Bucci Brings It Home at Piazza di Siena. Mexico Ends a 78-Year Wait. Jacobs Returns to Devon in Triumph.

The centennial edition of Rome's Piazza di Siena delivered the kind of week the sport lives for. Piergiorgio Bucci became the first Italian to win the Rolex Grand Prix at home since Lorenzo De Luca in 2018, while Mexico stunned Germany in a Nations Cup jump-off to claim their first Rome victory since 1948. Across the Atlantic, Charlotte Jacobs went back to Devon after 12 years and won the Sapphire Grand Prix at the show's 130th edition.

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Rome — Piazza di Siena ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSIO5* — Rome, Italy | May 28–31

The Rolex Grand Prix of Rome — the inaugural event of the new Rolex Series — drew 45 starters over Uliano Vezzani's demanding 1.60m track. Only seven managed first-round clears, twelve qualified for Round 2, and in the end just one combination went double clear: Piergiorgio Bucci and Pallieter vd N. Ranch.

The 11-year-old BWP stallion by Cornet Obolensky, who has been with Bucci for exactly one year, stopped the clock at 42.01 seconds in Round 2 without touching a pole. It was Bucci's first Rolex Grand Prix victory — and only the third Italian winner in Rome in 32 years, after Roberto Bologni in 1994 and De Luca in 2018. Bucci has competed at Piazza di Siena since 2002, making this his 15th GP Roma appearance. The pair had already built momentum with Grand Prix victories earlier in 2026, including LGCT Mexico City.

Jörne Sprehe was the fastest in Round 2 at 39.01 seconds but dropped a rail to finish second. Richard Vogel — fresh off winning the €1.5M Rolex GP of Aachen — also had one down for third. Three Germans placed in the top six, while Marilyn Little posted the best American finish in fourth.

The Nations Cup on Friday may have produced the bigger headline. Mexico and Germany tied on four faults after two rounds, forcing a jump-off. Patricio Pasquel delivered a clear round in 45.91 seconds for Mexico, but Germany's Richard Vogel — needing a clear to win — went faster at 39.99 and dropped a rail. Mexico won their first Nations Cup in Rome since 1948, a gap of 78 years. Carlos Hank Guerreiro and Fernando Martinez Sommer were both double-clear across the two rounds, while Adrian Whiteway's double-clear anchored Great Britain's third-place finish on eight faults. Ten nations competed.

€500,000 Rolex Grand Prix Results:

1. 🇮🇹 Piergiorgio Bucci — Pallieter vd N. Ranch (0/0, 42.01s)
2. 🇩🇪 Jörne Sprehe — Toys (0/4, 39.01s)
3. 🇩🇪 Richard Vogel — Cloudio (0/4, 41.67s)
4. 🇺🇸 Marilyn Little — La Contessa (0/4, 43.18s)
5. 🇸🇪 Wilma McMahon — Cicci BJN (4/0, 44.32s)
6. 🇩🇪 Sophie Hinners — Iron Dames Combella (0/4, 45.26s)
7. 🇮🇹 Giulia Martinengo Marquet — Delta del'Isle (4/4, 40.49s)
8. 🇪🇸 Armando Trapote — Tornado VS (0/8, 42.19s)
9. 🇸🇦 Khaled Almobty — Diana du Plevau Z (0/8, 43.08s)
10. 🇮🇹 Riccardo Pisani — Chacco's Lawito PS (4/4, 43.74s)

Nations Cup Results:

1. 🇲🇽 Mexico — 4 faults (jump-off: Pasquel 0/45.91s)
2. 🇩🇪 Germany — 4 faults (jump-off: Vogel 4/39.99s)
3. 🇬🇧 Great Britain — 8 faults
4. 🇮🇹 Italy — 12 faults
5. 🇧🇪 Belgium — 16 faults
6. 🇧🇷 Brazil — 16 faults

📹 Watch Bucci's winning round

📊 Full GP results

📊 Nations Cup results

"This is the greatest moment of my career. Winning my first Rolex Grand Prix means so much to me. Lorenzo De Luca, a good friend of mine, was the last Italian rider to win this Grand Prix. Following in his footsteps makes this victory even more special." — Piergiorgio Bucci

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Quick Hits

Hohenkirchen ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSI4* — Hohenkirchen, Germany | May 27–31

Philipp Weishaupt — the 2023 European Championship silver medalist — took the Grand Prix with Lady Concern du Rezidal, a 9-year-old mare he discovered at a competition in Prague. Three double-clears over the 1.60m track, with Weishaupt the quickest. Local amateur rider Christin Wascher, who works in a hospital laboratory, was a celebrated fifth.

