Saïd Strikes in Cannes. Ehning Turns Back the Clock in St Gallen. Laurie Makes History for New Zealand.

Three five-star Grand Prix across two continents. Abdel Saïd added another LGCT Grand Prix to his growing collection aboard Wathnan's Zasou vom Claashof in Cannes, Marcus Ehning proved age is irrelevant with a third St Gallen victory at 52, and Katie Laurie became the first New Zealander to win at CSI5* level — with a horse she bred herself.

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Cannes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

LGCT Grand Prix — Cannes, France | June 4-6, 2026

Abdel Saïd and Wathnan Zasou vom Claashof delivered a statement performance on the Riviera, taking the €500,000 LGCT Grand Prix of Cannes in front of a packed La Croisette crowd. Only four of 40 starters cleared Uliano Vezzani's demanding course — a 90% fault rate that produced seven retirements and two eliminations in the first round alone.

Zasou vom Claashof, a 12-year-old Hanoverian mare with only six previous 1.60m starts, showed composure well beyond her experience level. Saïd committed to an aggressive jump-off and the mare answered, stopping the clock at 39.44 seconds — nearly two seconds clear of runner-up Michael Pender. The Belgian-based Egyptian's latest LGCT Grand Prix victory was his first aboard the Wathnan-owned mare, and it moved him to third in the overall LGCT standings on 100 points.

Pender's 10-year-old HHS Cyprus was making her LGCT Grand Prix debut and finished a creditable second in 41.35s. Germany's Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann rounded out the podium on Cellagon Cascais (43.44s). Among the notable casualties were defending LGCT Super Grand Prix champion Simon Delestre, who retired, and Henrik von Eckermann, who was eliminated. German riders occupied four of the top eight positions — Sprehe 5th, Deusser 7th, Weishaupt 8th, plus Meyer-Zimmermann's podium — confirming the depth of their pipeline ahead of Aachen.

In the GCL team competition, New York Empire powered by Lugano won Round 5, with Scott Brash and Max Wachman the only pair not to touch a rail.

€500,000 LGCT Grand Prix Results:

1. 🇧🇪 Abdel Saïd — Wathnan Zasou vom Claashof (0/0, 39.44s)
2. 🇮🇪 Michael Pender — HHS Cyprus (0/0, 41.35s)
3. 🇩🇪 Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann — Cellagon Cascais (0/0, 43.44s)
4. 🇩🇰 Andreas Schou — Napoli vh Niederassenthof (0/4, 43.54s)
5. 🇩🇪 Jörne Sprehe — Toys (4, 67.51s)
6. 🇳🇱 Sanne Thijssen — Cupcake Z (4, 68.39s)
7. 🇩🇪 Daniel Deusser — Otello de Guldenboom (4, 69.76s)
8. 🇩🇪 Philipp Weishaupt — Chaquitos PS (4, 70.01s)
9. 🇬🇧 Scott Brash — Hello Chadora Lady (4, 70.57s)
10. 🇮🇹 Emanuele Gaudiano — Chalou's Love PS (4, 71.23s)

📊 Full results

"She's quite green at this level, and I'm very grateful to her. When you have crowds like this, they really motivate us to go for it. She answered every single question tonight — she's unbelievable." — Abdel Saïd

"Cyprus is only 10 and this is the first time jumping an LGCT Grand Prix and one of this size so I couldn't be more delighted with second place." — Michael Pender

LGCT Standings: Delestre 118.67 | Eckermann 104 | Saïd 100 | O'Connor 85 | Conter 84

GCL Standings: Prague Lions 89 | Istanbul Warriors 88 | Basel Cosmopolitans 86 | New York Empire 83

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St Gallen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSIO5* — St Gallen, Switzerland | June 4-7, 2026

Marcus Ehning added another chapter to his remarkable career, winning the €500,000 Longines Grand Prix of Switzerland for a third time — after 2002 and 2012 — aboard 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding Coolio 42. At 52, Ehning remains among the fastest and most precise riders on the planet, and this 35th five-star Grand Prix victory made a compelling case for German selection at the Aachen World Championships in August.

Only four of 48 starters cleared the first round designed by Gérard Lachat and Reto Ruflin. Ehning's second round was textbook: 46.08 seconds with zero faults, 0.75 seconds faster than Austria's Katharina Rhomberg on Colestus Cambridge. In an amusing aside, a loose dog ran onto the arena during the Grand Prix and chased Coolio — both horse and rider stayed unflappable and won regardless.

Rhomberg's runner-up finish capped an extraordinary weekend. She was the only rider across the entire CSIO5* to deliver double clear rounds in both the Nations Cup (on Cuma) and the Grand Prix — establishing herself as one of the form riders of the European spring. Germany's Pia Reich rounded out the podium on PB Loewenherz (50.80s).

