Casual DV Z and Pieter Devos capped off their strong season with victory in the LGCT Grand Prix in Cairo

With six podium finishes in five-star Grand Prix events, including a^second place in both the LGCT Grand Prix in Valkenswaard and the one in Rome, the season has already been particularly impressive so far for Pieter Devos and his top mare Casual DV Z. However, a victory at this level was still missing from the successful duo’s list of achievements, but that changed last weekend… Following a fantastic performance, Devos and Casual DV Z were crowned the winners of the very first LGCT Grand Prix in Cairo.

Against the breathtaking backdrop of the Pyramids of Giza, the very first Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Cairo offered an unforgettable afternoon of world-class show jumping, championship glory and sporting history. For the first time in history, the world’s best show jumpers competed for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles, right next to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. With the imposing pyramids as a backdrop and an enthusiastic crowd, the Egyptian capital provided the setting for a historic first within the Tour’s twentieth anniversary season. For this inaugural edition, forty top combinations lined up at the start, as is traditional, with twelve finding the key to completing the basic course designed by Uliano Vezzani and his team without any faults. After a nail-biting finale, it was the Belgian rider Pieter Devos who delivered a stunning performance with his 11-year-old home-bred mare Casual DV Z, a daughter of Cornet Obolensky and Cicero Z van Paemel. Devos and Casual DV Z were the second pair to return to the arena in the twelve-horse jump-off, but delivered a breathtaking performance. After a dazzling round, they crossed the finish line in 45.85 seconds, adding this prestigious Grand Prix to their list of achievements with great flair.

Pieter Devos: “To be honest, I’m a bit overwhelmed with emotion. I’m so incredibly happy with my horse! She really deserves this. She’s already been on the podium six times this year in a CSI5* Grand Prix, and now we’ve been able to put the icing on the cake with a fantastic victory. She really is a marvellous horse! She deserves this so much and she always fights so hard for me… That we can now crown it all is simply fantastic, and in such a stunning venue! It gives me goosebumps!"

"It’s a very special story with this horse. We bred her ourselves, with the whole family. We’ve been with Casual every step of the way, from when she was a foal right up to this victory in a CSI5* Grand Prix. It’s fantastic to build such a bond with a horse and bring her to the very top of the world. It’s truly unique that we’ve been able to achieve this, and what she’s given me in return is absolutely incredible."

The LGCT Grand Prix was, of course, the absolute highlight of the day on Saturday, but before the start of this grand finale to the weekend, the riders from the five-star competition also took to the arena for a 1.45m speed class. In this class, the Liechtenstein rider Jennifer Hockstaedter secured another podium finish with her 16-year-old gelding Winnetou de la Hamente Z, the son of Winningmood van de Arenberg and Socrate de Chivre, bred by Emmanuel Wera. Hockstaedter and Winnetou de la Hamente Z, who had already secured^4th place in Friday’s 1.45m class, finished in 63.67 seconds after a flawless round, securing^2nd place.

During Friday’s 1.45m class, it was the French rider Antoine Ermann who achieved the best result for the blue and yellow colours with the 10-year-old gelding Delirium Zoetendaele Z, a son of Diamant de Semilly and Der Senaat 111, bred by Carine and Arnold Lootens. A clear round in both^{the first} and^second phases also secured them a fine^second place in the rankings.

Last but not least, German rider Sophie Hinners also made a name for herself with the 10-year-old mare Iron Dames Kaleni Jo SV Z, the daughter of Kannan and Indoctro, bred by Stal Verhoeven in the Netherlands. They immediately made their mark on Thursday, the opening day, when they secured^second place in the individual competition during the first round of the Global Champions League.