🎧 Listen on Spotify!

Perfect for busy equestrians! Get your elite showjumping news at jump-off speed while you're cleaning stalls, driving to the barn, or out for a hack. Be the most informed person at your next show!

The Nekkerhal in Mechelen delivered its most dramatic World Cup qualifier in recent memory. In front of over 85,000 spectators across five days of competition, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup presented by BMW produced a statistical anomaly that will be debated by course designers for years: a five-horse jump-off where every single rider had a rail down.

Belgian course designer Bart Vonck set out to create a "well-balanced menu" for his third World Cup at Mechelen. The 1.60m track featured 13 obstacles requiring 16 jumping efforts, with an aggressive time allowed of 71 seconds that forced riders to maintain forward rhythm while managing delicate verticals. The killer was the final line: a delicate plank followed by 5-6 strides down to a massive triple combination: vertical in, one stride to an oxer, one stride to a vertical out, then five strides to the final oxer. Every single one of these jumps claimed at least one victim, making it a gauntlet that separated the field.

Of 40 starters, only five combinations navigated the first round without fault: Marcus Westergren (SWE) on Airco de L'Esprit Z, Gilles Thomas (BEL) on Qalista DN, Patrick Stühlmeyer (GER) on Baloutaire PS, Willem Greve (NED) on Grandorado TN N.O.P., and Daniel Deusser (GER) on Otello de Guldenboom. Julien Epaillard, the defending champion and fastest rider in the world, finished as the fastest four-faulter in 65.50 seconds, agonizingly close but ultimately a spectator for the finale.

Then came the jump-off chaos. Westergren, riding first, attacked the course but dropped a rail in 42.34 seconds. Thomas, riding to a deafening roar from the home crowd, executed what analysts called a "sensational turn" after fence 10, cutting inside to save crucial time. But the risk caught up with him at the double combination, and the rail fell. His time: 41.30 seconds, faster than Westergren, but still four faults.

Stühlmeyer opted for a steady clear strategy. It backfired. The combination claimed another victim, and his conservative pace left him in provisional third with 4 faults in 44.05 seconds. World Cup leader Willem Greve attempted a cautious "stroll around the park" but pulled the front rail of the oxer. His time of 45.63 seconds was the slowest of the group.

Daniel Deusser, with wins at Mechelen in 2013 and 2019, knew a clear round would win it all. But in the turn-back to fence 4a, a miscommunication with Otello de Guldenboom proved costly. The pole dropped. The crowd gasped. Deusser, realizing the win was gone, didn't push for time.

Gilles Thomas, watching from the warm-up monitor, couldn't believe what had unfolded. The Belgian admitted he was initially angry with himself after the mistake, questioning why he'd taken such a risk. But that aggressive strategy put enough pressure on the remaining riders to secure the most unlikely of victories. Thomas noted this was truly unbelievable after finishing second last year, and that it finally worked this time around. He also revealed he'd quietly believed Qalista DN gave him a better chance than his other top mount Ermitage, a strategic gamble that paid off spectacularly.

For the 9-year-old BWP mare by Emerald out of a Landetto dam, this marks another strong result in her rise through Thomas's string. Qalista DN has been proving increasingly capable at the 5* level, and this win further establishes her as a reliable championship-level partner. The victory moved Thomas up the Western European League standings with crucial points as the halfway mark of the season approaches.

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Mechelen Podium: Full results

The result has significant implications for the "Road to Fort Worth." Willem Greve's 5th place finish (12 points) keeps him comfortably at the top of the Western European League with 52 points, mathematically qualified. Deusser's 4th place moved him to 38 points, putting him on the cusp of guaranteed qualification. Thomas's 20-point haul revives his World Cup Final hopes after a challenging first half of the season.

While the World Cup provided the drama, Steve Guerdat delivered a reminder of pure horsemanship in the BMW Masters. The reigning European individual champion was the only rider to navigate all rounds without error aboard the 12-year-old mare Lancelotta (Falkenhof's Lancer x Orlando). "Lancelotta is fantastic in a jump-off. She keeps fighting and is always very sharp in those situations," Guerdat said. "I did have some doubts beforehand, but she was amazing all evening." The format saw six combinations make it to the decisive fifth round, with Guerdat's precision ultimately separating him from Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) on Cornethagos PS and Gilles Thomas on Qiara de Kalvarie, who both finished with zero faults through four rounds but couldn't match Guerdat when it mattered most.

