LB and Alain Jufer 🇨🇭 on Dante MM both jumped clear but caught a single time fault, denied their place in the jump-off by fractions. Jung's time allowed was perfectly calibrated, producing an ideal seven-horse jump-off.

The jump-off was equally strategic—an unusually long nine-fence, ten-effort track that tested sustained speed and fitness rather than just tight turns. Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida 🇵🇹, enjoying a dream year that's seen him rise to 69th in the world, set a blistering early target aboard Karonia.L. Swedish champion Peder Fredricson 🇸🇪 and Alcapone des Carmille delivered a smooth clear to pressure the field.

Then came Greve, last to go, knowing exactly what was needed. "I had to take quite a few risks today, I was really under pressure," he said afterward. The critical moment came at fence five, where he took a risky forward distance to the oxer—a calculated gamble that paid off. He and Pretty Woman stopped the clock at 44.62 seconds, beating Almeida by just 0.46 seconds.

The victory was historic, but Greve's post-win comments were profound. Standing in the Stuttgart arena, he delivered one of the season's most poignant statements:

For Greve and Pretty Woman—the reigning Dutch champions—this wasn't a catch ride or quick flip. "Pretty Woman is a part of our family and will always stay with us," Greve said, describing a partnership built from the ground up. The emotion was genuine, the milestone earned, and the 39-year Dutch wait finally over.

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Stuttgart Podium: Full Results

Western European League Standings (After Leg 4 of 14):

While Greve won the World Cup Grand Prix, Julien Epaillard 🇫🇷 captured the other prestige title of the weekend—the CSI5-W 1.55m Stuttgart German Masters presented by DVAG. In a six-horse jump-off, Epaillard went last on Donatello d'Auge and took the risks necessary to edge home favorite Richard Vogel 🇩🇪.

The win rocketed him into fifth place in the league standings at 23 points, establishing him as one of the circuit's most dangerous and in-form riders.

CSI5-W 1.55m Stuttgart German Masters Podium: Full Results

The third leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League delivered everything the Royal Horse Show is famous for—pressure, drama, and a sold-out crowd of over 6,500 in the intimate Coca-Cola Coliseum. What they witnessed was a masterclass in veteran composure from 53-year-old Conor Swail 🇮🇪, who seized the $280,000 World Cup Grand Prix and vaulted to the top of the NAL standings.

The class was defined by German course designer Olaf Petersen Jr.'s technical masterpiece. The track was stiff and highly related, but the real villain was the clock—a tight 70-second time allowed that proved devastating. Only three combinations managed clear rounds, and two of those—Rene Dittmer 🇩🇪 on Cody 139 and home favorite Nicole Walker 🇨🇦 on Panter JVH—jumped every fence clean but were caught by a single, heartbreaking time fault each.

Petersen's course concentrated its difficulty late, with the final line serving as the psychological trap: a delicate plank close to the ingate, followed by a wide oxer, then a steadying four strides to the final vertical. This combination—asking for delicacy, power, then balance from horses already fighting the clock—was the key separator.

The three-horse jump-off set up a generational showdown. First to go was 21-year-old Mimi Gochman 🇺🇸 on Inclen BH, who rode fast but went off course, resulting in elimination. Skylar Wireman 🇺🇸, also 21, and her 9-year-old Barclino B delivered a brilliant clear in 42.08 seconds, throwing down a formidable challenge.

Then came Swail, the most senior athlete in the field, last to go and knowing the target. What made his performance extraordinary was the context: in the first round, he'd lost his right stirrup partway through the course with three fences still to jump. Rather than attempting to retrieve it, he laser-focused on the fences and completed the 1.60m track clear, a feat of supreme balance and horsemanship.

In the jump-off, Swail took another heart-stopping risk—leaving out a stride to the second fence. It wasn't planned.

The gamble worked. Swail and Casturano stopped the clock at 41.24 seconds, bringing the sold-out crowd to their feet.

"Both these kids are very good riders... They're tough to beat, so when I went in last and saw an opportunity... I gave it my best shot," Swail said with characteristic modesty.

