Maher Takes Rotterdam. Kühner's Golden Ticket in Paris. Whitaker Ends the 10-Year Wait.

Two five-star venues delivered banner results, an iconic Derby produced a fitting champion, and Britain left its mark on both the team and individual stage. Ben Maher won the Grand Prix of Rotterdam — Point Break's first five-star Grand Prix victory after a career of near-misses — on a weekend that also saw Great Britain take the Rotterdam Nations Cup. Max Kühner punched his golden ticket to the LGCT Super Grand Prix beneath the Eiffel Tower, and William Whitaker finally ended a 10-year wait for his second Hickstead Derby title.

Ben Maher and Point Break win the Grand Prix of Rotterdam — the stallion's first five-star Grand Prix victory. Photo: IMAGO / Martin Dokoupil

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Rotterdam ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CSIO5* CHIO Rotterdam — Rotterdam, Netherlands | June 18-21, 2026

Rotterdam delivered for the home crowd and the British contingent alike. Ben Maher and Point Break won the Grand Prix of Rotterdam on Sunday — the horse's first five-star Grand Prix victory after a career of runner-up finishes — while Great Britain had taken the Longines League of Nations 48 hours earlier in a three-way jump-off.

Maher's win came on a knife's edge. In the jump-off he stopped the clock at 42.98 seconds, holding off New Zealand's Luke Dee and Gangster WW by just 0.16 seconds. Willem Greve delighted the Dutch crowd with third aboard Grandorado TN N.O.P., ahead of Martin Fuchs and world #2 Richard Vogel. For Point Break, a horse who had collected a string of five-star Grand Prix placings without ever quite getting his head in front, it was a long-awaited first win at the level.

The Nations Cup on Friday produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the season. Three teams — Great Britain, the United States, and Switzerland — finished the two rounds deadlocked on eight faults, triggering a rare three-way jump-off. Harry Charles and LT Holst Freda — a partnership in just their third show together — delivered a clear in 31.18 seconds. Marilyn Little came agonizingly close for the USA on La Contessa, just seven hundredths of a second behind at 31.25s. Switzerland's Martin Fuchs anchored his team with a double clear, and Jason Smith rode the deciding round in 31.64 seconds. Both Harry and Sienna Charles competed for Britain — their father Peter Charles, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, watching from the stands.

Germany retains the overall League of Nations lead on 230 points, with Great Britain closing to 225.

Grand Prix of Rotterdam Results:

1. 🇬🇧 Ben Maher — Point Break (0/0, 42.98s)
2. 🇳🇿 Luke Dee — Gangster WW (0/0, 43.14s)
3. 🇳🇱 Willem Greve — Grandorado TN N.O.P. (0/0, 43.97s)
4. 🇨🇭 Martin Fuchs — Fortjump du Beaumenil (0/0, 44.04s)
5. 🇩🇪 Richard Vogel — Cloudio (0/0, 44.20s)
6. 🇨🇭 Jason Smith — Picobello van't Roosakker (0/0, 44.41s)

📹 Watch Maher's winning round

📊 Grand Prix full results

Longines League of Nations Results:

1. 🇬🇧 Great Britain — 8 faults (JO: Harry Charles/LT Holst Freda, 31.18s)
2. 🇺🇸 United States — 8 faults (JO: Marilyn Little/La Contessa, 31.25s)
3. 🇨🇭 Switzerland — 8 faults (JO: Jason Smith/Picobello van't Roosakker, 31.64s)

📊 League of Nations full results

Also at Rotterdam: Italy's Giulia Martinengo Marquet won Thursday's Nedspice Prize (1.50m) aboard Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe in 62.38s, ahead of home rider Harrie Smolders and Germany's Richard Vogel.

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Paris ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

LGCT Grand Prix — Paris, France | June 19-21, 2026

Max Kühner and EIC Up Too Jacco Blue made it look easy at the Champ de Mars. From a field that included Henrik von Eckermann, Peder Fredricson, and Gilles Thomas, only six combinations found the path to the jump-off in the €308,600 Grand Prix — and Kühner was never in danger.

The Austrian stopped the clock at 38.36 seconds, more than a second and a half clear of Denis Lynch in second. Kühner let his naturally quick horse flow rather than forcing the pace, and the pair never looked close to a fault. Olivier Perreau kept French hopes alive in third, just a tenth behind Lynch, while Christian Ahlmann rounded out the four double-clear efforts. Lillie Keenan was the fastest of the jump-off fallers, clocking 39.91 seconds but collecting four faults on Fasther.