BMW Masters Podium:

The Sport Vlaanderen Grand Prix (1.55m) saw Sweden's Petronella Andersson dominate aboard Odina van Klapscheut, utilizing the 11-year-old BWP mare's natural footspeed to stop the clock at 36.50 seconds in a 17-horse jump-off, narrowly beating Great Britain's Robert Murphy. Julien Epaillard redeemed his World Cup disappointment by winning the KBC Bank & Verzekering Prize (1.50m) with Donatello d'Auge, doing what he does best, winning against the clock with a time of 38.34 seconds, over half a second faster than the runner-up. "The Belgian riders are super motivated in Mechelen, this makes it challenging to win," Epaillard noted.

The unique Sires of the World class, reserved for approved stallions, went to Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida (POR) riding Comme le Coeur (Comme Il Faut x Heartbreaker), showcasing the breeding potential that makes this class a critical showcase for the Zangersheide ecosystem. In perhaps the most entertaining spectacle of the week, the "Champion of Champions" horse swap saw Pieter Devos and Nicola Philippaerts exchange mounts mid-competition, with Devos ultimately claiming the title after Philippaerts suffered a two-rail meltdown on his own horse Rakker in the decisive jump-off.

🇦🇪 CSI3-W Al Ain (UAE, Dec 25-28)

Abdel Saïd successfully defended his 2024 title at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, delivering a masterclass in modern showjumping efficiency. Riding the 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding Quaker Brimbelles Z (Quicksilver St. Simeon x Hickstead), Saïd was nearly five seconds faster than his closest rival in the 1.55m World Cup Grand Prix jump-off, stopping the clock at 49.02 seconds. This margin of victory suggests Saïd didn't merely win on galloping speed but on track efficiency, tightening turns and trusting his horse's footwork to an extent others didn't dare attempt. Palestine's Vladimir Tuganov took second aboard Conquida de Revel PS with a tactical double-clear in 54.11 seconds, prioritizing consistency over high-risk speed. Italy's Guido Grimaldi secured third on the 14-year-old Gentleman (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Oklund) with a time of 60.24 seconds, more than 11 seconds off the winning pace but securing valuable World Cup points with a safe strategy. Germany's Sophie Hinners, who won the 1.45m World Cup Qualifier earlier in the week, finished 4th in the Grand Prix with the fastest four-fault round at 48.12 seconds, actually faster than Saïd's winning time.

Al Ain World Cup Grand Prix Podium: Full results

As we close out 2025, it's worth remembering that the new year brings significant regulatory changes to showjumping. The FEI General Assembly approved a comprehensive restructuring of the Jumping Rules for 2026, with the most impactful change being the restriction on 5-year-old horses: competitions for 5-year-olds may no longer be run against the clock. This "Social License to Operate" reform aims to reduce pressure on young horses' skeletal systems before they're fully mature, fundamentally changing the market for young horses. Buyers will now prioritize technique and potential over speed results. The new tiered warning system also comes into effect: two warnings in 12 months triggers a CHF 2,000 fine, while three warnings results in CHF 3,000. All tack rules are moving to a separate FEI Tack & Equipment Database, allowing the federation to ban specific bits or bridles immediately if welfare concerns arise without waiting for annual votes. These changes represent the sport's most aggressive pivot toward visible welfare standards in modern history.

See the full 2026 Jumping Rules

The final week of the year saw significant auction activity as buyers capitalized on tax-cycle purchases and roster adjustments before the new season. Ballypatrick Auctions offered 34 horses on December 23, with the Irish market continuing its reputation as the premier source for "producer" horses, youngsters with the bravery to event or jump at the highest levels. SLF Horse Auctions, the collaboration between Harrie Smolders, Walter Lelie, and Niels Fabrie, offered four distinct collections segmenting the market from foals to ridden horses, with their "hybrid" model of online bidding with live trials now becoming the industry standard. The December surge reflects the strategic timing of major breeding operations looking to move stock before year-end financial reporting while giving buyers maximum training time before spring competition season begins.