Grand Prix Top 5:

1. 🇩🇪 Philipp Weishaupt — Lady Concern du Rezidal (0/0, 43.16s)
2. 🇨🇿 Ales Opatrny — Vivo de Muze PS (0/0)
3. 🇸🇪 Douglas Lindelow — Asterix de Couleur (0/0)
4. 🇩🇪 Stefan Engbers — Baju NRW (0/4)
5. 🇩🇪 Christin Wascher — Quincy 200 (0/4)

📊 Full results

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Devon ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSI4* — Devon, PA, USA | May 26–30

Charlotte Jacobs's homecoming victory — she grew up competing at Devon as a junior and returned after 12 years to win the $210,000 Sapphire Grand Prix at the show's 130th edition. Twelve-time Devon GP winner McLain Ward finished third behind McKayla Langmeier, who trailed Jacobs by just 0.72 seconds. An American podium sweep.

$210,000 Sapphire Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇺🇸 Charlotte Jacobs — Korbach van de Renger (0/0, 32.77s)
2. 🇺🇸 McKayla Langmeier — Riesling van de Gaathoeve (0/0, 33.49s)
3. 🇺🇸 McLain Ward — First Lady (0/0)

📊 Full results

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Vancouver — Thunderbird ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSIO4* — Langley, BC, Canada | May 26–31

Fairytale debut for Replay Touch van de Stapelheyde — his first 1.55m class, first four-star start, and first Grand Prix win. Kyle King originally passed on the 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood during a viewing in Belgium but became a believer after a second trial. Just 0.17 seconds separated first and second. In the Nations Cup, Mexico won again — this time clinched by Alejandro Winkler's clear anchor round — with Canada second and the USA third.

$117,000 Grand Prix Top 4:

1. 🇺🇸 Kyle King — Replay Touch van de Stapelheyde (0/0, 39.57s)
2. 🇲🇽 Tanimara Macari — Dax 68 (0/0, 39.74s)
3. 🇨🇦 Amy Millar — Gaiete d'Elle (0/0, 39.98s)
4. 🇳🇿 Uma O'Neill — Luigi d'Eclipse (0/0, 40.51s)

📊 Full results

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Cabourg ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSI4* — Cabourg, France | May 27–31

A razor-thin 0.15-second margin decided the Grand Prix on the Normandy coast. Only three combinations were double clear over the demanding course. François-Xavier Boudant and 9-year-old Hitot de Riverland edged out the ever-dangerous Julien Epaillard, with four of the top five flying the French flag.

Grand Prix Top 5:

1. 🇫🇷 François-Xavier Boudant — Hitot de Riverland (0/0, 43.27s)
2. 🇫🇷 Julien Epaillard — Le Coultre de Muze (0/0, 43.42s)
3. 🇧🇪 Robin van Thillo — My Jewel's Magic Touch (0/0, 45.04s)
4. 🇫🇷 Alexis Gautier — Dairzel Duverie (0/4, 46.48s)
5. 🇫🇷 Charles-Henri Fermé — Katmandu (0/4, 48.91s)

📊 Full results

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Gassin — St Tropez ⭐⭐⭐

CSI3* — Gassin, France | May 27–31

Five-time Saudi Olympian Kamal Abdullah Bahamdan — a 2012 London Olympic team bronze medalist — took what has been described as the standout international result of his career with Cascadello Boy RM. Gregory Wathelet also competed, marking his return to Grand Prix competition since October.

Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇸🇦 Kamal Abdullah Bahamdan — Cascadello Boy RM (0/0, 41.20s)
2. 🇫🇷 Loic Michelon — Gazelle d'Ivraie (0/0, ~42.64s)
3. 🇨🇭 Nadja Peter Steiner — Clearround IL Mondo (0/0)

📊 Full results

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Thessaloniki ⭐⭐⭐

CSI3* — Thessaloniki, Greece | May 27–31

Marcel Schneider dominated with a 40.22-second jump-off, finishing 1.5 seconds clear of the field. German 1-2 at a Greek venue. The bronze was decided by just 0.01 seconds — Thomas Mang at 41.88 edged Turkey's Necmi Eren at 41.89. Eren also won the CSI2* Grand Prix earlier in the week, medalling at both levels.

Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇩🇪 Marcel Schneider — Chucky PS (0/0, 40.22s)
2. 🇩🇪 Thomas Mang — Grand Zara (0/0, 41.88s)
3. 🇹🇷 Necmi Eren — PSS Levilensky (0/0, 41.89s)

📊 Full results

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Tryon ⭐⭐⭐

CSI3* — Tryon, NC, USA | May 26–31

Argentine rider Luis Pedro Biraben won a nail-biter at Saturday Night Lights, edging Jacqueline Ruyle by just 0.05 seconds in the jump-off over Ivan Tagle's track. Four of the five jump-off riders went double-clear, with only 1.09 seconds separating first through fourth.