Two Americans made the second round: Charlotte Jacobs (9th on Playboy JT Z) and Katie Dinan (10th on Out of the Blue SCF), a strong showing for the Icon Global U.S. Jumping Team in their first outing under the new banner.

€500,000 Longines Grand Prix of Switzerland Results:

1. 🇩🇪 Marcus Ehning — Coolio 42 (0/0, 46.08s)
2. 🇦🇹 Katharina Rhomberg — Colestus Cambridge (0/0, 46.83s)
3. 🇩🇪 Pia Reich — PB Loewenherz (0/0, 50.80s)
4. 🇫🇷 Kevin Staut — Exquis RB (4/0, 45.44s)
5. 🇧🇪 Annelies Vorsselmans — Trezeguet (4/0, 47.38s)
6. 🇸🇪 Marcus Westergren — Airco de l'Esprit Z (0/4, 47.86s)
7. 🇮🇪 Mark McAuley — Rossi vd Heffinck (4/0, 48.23s)
8. 🇩🇪 René Dittmer — Cody 139 (4/4, 44.50s)
9. 🇺🇸 Charlotte Jacobs — Playboy JT Z (4/4, 45.14s)
10. 🇺🇸 Katherine Dinan — Out of the Blue SCF (4/4, 46.05s)

📹 Watch Ehning's winning round (RTS Sport)

Photo: Tomas Holcbecher

📊 Full results

"With Coolio here to win is a very special feeling. I've ridden him for three years now and he remains mentally young. Together we keep improving. I hope he's a candidate for the WM this year. That's naturally our major goal." — Marcus Ehning

Range Rover Nations Cup — Friday, June 5

Switzerland rallied from fourth after the first round to win the €250,000 Nations Cup on home soil — their third St Gallen Nations Cup victory in four years. Jason Smith's flawless double clear on Picobello van't Roosakker was the anchor performance, while Steve Guerdat and Martin Fuchs both contributed clear second rounds. Belgium, who led after Round 1 on just 4 faults, collapsed with 14 in Round 2.

Nations Cup Results:

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland — 9 pen. (Smith 0/0, Guerdat 4+1, Fuchs 8+0, Jufer 4+4 drop)
2. 🇦🇹 Austria — 16 pen. (Rhomberg 0/0, Kühner 4+1, Babanitz 4+4, Koller 8+4)
3. 🇬🇧 Great Britain — 17 pen. (Charles 0+1, Whiteway 2+2, Maher 4+4, Whitaker 4+13 drop)
4. 🇧🇪 Belgium — 18
5. 🇺🇸 USA — 20
6. 🇩🇪 Germany — 22
7. 🇮🇪 Ireland — 27
8. 🇧🇷 Brazil — 32

France and Spain eliminated after Round 1.

📊 Full results

"Jason Smith and Picobello rode in a different league today. He delivered under pressure." — Peter van der Waaij, Swiss Chef d'Équipe

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Spruce Meadows ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSI5* Continental — Calgary, Canada | June 3-7, 2026

Katie Laurie rewrote New Zealand show jumping history on Sunday afternoon in Calgary, becoming the first Kiwi to win a CSI5* Grand Prix with her homebred New Zealand Warmblood, Django II (by Lordano out of a Brilliant Invader xx mare). The achievement is all the more remarkable given the horse's breeding — far from the European factory systems that dominate at this level.

Tom Holden's first-round course over the International Ring was unforgiving. Just two of 30 starters jumped clear — a 93% fault rate that left only Laurie and Egypt's Sameh El Dahan to contest the jump-off. El Dahan, competing under the Egyptian flag for the first time since switching back his nationality just one day earlier, went clear in Round 1 on WKD Balou Breeze but was eliminated in the jump-off after a fall during a rollback turn. Laurie, who drew first, delivered a composed and clear round in 46.28 seconds that proved to be the winning effort.

Laurie, who previously represented Australia at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, gave Django II a winter break to build fitness before this season — a strategy that has paid off spectacularly. Ireland's Conor Swail took third (4 faults, 75.38s), with Lucy Davis Kennedy (USA) fourth and Canadian Sean Jobin fifth. Daniel Coyle had a standout Saturday earlier in the week, winning both The Mustangs 1.55m and The Partners 1.50m.