JumpOff.news launched in April 2025, and for 38 weeks we've documented elite showjumping with comprehensive weekly coverage. To ensure our inaugural year-end awards properly reflect the entire 2025 season, we've researched January-March results and storylines alongside our April-December newsletter coverage. From Kent Farrington's historic dominance to Christian Kukuk's unforgettable double celebration, here are the riders, horses, and moments that defined 2025.

Kent Farrington's 2025 season was a masterclass in strategic dominance. After seven years, he reclaimed the Longines World #1 ranking in May and never let go, then shattered his own record by claiming nine five-star Grand Prix victories in a single calendar year, breaking his previous 2017 record of eight wins. By season's end, he'd accumulated 15 total international Grand Prix titles, spanning the globe from Kentucky to Geneva. His 5* victories included the Kentucky International, Traverse City, Greenwich, and the American Gold Cup, before capping the year by winning the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva, the final Major of 2025, making him the "Live Contender" for the Rolex Grand Slam.

What separated Farrington from the field was his rankings masterclass. He strategically deployed Greya for 5* majors while using Orafina and Grass de Mars to secure points at 3* and 4* levels, ensuring he remained mathematically untouchable at the top of the sport.

Honorable Mentions: Scott Brash (GBR) won the $5 million CPKC International at Spruce Meadows and secured Individual Silver at the European Championships; Richard Vogel (GER) became Individual European Champion with a near-perfect score of 0.01 penalties across five championship rounds; Gilles Thomas (BEL) became the youngest-ever LGCT Season Champion at 27.

The 11-year-old Oldenburg mare transformed from prospect to championship machine in 2025, becoming the first horse in history to win seven five-star Grand Prix titles in a single calendar year. Greya's season was bookended by massive victories: the $400,000 Kentucky International CSI5*, the FEI World Cup Traverse City, and the American Gold Cup, before capping the year with the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva, making her and Farrington the new "Live Contenders" for the Rolex Grand Slam.

Farrington described her as "more like a cat than a horse," citing her unrivaled foot speed and ability to remain "ultra-careful" even at maximum pace. She surpassed the record of Farrington's former legendary partner, Gazelle, who won six five-star titles in 2017, and proved herself the most dominant equine athlete of 2025.

Honorable Mentions: Hello Jefferson (Scott Brash) claimed the CPKC International at 16 years old and won the decisive Longines League of Nations Final jump-off; Caracole de La Roque (Karl Cook) achieved three Grand Prix victories in Rotterdam, Falsterbo, and St. Tropez; Donatello d'Auge (Julien Epaillard) won the World Cup Final in Basel, with his breeder Susana Épaillard García Cereceda honored as the WBFSH Jumping Breeder 2025.

At 27, Gilles Thomas became the youngest-ever Longines Global Champions Tour Season Champion, remarkably clinching the title with two complete stages remaining. He finished with 275 points after capturing 5* Grand Prix victories in Paris (aboard Ermitage Kalone) and New York (aboard Qalista DN). Thomas also secured Individual Bronze and Team Gold at the European Championships in A Coruña.

Thomas displayed a modern approach to championship-level sport by utilizing a strategic rotation of elite mounts, Ermitage Kalone, Qalista DN, and others, proving he has the depth and logistical management to dominate a season-long world tour. His LGCT triumph at such a young age signals a generational shift at the top of the sport.

Honorable Mentions: Nina Mallevaey (FRA) secured her first 5* Grand Prix victory in Brussels and finished the year as World #1 U-25 rider; Skylar Wireman (USA) finished top three in MLSJ individual standings at just 20 years old and swept the North American Youth Championships with Individual and Team Gold; Tom Wachman (IRL) won the Turkish Airlines Grand Prix in London at age 20.

The 11-year-old Zangersheide mare delivered the most iconic individual performance of the season: the only clear round from a field of 40 elite starters to win the 150th Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin, a performance described as a "solo symphony of perfection." She also secured the $750,000 Coachella Cup in Thermal, defeating a field of Olympians in a photo finish decided by just 0.03 seconds. Bisquetta finished second in the $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open in Wellington and placed fourth in the $400,000 World Cup Los Angeles.

