It was a night to remember at the Longines Tops International Arena, where hometown hero Harrie Smolders and his incredible 17-year-old partner Monaco delivered a fairytale performance to claim their second Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) Grand Prix win of the 2025 season. In front of a roaring Dutch crowd, Smolders produced the only double clear of the day, sealing an emotional triumph that sent the Valkenswaard audience into raptures.
Smolders’ Emotional Triumph on Home Soil
The stands trembled as Harrie crossed the finish line, pumping his fist as Monaco pricked his ears, knowing they had just made history together. “He only gets better the more he ages,” an emotional Smolders said, stroking Monaco’s neck. “I’m grateful to have him in my string, grateful to my team, and grateful to his owners, Team Evergrate. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse.”
The home crowd cheered wildly as Harrie dismounted, kissing Monaco on the nose before embracing his team. “How they were cheering when I crossed the line — they thought I had won, but I wasn’t so sure,” Harrie laughed. “This is why we wake up every day and work with the horses. Monaco feels this energy too.”
LGCT Valkenswaard Grand Prix 2025: A Battle of Nerves
Out of 40 world-class riders, only two made it to the jump-off: Smolders aboard Monaco and Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts on Katanga vh Dingeshof.
First in, Smolders set an early benchmark with a flawless, lightning-fast round, stopping the clock at 41.05 seconds. The stadium erupted in deafening applause, but the win wasn’t secured yet.
Philippaerts, fearless and razor-sharp, went for broke. He was 0.01 seconds up on the clock halfway through but heartbreak struck at the Longines double, where two rails came tumbling down. The Belgian crossed the line in 41.04 seconds but with eight costly faults, handing Smolders a dramatic home victory.
“I’m delighted with second place,” Philippaerts said graciously. “Harrie and Monaco are one of the best combinations in the world, and to compete at this level, in this atmosphere, is fantastic.”
Championship Battle Intensifies
The result caused a major shake-up in the 2025 LGCT Championship standings. Belgium’s Gilles Thomas, who finished third after a fast four-fault round, now sits atop the leaderboard with 241 points, extending his lead after yet another podium finish in what has been a sensational season.
Behind him, Andreas Schou climbs into second on 173 points after finishing fourth, while Christian Kukuk stays firmly in the title hunt on 162 points. Former leader Simon Delestre drops to fourth on 158.2 points after failing to qualify for the Valkenswaard Grand Prix, with Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten rounding out the top five on 148.17 points.
With five stages remaining, the battle for the 2025 LGCT Championship is wide open, and all eyes now turn to Riesenbeck, Germany from 11–14 September, where the next chapter of this thrilling season will unfold.
Course That Tested Champions at LGCT Valkenswaard Grand Prix 2025
Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani built a masterful track that demanded perfection from start to finish. Out of the elite 40-rider field, only two managed clear rounds, underlining just how brutal the challenge was.
Riders like Ben Maher, Christian Kukuk, Cian O’Connor, and Olivier Philippaerts were all within striking distance but finished with a single rail down. Andreas Schou was particularly unlucky, his Napoli vh Nederassenthof just grazing the sixth fence, forcing him to settle for a narrow fourth.
The crowd held its breath during dramatic moments, including Malin Baryard-Johnsson’s heartbreaking exit after a late fall at the Longines combination and Philipp Weishaupt’s rare refusal at the opening fence before completing an admired recovery round.
From the first bell to the final gallop, Valkenswaard served up edge-of-the-seat sport, proving once again why the LGCT Grand Prix is the pinnacle of show jumping excellence.
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