The win earns Kühner the coveted golden ticket to the Super Grand Prix at the GC Riyadh Playoffs and moves him to second in the LGCT Championship standings, just five points behind leader Abdel Saïd. With the season past the halfway mark, it's a two-horse race at the top.

€308,600 LGCT Grand Prix Results:

1. 🇦🇹 Max Kühner — EIC Up Too Jacco Blue (0/0, 38.36s)
2. 🇮🇪 Denis Lynch — Cordial (0/0, 39.89s)
3. 🇫🇷 Olivier Perreau — GL Events Dorai d'Aiguilly (0/0, 39.99s)
4. 🇩🇪 Christian Ahlmann — Untouched LB (0/0, 40.29s)
5. 🇺🇸 Lillie Keenan — Fasther (0/4, 39.91s)
6. 🇫🇷 Charlotte Leoni — Cyclone l'Epivent (0/4, 45.47s)

📹 Watch Kühner's winning round

📊 Full results

"The main difference was the horse. He's a naturally fast horse, so I just needed to use this flow." — Max Kühner

Also in Paris: Victor Bettendorf (LUX) won the Eiffel Challenge aboard Encore Toi du Linon (39.00s), ahead of Philipp Weishaupt and Henrik von Eckermann. In the Global Champions League, Riesenbeck International (Marco Kutscher and Maximilian Weishaupt) posted the only zero-fault scorecard to win the Paris stage.

📊 GCL Paris full results

Global Champions Standings:

• LGCT Championship: 1. Abdel Saïd (BEL) 140 pts, 2. Max Kühner (AUT) 135 pts, 3. Katrin Eckermann (GER) 127 pts, 4. Simon Delestre (FRA) 118.67 pts, 5. Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) 118.67 pts.
• GCL Teams: Riesenbeck International lead on 131 pts after back-to-back wins in St. Tropez and Paris, establishing themselves as the team to beat heading to Monaco.

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Quick Hits

Hickstead ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Hickstead, Great Britain | June 17-21, 2026

William Whitaker ended a 10-year wait for his second Hickstead Derby title — and did it the hard way. Only two of 31 starters jumped clear around the iconic natural terrain course, featuring the famous 10'6" wall, the Derby bank, and the Devil's Dyke. Both were former champions. David Simpson went first in the jump-off but knocked the middle element of the Devil's Dyke, leaving Whitaker to seal it with a clear round aboard Flamboyant III — a horse who had finished second in the previous two Derbies.

Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Results:

1. 🇬🇧 William Whitaker — Flamboyant III (0/0)
2. 🇮🇪 David Simpson — Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve (0/4)
3. 🇬🇧 Sammie-Jo Coffin — Chaccomo Blue (4)

📹 Watch Whitaker's winning round

📊 Full results

"The horse deserved to win a Derby from the rounds he'd already jumped... to finally get it done is a huge relief." — William Whitaker

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Traverse City CSI3* — Traverse City, USA | June 17-21, 2026

Charlotte Jacobs delivered a meaningful comeback victory with Rincoola Milsean, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse returning after a full season out with injury. The pair had previously swept all three CSI3* GPs at Traverse City in September 2024. Jacobs used a seven-stride approach from one to two where some did six, and capitalized on quick turns to beat world #1 Kent Farrington by 0.23 seconds.

$116,500 Molon CSI3* Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇺🇸 Charlotte Jacobs — Rincoola Milsean (0/0, 36.75s)
2. 🇺🇸 Kent Farrington — Nikki Angel (0/0, 36.98s)
3. 🇺🇸 Spencer Smith — HHS Seattle (0/0, ~37.48s)

📹 Watch Jacobs' winning round

📊 Full results

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Ocala WEC CSI3* — Ocala, USA | June 16-21, 2026

Aaron Vale timed it to perfection, going last of four clear rounds and edging Tomas Yofre by just 0.07 seconds aboard the 9-year-old French-bred Helios du Moulin under the WEC Saturday night lights.

$150,000 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇺🇸 Aaron Vale — Helios du Moulin (0, 79.23s)
2. 🇦🇷 Tomas Yofre — Kingston (0, 79.30s)
3. 🇺🇸 Tanner Korotkin — Kinmar Quality Hero (4, 79.20s)

📊 Full results

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Bedizzole CSI3* — Bedizzole, Italy | June 18-21, 2026

American rider Alessandra Volpi edged out a strong Italian contingent at Scuderia La Caccia, where the top five all jumped clear in the jump-off. Just 0.35 seconds separated first from second in a €57,500 Grand Prix that showcased depth across the board.