Bisquetta successfully filled the void in Laura Kraut's string following the retirement of her veteran partner, Confu, proving she is a top-tier anchor for the U.S. team heading into the 2026 season.

Honorable Mentions: Hello Folie (Scott Brash) secured Individual Silver at the European Championships in her first championship appearance; Qalista DN (Gilles Thomas) won the LGCT Grand Prix of New York at just 9 years old in only her fourth appearance at 1.60m; Barclino B (Skylar Wireman) won Individual Gold at the NAYC and secured second in the World Cup Toronto.

The CPKC International featured the richest prize purse in showjumping history at $5 million CAD and delivered absolute showjumping brutality. Leopoldo Palacios's course design was so demanding that the second round became an "absolute graveyard." Not a single rider managed a clear round, with ten of the twelve finalists accumulating eight faults or more in that round alone.

The event produced a fairy-tale narrative as Scott Brash won exactly ten years after his original Grand Slam triumph at the same venue. The jump-off between Brash and Kyle King, both entering with four faults, was a high-tension duel decided by a single rail. It was pure showjumping poetry: historic prize money, extreme technical difficulty, and perfect narrative symmetry.

Honorable Mentions: The 150th Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin produced only one clear round out of 40 elite starters (Laura Kraut and Bisquetta); the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen saw Martin Fuchs end ten years of heartbreak with a high-risk tactical decision; the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva featured Kent Farrington's "partnership perfection" with Greya, winning by 1.35 seconds to become the Rolex Grand Slam Live Contender.

The Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix in Prague produced the closest and most dramatic individual finish of the year. Abdel Saïd stopped the clock at 62.43 seconds, while Simon Delestre, the final rider to go, crossed the beam in 62.45 seconds, a margin of just 0.02 seconds, literally the width of a horseshoe.

Beyond the margin, the narrative was one of poetic justice. Saïd had watched his team be disqualified earlier in the week due to a helmet strap malfunction; he returned to claim the biggest individual win of his career against the season's 16 Grand Prix winners in a field that included the world's absolute best.

Honorable Mentions: The Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona delivered the first-ever jump-off to decide this championship, with Scott Brash defeating Billy Twomey by just 0.23 seconds; the MLSJ Coachella Cup featured the tightest finish in North American 5* history, with Laura Kraut edging McLain Ward by 0.03 seconds; the Rolex Grand Prix of Windsor saw Gregory Wathelet snatch victory from Harrie Smolders by only 0.06 seconds.

Alan Wade's appointment as the Jumping Course Designer for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games cemented his status as the sport's premier architect of drama. Wade demonstrated a savant-level ability to identify the world's best through technical precision rather than sheer height. In the historic 150th Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin, his track yielded only one clear round out of 40 elite starters, a statistical rarity that will be studied for years.

Wade delivered a "perfect" 17% clear-round rate in the UAE President's Cup and a surgical 13.5% clear rate in the London World Cup, where the "weaponized" time allowed snaked through relentless related distances. His designs anchored Major League Show Jumping, including the Coachella Cup photo finish and the American Gold Cup, where his philosophy of testing horsemanship without "tricks or traps" was on full display.

Honorable Mentions: Grégory Bodo (FRA) delivered a brutal 14% success rate in Brussels and only eight clears from 50 starters at La Baule; Uliano Vezzani (ITA) designed the 1.65m LGCT Super Grand Prix in Prague and created "sporting theatre" across the LGCT circuit; Santiago Varela (ESP) designed the Longines League of Nations Final track that created a six-team deadlock.

The British victory in the St. Tropez leg of the Longines League of Nations defied statistical probability. The British squad entered the second round with no margin for error after Mark Edwards suffered a technical elimination, sitting in 5th place and trailing global powerhouses. German veteran Sandra Auffarth entered the ring needing only a clear round to secure victory for the defending champions, but her horse caught a rail at the penultimate obstacle, handing the win to the "relatively inexperienced" British squad.

This win was so improbable that it catapulted Great Britain from mid-table to second overall in the season standings, securing them a prime seeding for the Barcelona Final, where they went on to win gold.