The win was also symbolic for Swail's stable. His long-time top partner Count Me In was retired just last month in October 2025. This $280,000 victory firmly establishes the 12-year-old Holsteiner Casturano as his new number one mount. "I've produced this horse," Swail said. "As much as it's a great win for me, he really deserves it more than me." He confirmed his intentions: "I plan on doing the World Cup Finals this year; I feel it's a good fit for Casturano."

$280,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto Podium: Full Results

North American League Standings (After Leg 3 of 7):

The Canadian Olympic team—Erynn Ballard, Amy Millar, Mario Deslauriers, and alternate Tiffany Foster—delivered strong performances throughout the week. The $125,000 Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship Round 1 podium was all-Olympian: Amy Millar 🇨🇦 and Jagger HX, Tiffany Foster 🇨🇦 and Anton, and Mario Deslauriers 🇨🇦 and Costa Quick PS.

However, the overall Canadian Champion title went to 39-year-old Kyle Timm 🇨🇦 and Atomica des Sequoias Z, with Nicole Walker 🇨🇦 named Reserve Champion and Olympian Amy Millar settling for third.

Erynn Ballard won the opening $45,000 International Strength & Speed Welcome on Let's Fly, while the week's other emotional story came from the $90,000 Royal Winning Round. Alex Matz 🇺🇸 won aboard his 17-year-old veteran partner Cashew CR, then immediately announced the horse's retirement.

France's Margaux Rocuet 🇫🇷 delivered a commanding victory in the €106,000 Grand Prix 1.55m, the finale of the Autumn Tour. Riding Elektra des Premices, she stopped the clock at 43.87 seconds in the jump-off to defeat Switzerland's Niklaus Rutschi 🇨🇭 on Amar des Brimbelles Z (44.40s) and Italy's Nico Lupino 🇮🇹 on Iniesta (46.34s).

The breeding headline: Elektra des Premices is by the prolific sire Kannan out of a Carthago Z dam, making this the first half of a remarkable same-day double for the legendary stallion.

€106,000 Valencia Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

At the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva, the €57,300 Grand Prix 1.50m was an all-Brazilian affair at the top. João Victor Castro Aguiar Gomes de Lima 🇧🇷 and the 11-year-old gelding Kenzo Quality Z won in 44.89 seconds, just ahead of compatriot Stephan de Freitas Barcha 🇧🇷 on Dinozo Império Egípcio (45.07s).

The significance: Kenzo Quality Z is also by Kannan (out of Con Air), meaning two major concurrent Grand Prix on the Spanish tours were won by direct offspring of the same sire—a powerful testament to his prepotence as a producer of top-level Grand Prix winners. The winning partnership described the 11-year-old as a horse that "arrived without any experience" and "needed more time to adapt" as a "big horse." "Now, he is much more mature, and all the work from last year is finally starting to pay off," they noted.

€57,300 Oliva Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

Two-time Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam 🇮🇪 finally broke through for his first Grand Prix win of 2025, taking the $120,000 Zycosan Grand Prix 1.50m aboard Coriaan van Klapscheut Z. The jump-off was a photo finish, with Sweetnam (44.50s) edging Germany's Rupert Carl Winkelmann 🇩🇪 on Imodo by just 0.15 seconds. "So it's actually my first Grand Prix win this year, so it's nice to get it over the line," Sweetnam said. "I was thinking this would be another second-place again."

The win was the first-ever CSI victory for the 9-year-old Zangersheide gelding, marking his official transition from top prospect to proven Grand Prix winner. Sweetnam also praised Wellington International's newly updated footing—crucial feedback for the venue ahead of the multi-month Winter Equestrian Festival.

$120,000 Wellington Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

Belgium's Nicola Philippaerts 🇧🇪 was untouchable in the $125,000 Grand Prix 1.50m at Santa Anita Park, winning by a massive 2.77-second margin aboard his 9-year-old gelding Gadget Mouche. Their jump-off time of 36.01 seconds demolished the field, with Portugal's Luis Sabino Gonclaves 🇵🇹 on Scoop De Septon Z second in 38.77s.