$120,000 Grand Prix Top 5:

1. 🇦🇷 Luis Pedro Biraben — Chacco Bumpy (0/0, 40.21s)
2. 🇺🇸 Jacqueline Ruyle — H Cornetta DK (0/0, 40.26s)
3. 🇺🇸 Alise Oken Crooks — Oraline van Prinseveld (0/0, 40.66s)
4. 🇨🇦 Taylor St Jacques — Hopefull Menjoulet (0/0, 41.30s)
5. 🇺🇸 Richard Spooner — Belle Esprit (0/4, 40.80s)

📊 Full results

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Kessel ⭐⭐⭐

CSI3* — Kessel, The Netherlands | May 27–31

A Kiwi upset in the Dutch heartland. New Zealand's Luke Dee — ranked around 371st in the world — won his biggest European result, beating established stars Sergio Alvarez Moya and Niels Bruynseels by nearly a full second. The 31-year-old former real estate agent described his European campaign as "the trip of a lifetime" just 18 months ago.

€62,000 Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇳🇿 Luke Dee — Gangster WW (0/0, 38.49s)
2. 🇪🇸 Sergio Alvarez Moya — Be Blue (0/0, 39.48s)
3. 🇧🇪 Niels Bruynseels — Chacco's Lando OL (0/0, 39.52s)

📊 Full results

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Industry News

• FEI Rankings: Kent Farrington (USA, 3,511 pts) overtook Scott Brash to reclaim world No. 1. Richard Vogel moved to 2nd. Shane Sweetnam climbed to 6th. Nina Mallevaey remains the top-ranked female rider at 7th. (FEI)
• Team Selection — France: Eleven riders named for the FEI Jumping World Championships in Aachen (Aug 16–23): Delestre, Dilasser, Epaillard, Ermann, Mallevaey, Perreau, Moissonnier, Robert, Sadran, Sers, Staut. (Equnews)
• Team Selection — USA: US Equestrian's short list for Aachen includes Cook, Dean, Dinan, Farrington, Kraut, Keenan, Little, Schott, Vale, Ward. Rome CSIO5* served as a designated observation event. (USEF)
• Sponsorships: The new Rolex Series launched at the centennial CSIO Roma, uniting six major events — Rome, La Baule, Dinard, Dublin, Brussels Stephex Masters, and WEF Wellington — with the Rome GP alone carrying €500,000 in prize money. (JumperNews)
• Sponsorships: SEIB became official insurance partner of British Showjumping with a 20% member discount, also signing as title sponsor of the SEIB Big Star Young Horse Championship for three years. (British Showjumping)
• Rule Changes: FEI proposals for LA28 include mandatory jump-offs for team medal ties (prompted by the Paris 2024 controversy), updated team replacement rules, and a requirement that horse and rider share nationality by January 17, 2028. Vote at the FEI General Assembly in December. (Equnews)
• FEI Events: Bernardo Kraus Guerra (BRA) won the FEI Jumping World Challenge Final in Astana, Kazakhstan, riding Olza. Rozmukhamedov (UZB) 2nd, Rodriguez Posada (COL) 3rd. (FEI)

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Looking Ahead: June 2–8, 2026

5⭐:

• Spruce Meadows Continental — Calgary, Canada | June 3–7. $500,000 Duncan Ross GP presented by Rolex (Sunday). The Continental kicks off Spruce Meadows' summer season with $4.5M+ in total prize money. Daniel Coyle's Irish contingent has dominated recently, but Mario Deslauriers and Kara Chad aim to reclaim the GP on Canadian turf.
• LGCT Cannes — Cannes, France | June 3–6. LGCT Grand Prix of Cannes (Saturday evening) plus GCL team rounds. The Global Tour's 20th-anniversary celebration stop. Henrik von Eckermann leads the championship chase, but Cannes has historically rewarded French riders — expect Delestre and Cottard to have the home crowd behind them.
• CSIO5* St Gallen — St. Gallen, Switzerland | June 4–7. Nations Cup of Switzerland (Friday) + €500,000 Longines GP (Sunday). The first major Nations Cup on the road to Aachen. Germany won 2025 on zero faults and are heavy favourites. Switzerland — Guerdat and Fuchs — will be desperate to deliver in front of 40,000+ home fans.

4⭐:

• Gassin — St Tropez — France | June 3–7. Spring Tour 4 continues at Haras de Gassin Polo Resort. GP Saturday.
• Upperville — Virginia, USA | June 3–7. America's oldest horse show (173rd edition). $200,000 Upperville Jumper Classic on Sunday. Free admission.

3⭐:

• CSIO3* Thessaloniki — Greece | June 3–7. EEF Nations Cup format for developing nations.
• Sentower Park — Belgium | June 3–7. One of Europe's busiest competition venues.
• CSIO3* Deauville — France | June 3–7. EEF Nations Cup on the Normandy coast.
• Traverse City — Michigan, USA | June 3–7. Summer circuit opener. $116,500 Four G Surfaces Grand Prix Saturday evening.

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This Week: 8/10

One five-star show this week — but what a five-star. The centennial Piazza di Siena delivered on every front: Bucci's emotional home Grand Prix victory as the only double clear from 45 starters, Mexico's stunning 78-year Nations Cup breakthrough decided in a jump-off against Germany, and the launch of the Rolex Series. Strong supporting action across eight more shows, with multiple results decided by fractions of a second — Cabourg by 0.15s, Tryon by 0.05s, Thessaloniki by 0.01s.