Grand Prix Top 3:

1. 🇺🇸 Alessandra Volpi — Madjick (0/0, 39.02s)
2. 🇮🇹 Federico Ciriesi — Quantasy Della Caccia (0/0, 39.37s)
3. 🇮🇹 Elisa Chimirri — Your Lord D'Acheronte (0/0, 40.84s)

📊 Full results

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Le Pin au Haras CSI3* — Le Pin au Haras, France | June 17-21, 2026

The third edition of the CSI3* at the Haras national du Pin in Normandy drew 200 riders and 600 horses from 29 countries. France's Robinson Maupiler took the €60,000 Grand Prix aboard Irish Coffee, leading home an all-clear jump-off in which just over half a second covered the podium. Compatriot Theo Ogorzaly was second on Goya Batilly, with American Laura Kraut third on Kaylee.

Grand Prix CSI3* (1.50m) Top 3:

1. 🇫🇷 Robinson Maupiler — Irish Coffee (0/0, 36.55s)
2. 🇫🇷 Theo Ogorzaly — Goya Batilly (0/0, 36.84s)
3. 🇺🇸 Laura Kraut — Kaylee (0/0, 37.13s)

📊 Full results

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Industry News

• FEI Rankings: Kent Farrington (USA) holds world #1 for a second consecutive month on 3,506 points. Richard Vogel (GER) rises to #2 (3,311 pts), just six points ahead of Scott Brash (GBR) at #3 (3,305 pts). Nina Mallevaey (FRA) sits #7 (2,834 pts), Laura Kraut (USA) #9 (2,755 pts). (horsesport.com)
• Breeders on the Agenda: The FEI and WBFSH used the FEI Council Meeting in Lausanne (June 17) to push forward a proposal on formally recognising and supporting sport horse breeders — the people carrying much of the early investment and risk in the sport. With economic pressure, welfare, and sustainability all in play, both bodies are framing it as a strategic issue for the whole community, and the FEI will host a dedicated stakeholder session at the FEI Sports Forum 2027 (April 26-27, Lausanne). (WBFSH)
• FEI Presidential Election: Three candidates confirmed for the December 5 election in Jiangyin, China — Mark Samuel (CAN, Honorary VP), Sabrina Ibáñez (ESA, Secretary General since 2014), and Jack Huang (TPE, VP since 2019). (FEI)
• Backing the Grooms: A new World Class Grooming Career Development Grant — launched by Emma Ford and the Aiken Horse Park Foundation — pairs a $5,000 award with hands-on mentorship at the top level of dressage, jumping, or eventing. Aimed at US-based grooms aged 23-35 with at least three years' experience who haven't yet worked an Olympic, World, or Pan American Games, it's a deliberate effort to make grooming a sustainable long-term career. Applications close July 1. (Aiken Horse Park Foundation)
• Horse Sales: The Gaucho Sport Horses Auction (June 15-20) presented a curated collection of 3-year-old jumping prospects with top bloodlines. (Multiple sources)

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Looking Ahead: June 22-28, 2026

• ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🇨🇦 Spruce Meadows 'Pan American' (CSI5/CSI2) — Calgary, Canada | June 23-28. The first standalone CSI5* at the iconic International Ring this summer; Anderson Lima (MEX) designs as the calendar builds toward the Masters.
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🇺🇸 Traverse City (CSI4*) — Traverse City, USA | June 24-28. Kent Farrington defends his world #1 ranking on home turf after finishing 0.23s behind Charlotte Jacobs last weekend.
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🇺🇸 Ocala WEC (CSI4/CSI2) — Ocala, USA | June 23-28.
• ⭐⭐⭐ 🇺🇸 Lake Placid (CSI3*) — Lake Placid, USA | June 23-28.
• ⭐⭐⭐ 🇧🇪 Wuustwezel (CSI3*) — Wuustwezel, Belgium | June 24-28.
• ⭐⭐⭐ 🇭🇺 EEF Budapest (CSIO3*) — Budapest, Hungary | June 24-28.
• ⭐⭐⭐ 🇬🇧 Harthill - Bolesworth (CSI3*) — