Unveiling the Rising Stars at Longines Global Future Champions!

Longines Tops International Arena kicked off the first day of the Longines Global Future Champions event in style. Bring together the most promising young talents from around the world to compete at the state-of-the-art facility it was a fun-filled family day for all to enjoy.

As the premier youth event on the equestrian calendar, the Longines Global Future Champions offers a unique platform for budding riders, from 5 to 25, to shine on an international stage. Aiming to nurture and celebrate the next generation of equestrian stars, providing them with an unparalleled opportunity to test their mettle against their peers and gain invaluable experience in a world-class setting.

In addition to the thrilling competition, the Longines Global Future Champions is a truly unforgettable experience for the whole family. Spectators can expect a host of entertainment options and fun-filled activities to enjoy throughout the event. From engaging exhibitions and interactive zones to delicious food vendors and delightful shopping opportunities, there is something to captivate every member of the family.

Young riders

Iñigo Lopez De La Osa Franco started the day with an epic win in the 1.45m on board Divina de la Cologne. With a total of 10 double clears, Inigo won the class by just two-tenths of a second ahead of Charlotte Höing with Casio He. Third place was secured by fellow German rider Theresa Kröninger and Be San-Lady on the huge grass arena.

The 1.35m two-phase special was exciting from start to finish as Vic de Plecker took the victory with the stunning grey gelding Corvette van't Koningshof Z in 28.25s. Only fractions of a second behind was Katerina Bubakova and 11 year old Merlot de Muze. There was then quite a gap from third place onwards as Kasper de Boeck stopped the clock in 32.04s with Nepal S.

CSI2*

For the 2* combinations the first day of the Longines Global Future Champions also started with a Two Phases (Special) class (1.20m). Of the 18 combinations, eight managed to stay clear and the fastest time was recorded by Dutch rider Madée Schuttenbeld with the 15-year-old gelding Piccolo R. The 21-year-old from Almelo crossed the finish line in 28.57 seconds. But the differences were small. Marie Eder Ferrero (MON) was second with Monseigneur in a time of 29.17 seconds. Britain's Noora von Bülow and the nine-year-old KWPN stallion Julius finished in third place with a time of 29.92 seconds.

For the 1.30m class, 56 combinations had entered. A lot of competition, therefore, but Portuguese Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida did not mind. He smoothly rode through the course with the nine-year-old Selle Français mare Epure de B'Neville and stopped the clock at 26.45 seconds. The 30-year-old, who has represented Portugal several times at World and European Championships, lives near Valkenswaard in Panningen with partner Karlijn and son Raff. Iñigo Lopez De La Osa Franco needed almost a second more to go clear over the obstacles. The 19-year-old, whose father Iñigo Lopez De La Osa Escribano was also an international show jumper, rode a nice round with Golden Diamond. In a nice third place was Dutch Zahra-Lindi Malkus with Vernie du Coeur des Collines Z.

The final competition of the 2* event was a Two-Phases with obstacles up to 1.40m. The audience witnessed a great Dutch victory. The times of the top three were close but it was Lars Kuster who took the win. He crossed the finish line in 29.20 seconds with the KWPN mare El Divo. Patrick Lam (HGK) was second with Claron CR. This duo stopped the clock at 29.80 seconds. Third place went to the Dutch Teddy van de Rijt and Explosion. They were just 0.10 seconds slower: 29.90 seconds.

Juniors

The first class for the Juniors was a Two-Phases with obstacles up to 1.20m. This was won by 17-year-old Lisa Maria Funke and the six-year-old mare Donnatella Z. The German rider finished her second phase in 28.36 seconds. Second place also went to a German combination, Hanna Bräuer and the KWPN gelding Flash. They realised a time of 28.65 seconds. Britain's Ruby Barrs came third in a time of 29.22 seconds with Guinot di Nocciola.

A little later it was the turn of the 1.35m combinations. This class was won by 16-year-old Belgian Kasper de Boeck. No stranger to the Valkenswaard audience as he also performed well at the summer event last weekend. He then also won a class with the same horse, Dalida (Holst, by Casall). Today he was also the fastest in this two-phases class, stopping the clock at 25.33 seconds. Fellow countryman Jef Peeters needed a little longer to clear the obstacles, 26.01 seconds. He rode a speedy round with the 14-year-old BWP mare J'Adore van het Schaeck. Czech Katerina Bubakova came third with Nasty Girl de Muze. They were just 0.06 seconds slower than Peeters.

Children

Exactly at 8am, the first riders opened the Longines Global Future Champions event in the sand arena of Longines Tops International Arena. The Two-Phases class for Children had 37 competitors of which 18 managed to stay clear in both phases. The competition was won by Belgium's Estelle van Tricht with the BWP mare Ferra van den Bisschop. They rode the second phase in the fast time of 27.07 seconds. The 13-year-old daughter of breeders Tim van Tricht and Jill Smits of Stal Tiji in Kapelle-op-de-Bos recently finished in individual 10th place at the European Championships for Children in Gorla Minore, Italy. Second place went to her compatriot Thibaud Ebinger and the eight-year-old gelding Gabrilo KMH Z with a time of 27.57 seconds. Dutch Stella Heijligers came third with Helena R. They stopped the clock at 28.12 seconds.

Ponies

Fast and furious is a description that fits well with the pony riders who took to the arena today at Longines Tops International Arena. Speed, courage and daring are what these little talents all showed. Three classes were provided, all a Two-Phases competition but with different heights: 1.10m, 1.15m and 1.25m. The first class was won by Britain's Bella Crowley and Access Bill. They rode a lightning-fast round in 23.76 seconds. A little later, 24 combinations entered the arena and there Philipp Quast, riding for Germany, was the fastest with Witt Perra. They won with a clear round in 26.25 seconds. The final competition (1.25m) was convincingly won by Britain's Tabitha Kyle with Gangnam Style II. She was more than 2 seconds faster than second-placed Robin Vermeir (BEL) and Ottawa vh Verbrandgoed.