"He jumped the last two Grand Prix's and won them. He is such a nice horse to ride with fantastic character. I couldn't be happier," Philippaerts said. The victory establishes the pair as the combination to beat heading into next week's $400,000 World Cup Los Angeles at the same venue.

$125,000 Arcadia Grand Prix Podium: Full Results

The FEI General Assembly formally approved a controversial revision to the Jumping Rules concerning rider-induced blood, creating a deep public schism within the sport's governing structure. The new rule takes effect January 1, 2026.

The Rule Change: The revision removes the distinction of "minor" blood under Article 259 (formerly Article 241). Under the new regulations, any case of visible blood on the horse's flank or in the mouth will trigger a mandatory stop. The horse must be immediately checked by the Ground Jury, in consultation with the FEI Veterinary Delegate, to determine if it is "fit-to-compete." The horse will only be permitted to continue if passed fit in this check.

The FEI and IJRC Position: The FEI, supported by the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), defended the new rule as more "transparent" and practical. The FEI noted that "in jumping, the vast majority of cases of bleeding are identified after the round has been completed," meaning automatic elimination was purely punitive and did not change the horse's welfare in that moment. The new rule introduces clearer sanctions for repeat offenses, including fines and suspensions, and mandates that all "Jumping Recorded Warnings" be published by the FEI for increased transparency and accountability.

The Opposition: The rule passed by a vote of 56 to 20, with 2 abstentions—revealing significant opposition from influential national federations.

Austrian federation president Elisabeth Max-Theurer issued a sharp statement calling the decision "very disappointing" and a "clear step backward." She argued, "Blood... should never be considered acceptable in equestrian sport. If a horse bleeds due to the rider's actions, it's a sign that something is wrong." She dismissed the FEI's justification as "pure window dressing."

British Equestrian and British Showjumping jointly stated their "disappointment," arguing the new rule "falls short on a fundamental point: the presence of blood... should result in elimination. Anything less risks undermining the integrity of our sport and the trust of the public."

Germany and Denmark also publicly stated their opposition, citing horse welfare principles.

The conflict represents a fundamental divide: the FEI and IJRC are making a governance argument—that the new rule is more practical, enforceable, and provides better long-term data and sanctions. The opposing federations are making an ethics and optics argument—that public perception of any tolerance for blood, regardless of veterinary nuance, is catastrophic for the sport's social license to operate.

In less controversial news, the FEI General Assembly announced the "Equipass" digital horse passport system, scheduled for phased implementation beginning in 2026. The platform will consolidate all key data for international horses—identification, health records, vaccination history, travel documents, and microchip scans—into a single integrated system, strengthening biosecurity and streamlining cross-border logistics.

The 2025 show jumping season reaches its financial climax at the O2 Arena with €11.25 million in total prize money on offer. The event features both the GCL Super Cup (team knockout with no drop scores) and the LGCT Super Grand Prix (individual championship). The field includes former world number one Henrik von Eckermann, 2025 LGCT Season Champion Gilles Thomas, legends Marcus Ehning and John Whitaker, Scott Brash, Christian Kukuk, and Simon Delestre.

The $400,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Los Angeles serves as a critical NAL qualifier at the iconic Santa Anita Park racetrack infield venue. After Nicola Philippaerts' dominant CSI3* win at the same venue last week, the Belgian and Gadget Mouche will be the combination to beat. The 2024 event drew the entire US Olympic silver-medal team and 14 Olympians total.

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⭐⭐⭐ CSI3 Riyadh 🇸🇦 (November 19-22)

⭐⭐⭐ CSI3 Fujairah 🇦🇪 (November 20-23)

This week gets an 8.7/10 for delivering World Cup drama on two continents with genuine historic significance. Stuttgart's first Dutch victory in 39 years was made even more powerful by Willem Greve's emotional tribute to the sport itself, while Conor Swail's one-stirrup heroics in Toronto provided the kind of riding masterclass that reminds us why we love this sport. Both courses were technical gems from respected designers, the jump-offs delivered sustained tension, and the WEL and NAL standings shake-ups have set up compelling championship battles.

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