AKITA Drilling Grand Prix, presented by Rolex — CSI5* 1.60m Results:

1. 🇳🇿 Katie Laurie — Django II (0/0, 46.28s)
2. 🇪🇬 Sameh El Dahan — WKD Balou Breeze (0/EL)
3. 🇮🇪 Conor Swail — Casturano (4, 75.38s)
4. 🇺🇸 Lucy Davis Kennedy — Ben 431 (4, 75.98s)
5. 🇨🇦 Sean Jobin — Arkuga (4, 76.73s)
6. 🇨🇦 Chris Pratt — Lollypop (4, 77.98s)
7. 🇩🇴 Maria Gabriela Brugal Gasso — J'Adore Flamenco (5, 78.35s)
8. 🇧🇪 Jos Verlooy — Nixon Van 't Meulenhof (7, 80.19s)
9. 🇦🇺 Hilary Scott — Lola (7, 80.48s)
10. 🇦🇺 Rowan Willis — Handsome (7, 80.55s)

📹 Watch Laurie's winning round

📊 Full results

"I got a bit teary after going in clear in the first round. It feels so good." — Katie Laurie

"I never thought it would ever happen. It is amazing." — Katie Laurie

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Quick Hits

Gassin - St Tropez CSI4* — Gassin, France | June 3-7, 2026

Qatari rider Bassem Mohammed won the CSI4* Grand Prix at the Polo Club de St Tropez aboard Wathnan Issem — another result for the growing Wathnan equestrian operation. Six riders went double clear from 50 starters over the 1.55m track, with Mohammed blitzing the jump-off in 34.55 seconds, nearly a full second faster than runner-up Cyril Bouvard.

Grand Prix Top 5:

1. 🇶🇦 Bassem Mohammed — Wathnan Issem (0/0, 34.55s)
2. 🇫🇷 Cyril Bouvard — Gangster d'Eifel (0/0, 35.39s)
3. 🇧🇪 Nicola Philippaerts — Moya Vd Bisschop (0/0, 35.69s)
4. 🇫🇷 Megane Moissonnier — Qoup de Coeur de Muze (0/0, 36.18s)
5. 🇬🇧 Chloe Aston — Akito Von Rocherath Z (0/0, 38.61s)

📊 Full results

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Upperville CSI4* — Upperville, Virginia, USA | June 1-7, 2026

Daniel Bluman and Hummer Z — a horse developed by U.S. Olympic legend Beezie Madden — dominated the $200,000 Upperville Jumper Classic at the 173rd edition of America's oldest horse show. Bluman topped a six-horse jump-off by nearly two seconds. Alan Wade's course allowed only six clear rounds from 20 starters.

$200,000 Upperville Jumper Classic Top 3:

1. 🇮🇱 Daniel Bluman — Hummer Z (0/0, 34.95s)
2. 🇺🇸 Chloe Reid — Crossover 4 (0/0, 36.74s)
3. 🇺🇸 Sloane Coles — Ninja JW van de Moerhoeve (0/0, 37.43s)

📹 Watch Bluman's winning round

📊 Full results

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Deauville CSIO3* — Deauville, France | June 3-7, 2026

World No. 7 Nina Mallevaey claimed her first CSIO3* Grand Prix victory on home soil aboard 10-year-old Destine to Be (by Diamant de Semilly), producing a sensational second half of the jump-off to beat the UAE's Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi by over a second from 60 starters. Italy won the Nations Cup on 6 penalties — their second EEF Nations Cup victory of the same weekend (also winning in Thessaloniki), led by Federico Ciriesi's double clear on Quincy Juice.

Grand Prix Top 5:

1. 🇫🇷 Nina Mallevaey — Destine to Be (0/0, ~38.20s)
2. 🇦🇪 Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi — Enjoy de la Mûre (0/0, 39.02s)
3. 🇫🇷 Julien Épaillard — Hacker d'Auge (0/0, 39.45s)
4. 🇧🇷 Rodrigo Pessoa — Major Tom (0/0, 40.24s)
5. 🇫🇷 Pénélope Leprevost — Ehning Flamingo (0/0)

Nations Cup:

1. 🇮🇹 Italy — 6 pen.
2. 🇧🇪 Belgium — 8 pen.
3. 🇫🇷 France — 8 pen. (slower)

📊 GP results | Nations Cup results

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Thessaloniki CSIO3* — Thessaloniki, Greece | June 3-7, 2026

Turkey's Necmi Eren delivered a dominant jump-off performance in the Metlen Grand Prix, winning by nearly two seconds over Italy's Francesco Correddu. Italy won the EEF Nations Cup on just 5 penalties — with Bruno and Elisa Chimirri becoming the first father-daughter pairing to compete together at senior Nations Cup level for Italian show jumping. Matteo Zamana's double clear on Captain Conner anchored the team.

Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇹🇷 Necmi Eren — PSS Levilensky (0/0, 41.75s)
2. 🇮🇹 Francesco Correddu — Ultos (0/0, 43.60s)
3. 🇭🇺 Tamás Mráz — Cordroe (0/0, 44.26s)

Nations Cup:

1. 🇮🇹 Italy — 5 pen.
2. 🇩🇪 Germany — 28 pen.
3. 🇬🇷 Greece — 46 pen.

📊 GP results | Nations Cup results

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Sentower Park CSI3* — Opglabbeek, Belgium | June 3-7, 2026

Sweden's Karin Martinsen won a razor-tight jump-off aboard Tailormade Conita Blue PS, beating home favourite Christophe Vanderhasselt by just 0.18 seconds. The top three were separated by a mere 0.26 seconds — all delivering double clear rounds from 59 starters.

Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇸🇪 Karin Martinsen — Tailormade Conita Blue PS (0/0, 41.30s)
2. 🇧🇪 Christophe Vanderhasselt — Popeye Van 'T Klavertje Vier (0/0, 41.48s)
3. 🇬🇧 Tim Gredley — Medoc de Toxandria (0/0, 41.56s)

📊 Full results

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Traverse City CSI3* — Traverse City, Michigan, USA | June 3-7, 2026

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Sweetnam, daughter of Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam, earned her first FEI Grand Prix victory aboard Epic — a horse her father discovered in the Netherlands. She bested Molly Ashe Cawley by less than half a second in a seven-horse jump-off designed by Olympic course designer Guilherme Jorge.

$116,500 Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇺🇸 Olivia Sweetnam — Epic (0/0, 35.46s)
2. 🇺🇸 Molly Ashe Cawley — Lorona (0/0, 35.95s)
3. 🇺🇸 Hunter Holloway — Mon Fattan N (0/0, 36.57s)

📊 Full results

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Industry News

• Rankings: The June FEI Jumping World Rankings see Kent Farrington (USA, 3,506 pts) hold the No. 1 spot. Richard Vogel (GER, 3,311) moves to second for the first time, leapfrogging Scott Brash (GBR, 3,305) by just six points. Laura Kraut re-enters the top 10 at No. 9. (So Horse)
• Nationality: Sameh El Dahan announced on June 2 that he is switching from the British flag back to Egypt, having competed for Great Britain since 2021 following a dispute over Tokyo Olympics selection. He competed under the Egyptian flag at Spruce Meadows the very next day, finishing 2nd in the CSI5* GP. He is now eligible for Egypt at the Aachen World Championships. (Horse & Hound)
• Sponsorship: Icon Global (luxury real estate) and partner brand Amasé announced a multi-year deal as title sponsors of the U.S. Jumping Teams at both senior and developing levels — now officially the "Icon Global U.S. Jumping Team." (USEF)
• Italy's Double: Italy won EEF Nations Cups in both Deauville (6 pen.) and Thessaloniki (5 pen.) on the same weekend — a remarkable double for the azzurri. (Equnews)

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Looking Ahead: June 8-14, 2026

5⭐:

• Spruce Meadows 'National', presented by Rolex — Calgary, Canada (June 9-14). RBC Grand Prix of Canada on Saturday, broadcast live on CBC. The Irish contingent has been firing at Spruce Meadows all summer. Defending champion Vaclav Stanek expected. Key form check ahead of Aachen.
• CSIO5* La Baule — La Baule, France (June 10-14). Coupe des Nations Barrière on Friday with ten nations (Germany, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, USA). Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday. Eleven of the world's top 15 riders confirmed — including Guerdat, Fuchs, Brash, Ehning, Deusser, and Farrington, who defends the Rolex GP title. On grass at the historic Stade François André. Enormous Aachen qualifier significance.
• LGCT Ramatuelle / St. Tropez — St. Tropez, France (June 11-13). The LGCT title race is heating up in this 20th anniversary season — just 34.67 points separate the top five with ten stages remaining. Five of the top six confirmed. Defending St. Tropez GP winner Scott Brash returns.

4⭐: CSIO4 Sopot (Poland) | CSI4 Sentower Park (Belgium) | CSI4* Traverse City (USA)

3⭐: CSI3 Lichtenvoorde (Netherlands) | CSIO3 Drammen (Norway)

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This Week: 8.6/10

Three five-star Grand Prix delivered across two continents, with punishing courses (93% fault rate at Spruce Meadows, 90% at Cannes) producing deserving winners. Katie Laurie's historic NZ first with a homebred, Ehning's ageless mastery at 52, Saïd's Wathnan-powered Cannes win, Switzerland's home Nations Cup rally, and Italy's remarkable double EEF sweep all combined for a week well above average. The depth of storylines at every level — from a 17-year-old's first GP win in Traverse City to a father-daughter Nations Cup first in Thessaloniki — pushes this into strong territory.