Gilles Thomas guided his mare Qualista DN across the finish line in a blistering 31.03-second jump-off, and the roar from Liberty State Park was immediate and thunderous. The Belgian rider, wearing the championship leader’s armband, acknowledged the standing crowd with a composed but triumphant nod, as spectators took in a display of precision, speed, and sheer equestrian skill that defined the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of New York.
The Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of New York returned in 2025 after a three-year absence, and the setting could not have been more dramatic. The Hudson River glittered, Manhattan’s skyline towered, and the grandstands overflowed. Even Bruce Springsteen was spotted nodding along in the VIP suite, where team owner Georgina Bloomberg and Jennifer Gates Nassar cheered on their own riders.
A Belgian Triumph
At the end of a demanding €308,600 Grand Prix, it was Thomas who stood tallest. His nine-year-old mare, Qualista DN, delivered precision and power in equal measure to secure his second LGCT Grand Prix win of the season and his fourth podium of 2025.
He was joined on the podium by fellow Belgian Thibault Philippaerts, who, in his debut LGCT Grand Prix appearance, rode Pittman v/h Lilleveld with daring freshness to finish second. The 23-year-old earned a coveted Golden Ticket to the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs. Switzerland’s Nadja Peter Steiner, grinning through disbelief, completed the podium after guiding Nice van’t Zorgvliet to a sharp and stylish clear round.
“It’s been an amazing season,” Thomas said afterward, champagne still dripping from his jacket. “Wearing this armband motivates me even more to perform in every LGCT Grand Prix. And to do it here, in a venue that looks like a postcard, is just incredible.”
Philippaerts, flanked by older brothers Olivier and Nicola, could hardly hide his excitement: “I was close to a dream today but Gilles was there again. The Super Grand Prix is a very big class, and now I need to start practicing.”
For Steiner, her first LGCT Grand Prix podium was nearly overwhelming: “Nice gave me everything today, fighting for me. I really have no words — my first time in New York, my first LGCT podium. Incredible.”
Championship Shake-Up
With victory in New York, Thomas extended his championship lead to 261 points. Germany’s Christian Kukuk sits second on 187, Denmark’s Andreas Schou third with 173, while America’s Natalie Dean surged into sixth place with 157.2 after her sixth-place finish with Crescendo MB Z — a career-high that had the home crowd on its feet.
The first round tested every rider to the limit. Dean’s clear drew roars, Thibault’s debut was immaculate, and heartbreak came in the narrowest margins for Denis Lynch and Antoine Ermann, each missing the jump-off by a single time fault. Eleven eventually made it through, setting up a jump-off worthy of New York’s stage.
Nadja Peter Steiner briefly set the standard with 32.69 seconds, before Nayel Nassar pushed her to second on 33.28, Jennifer Gates Nassar urging him home from the sidelines. But Thibault Philippaerts’ fearless charge into the lead — nearly a full second quicker — had the crowd gasping. For a moment, it looked like the Belgian dynasty had unearthed another fairy-tale first.
Then came Thomas. Cool, clinical, and utterly confident, he sliced through every turn with Qualista DN. The clock stopped at 31.03, almost seven tenths quicker, sealing a victory that underlined why he wears the leader’s armband.
Next Stop: Vienna
As the champagne sprayed and the Hudson River shimmered in the setting sun, the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of New York ended as a Belgian showcase: Thomas commanding, Philippaerts emerging, Steiner shining. For the American fans, it was Natalie Dean who carried the flag with pride.
The Longines Global Champions Tour now heads to Vienna, where the grandeur of Schönbrunn Palace awaits from 26–28 September. But for those in Liberty State Park, this Sunday will be remembered as pure New York magic.
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