The Longines Global Champions Tour Valkenswaard 2026 produced an emotional landmark on Sunday as Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki secured their first Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix victory at the Longines Tops International Arena. The pair delivered the fastest clear round of the jump-off, stopping the clock at 37.27 seconds to seal a memorable success.
Mansur faced seven rivals in the jump-off after eight combinations completed the opening round without faults. Pieter Devos and Casual DV Z came closest to the winning time, finishing second in 37.97 seconds, while Annelies Vorsselmans and Trezeguet completed the podium after stopping the clock at 38.85 seconds. All three leading combinations remained clear in the jump-off.
The result marked an important breakthrough for Mansur, who had already established himself as a competitive rider at the highest level but had yet to secure an LGCT Grand Prix victory. Vitiki also added another significant achievement to his record by winning his first five-star Grand Prix.
Mansur Produces the Decisive Jump-Off Round
Mansur entered the jump-off knowing that the leading combinations had set a demanding target. Christian Ahlmann and Untouched LB were first to return and picked up four faults in 38.74 seconds, while Vorsselmans followed with a clear 38.85-second round.
Mansur then delivered the crucial performance. Vitiki remained faultless and crossed the finish in 37.27 seconds, immediately moving to the top of the leaderboard.
Several riders still had an opportunity to challenge the Brazilian. Emanuele Camilli and Chacco’s Girlstar finished in 40.35 seconds but collected four faults, while Denis Lynch and Cordial also had four faults in 40.31 seconds.
Olivier Philippaerts and Miro produced another clear round in 39.32 seconds, followed by Arne van Heel and Keaton HV, who stopped the clock at 39.08 seconds. Neither could match Mansur’s combination of speed and accuracy.
The final challenge came from Pieter Devos and Casual DV Z. The Belgian produced a clear round in 37.97 seconds, putting pressure on Mansur but ultimately finishing 0.70 seconds behind the winner.
For Mansur, the victory carried particular significance because of his partnership with Vitiki. The horse had previously suffered an injury and had worked his way back towards top-level competition. Their success at Valkenswaard provided a notable moment in that return.
Mansur later reflected on the number of opportunities he had received before finally converting one into an LGCT Grand Prix victory. Winning with Vitiki made the achievement even more meaningful for the Brazilian rider.
The opening round had already produced several notable results. Scott Brash and Hello Chadora Lady finished with four faults in 16th, while defending Valkenswaard champion Harrie Smolders and Monaco also collected four faults. Smolders recorded the fastest four-fault time of 72.25 seconds to finish ninth.
Championship leader Abdel Saïd also completed his round with four faults aboard Whatnan Zasou vom Claashof, meaning he missed out on a place in the jump-off. Edwina Tops-Alexander and Maikel van der Vleuten also finished on four faults, while Philipp Weishaupt and Kilminster recorded 16 faults.
The result did not alter the top of the championship standings after Leg 11. Saïd remained in first place on 206 points, followed by Ahlmann on 182 and Tops-Alexander on 181. Max Kühner held fourth on 170 points, while Scott Brash occupied fifth with 167.5.
Mansur’s victory also secured him a place in the LGCT Super Grand Prix, giving the Brazilian another major opportunity later in the season. Vorsselmans, meanwhile, claimed her first LGCT Grand Prix podium in her debut season, while Devos added a homebred success with Casual DV Z.
The Longines Global Champions Tour Valkenswaard 2026 Grand Prix ended with Yuri Mansur and Vitiki producing the fastest clear jump-off round to secure a landmark victory. Pieter Devos finished second and Annelies Vorsselmans took third, while Mansur earned his first LGCT Grand Prix title and a place in the LGCT Super Grand Prix.
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