The Longines Global Champions Tour Cairo produced a historic result as Belgium’s Pieter Devos won the inaugural €1 million Grand Prix aboard Casuall DV Z, while compatriot Abdel Saïd secured the 2026 championship title with one stage remaining. Staged beneath Egypt’s iconic Pyramids of Giza, the event brought elite international show jumping to a landmark venue during the Tour’s 20th anniversary season.
The meeting combined top-level equestrian competition with Egyptian heritage and cultural exchange. Founded by Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative, the inaugural Cairo event attracted a strong crowd and marked a significant addition to the international show-jumping calendar.
Devos Claims Inaugural Longines Global Champions Tour Cairo Grand Prix
Devos delivered the decisive performance in a 12-combination jump-off, completing the course in 45.85 seconds without knocking down a fence. His victory aboard Casuall DV Z secured the inaugural Cairo Grand Prix title and a €330,000 share of the prize fund.
Fellow Belgian Olivier Philippaerts finished second aboard Hipster SV after producing a faultless round in 46.31 seconds. His performance also secured qualification for the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Playoffs in Verona.
Great Britain’s Ben Maher completed the podium aboard Point Break, recording another double clear in 46.57 seconds. The leading three combinations finished within 0.72 seconds of one another, underlining the close competition in the historic Grand Prix.
The victory marked a significant milestone for Devos and Casuall DV Z, a mare bred by his family and developed through their long association. The Belgian rider highlighted the horse’s consistency throughout the season, which included six five-star Grand Prix podium finishes before the Cairo triumph.
Devos also reflected on the importance of winning at a new destination on the Tour. His first Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix victory came in Shanghai, and the Cairo success gave him another memorable achievement at a venue making its debut on the circuit.
Philippaerts praised the Egyptian crowd and the organisation of the inaugural meeting. His second-place finish also secured his place in the Super Grand Prix in Verona, while Maher completed a successful first visit to Cairo with third place aboard Point Break.
Abdel Saïd Secures the 2026 Championship Title
Although Devos claimed the Grand Prix honours, the meeting also settled the season-long championship contest. Abdel Saïd secured the 2026 Longines Global Champions Tour Championship after finishing 13th aboard Wathnan Bonne Amie.
Saïd completed the opening round with four faults in 72.28 seconds, which kept him out of the jump-off. However, the result earned him 24 championship points and lifted his season total to 245, placing the title beyond the reach of his closest rival.
Germany’s Christian Ahlmann remained second in the standings on 224 points, followed by Austria’s Max Kühner on 208. Philippaerts held fourth place with 200 points, while France’s Simon Delestre occupied fifth with 199.67 points.
Saïd admitted that he had expected the championship to remain undecided until the final stage in Rabat. The Belgian rider expressed pride in his horses and team after learning that he had secured the title in Cairo, describing the achievement as a major milestone following a demanding season.
He also reflected on joining the Tour’s established champions, acknowledging that the title had once seemed almost impossible to achieve. Consistent performances throughout the campaign ultimately delivered the season’s leading individual championship honour.
Jump-Off Produces a Closely Contested Finish
The opening round of the 1.60-metre Grand Prix produced 12 combinations for the jump-off, where speed and accuracy proved decisive. Germany’s Christian Kukuk recorded the fastest time of 45.36 seconds aboard Checker 47 but incurred eight faults and finished tenth.
Delestre also collected eight faults aboard Gatsby du Tillard, finishing 11th in 47.19 seconds. Emanuele Gaudiano and Chabrello PS finished 12th after recording eight faults in 51.40 seconds, while Kühner placed ninth after collecting three time penalties.
Italy’s Emanuele Camilli finished eighth aboard Chacareno PS in 52.09 seconds after one time penalty interrupted an otherwise clear round. Qatar’s Bassem Mohammed delivered a double clear with Wathnan Rocket Man in 50.37 seconds, while Portugal’s Duarte Seabra finished sixth aboard Dourados 2 in 50.16 seconds.
Germany’s Marco Kutscher secured fifth place aboard Pikeur Lemar NRW in 49.83 seconds. Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels finished fourth with Oaky Flandria in 48.82 seconds, setting up the final contest among the leading three combinations.
Maher then produced a double clear in 46.57 seconds, before Philippaerts moved ahead with his 46.31-second effort. Devos delivered the winning round in 45.85 seconds, beating Philippaerts by 0.46 seconds and completing a historic podium beneath the Pyramids of Giza.
Egyptian Rider Nayel Nassar Represents the Home Nation
Egyptian rider Nayel Nassar represented the home nation aboard Esi Ali and finished the opening round with four faults in 72.68 seconds, narrowly missing the jump-off. His appearance in the inaugural Cairo Grand Prix provided a notable moment for Egyptian equestrian sport, with spectators supporting the local combination throughout the competition.
Ireland’s Denis Lynch retired aboard Vistogrand, while Great Britain’s Jack Whitaker recorded eight faults with Jack JL. Germany’s Marcus Ehning also finished the opening round with four faults aboard Coolio 42.
The competition tested the riders across a demanding course, with the jump-off requiring a combination of speed, accuracy and control. Devos ultimately set the winning standard, while Philippaerts and Maher completed the podium after three faultless rounds among the leading combinations.
The Cairo meeting delivered both an inaugural Grand Prix winner and a decisive championship result. Devos became the first rider to win a Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Cairo, while Saïd secured the 2026 title before the final stage.
The Tour’s attention then turned to Rabat, Morocco, where the final stage was scheduled for 30 October to 1 November. The meeting was set to conclude the 20th anniversary championship season, with the remaining podium positions still to be decided.
Pieter Devos won the inaugural Cairo Grand Prix aboard Casuall DV Z in 45.85 seconds, while Abdel Saïd secured the 2026 championship with 245 points after finishing 13th in the Grand Prix.
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