The Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Riesenbeck concluded with a dramatic finish on Sunday as Luxembourg’s Victor Bettendorf produced the fastest jump-off round aboard Gibbs Un Prince to secure victory in front of a packed crowd at the renowned German equestrian venue. A high-quality field and an electric atmosphere combined to produce one of the standout contests of the 2026 championship season, with the result decided only by the final rider into the arena.
Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Riesenbeck
Bettendorf’s victory came after a flawless and fearless jump-off that overturned Daniel Deusser’s leading time, earning the Luxembourger his third Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix triumph. Germany still celebrated a strong home performance as Deusser finished runner-up with Pepita van T Meulenhof BR, while Olympic champion Christian Kukuk completed the podium aboard Checker 47.
Riesenbeck, the ninth stop of the 2026 championship, once again lived up to its reputation as one of the tour’s premier venues. Thousands of spectators packed the grandstands throughout the afternoon, creating an impressive backdrop for a demanding competition that tested both precision and speed. After a challenging first round, only six horse-and-rider combinations advanced to the decisive jump-off.
The first phase saw Henrik von Eckermann and Minute Man, Daniel Deusser with Pepita van T Meulenhof BR, Denis Lynch aboard Cordial, Christian Kukuk riding Checker 47, Gilles Thomas with Ermitage Kalone, and Victor Bettendorf partnering Gibbs Un Prince produce faultless rounds to qualify for the final showdown.
Several leading contenders narrowly missed out after incurring four faults during the opening round. Laura Kraut and Baloutinue recorded the quickest time among those with a single rail down, while Scott Brash, Sophie Hinners, Yuri Mansur, Christian Ahlmann, Abdel Saïd, Harrie Smolders, Marcus Ehning, Cian O’Connor and Niels Bruynseels also finished on four faults. Elsewhere, Bertram Allen, Nayel Nassar, Nicola Philippaerts and Marlon Modolo Zanotelli collected multiple penalties, while a number of combinations retired before completing the course.
The jump-off featured a further twist when Gilles Thomas chose not to return, leaving five combinations to contest victory.
Henrik von Eckermann opened the deciding round with a composed clear in 39.18 seconds to establish the early benchmark. Daniel Deusser immediately raised the standard, producing an aggressive and accurate round to stop the clock in 33.69 seconds and move into first place.
Christian Kukuk maintained the pressure with another faultless effort but crossed the finish in 34.17 seconds to slot into second. Denis Lynch followed with a clear round in 35.07 seconds, placing himself provisionally among the leading trio while awaiting the final competitor.
Everything rested on Bettendorf and Gibbs Un Prince. Entering the arena last, the pair combined speed with precision, attacking the closing fences to perfection before crossing the line in 32.72 seconds. The performance was almost one second quicker than Deusser’s leading mark, securing victory in memorable fashion and bringing the crowd to its feet.
The Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Riesenbeck produced another memorable chapter in the 2026 championship, underlining the exceptional standard of international show jumping. With the German leg complete, attention now turns to the next stage of the series in London, where the battle for championship points will continue as the season enters its decisive phase.
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