Honorable Mentions: Vaclav Stanek (CZE) broke the "Irish Stranglehold" at Spruce Meadows 'National' to become the first Czech rider to win a 5* Grand Prix there; Anastasia Nielsen (MON) became the youngest rider ever to win an LGCT Grand Prix in Rabat at age 19, the only double-clear in a field of 40; the Istanbul Warriors were disqualified from the Prague Playoffs due to Simon Delestre's helmet chin strap coming undone, eliminating World #1 Henrik von Eckermann despite sufficient scores.

On Saturday morning, March 29, German Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk welcomed his first child, a daughter named Lila. Hours later, he headed to Wellington International and successfully defended his title in the $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open, becoming only the third combination in history to win back-to-back editions of this prestigious Grand Prix.

The emotional weight of becoming a father and then immediately winning one of the season's richest prizes, decided by just a fraction of a second over Laura Kraut, was a story you can't imagine. It represented the pinnacle of professional focus amidst life-changing personal news and captured the human element that makes showjumping compelling beyond the sport itself.

Honorable Mentions: Scott Brash's ten-year symmetry at Spruce Meadows, winning the $5 million CPKC International exactly ten years after his original Grand Slam triumph at the same venue; Laura Kraut's "solo symphony" in Dublin as the only clear round out of 40 on the event's 150th anniversary; Richard Vogel's championship perfection at the European Championships, completing five rounds without touching a single rail for a near-perfect 0.01 score.

Kent Farrington and Greya transformed from a promising duo into a "championship machine" that dominated the global circuit. Farrington described their bond as the essence of the "ultimate team sport," a claim backed by Greya becoming the first horse in history to win seven five-star Grand Prix titles in a single calendar year, breaking the previous record held by Farrington's former partner, Gazelle. By early December, this partnership had secured 15 total international Grand Prix victories for the year.

They captured the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva with a commanding 1.35-second margin, plus the $400,000 Kentucky International, the American Gold Cup, and back-to-back World Cup titles in Traverse City. Farrington notes that while Greya was athletic but "unsure" a year ago, she now "knows the job" and "fights" for him, operating with a cat-like agility that makes her nearly unbeatable in jump-offs.

Honorable Mentions: Scott Brash & Hello Jefferson (GBR) claimed the $5 million CPKC International and won the decisive Longines League of Nations Final jump-off at age 16; Harrie Smolders & Monaco (NED) reached a milestone 30th LGCT Grand Prix podium and won in Rome, the city where they first met nine years prior; Karl Cook & Caracole de La Roque (USA) achieved a rare "triple crown" with three Grand Prix victories in a single season.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ CSI4 H.H. The Father Amir's Prix (Al Shaqab, Doha, Qatar, Dec 30-Jan 4)

The Middle East circuit continues into the new year at the world-class Al Shaqab facility in Qatar. Expect strong prize money and ranking points as riders stay in the region before the European indoor circuit ramps up in Basel and Leipzig.

This week gets an 8.0/10 for delivering one of the most unique World Cup qualifiers in recent memory.

The zero-clear jump-off at Mechelen created genuine drama, with Gilles Thomas's emotional home victory and Guerdat's clinical BMW Masters providing both heart and horsemanship. Solid field strength with Greve, Deusser, and Epaillard, plus strong sport from Al Ain. The limited holiday calendar prevents a higher rating, but this was compelling showjumping to close out 2025.

As we close the books on our inaugural year at JumpOff.news, we want to express our deepest gratitude for being part of this journey with us. From that first newsletter in April to this year-end special edition, you've supported our mission to deliver comprehensive, expert-level coverage of elite showjumping every single week.

The 2025 season gave us everything we could ask for: historic performances, breakthrough stars, photo finishes decided by hundredths of seconds, and moments that transcended sport. Kent Farrington's dominance, Gilles Thomas's youth revolution, Christian Kukuk's double celebration, and that unforgettable Dublin solo symphony from Laura Kraut. These are the stories that make showjumping irresistible.

If JumpOff.news has helped you stay connected to the sport you love, we'd be incredibly grateful if you'd share it with other riders and fans in your life. Word of mouth is how we grow, and every new subscriber helps us continue delivering the coverage this sport deserves.

Here's to 2026, where the European indoor circuit fires up in Basel and Leipzig, World Cup Finals loom in Fort Worth, and a new season of championship drama awaits. Thank you for making our first year unforgettable.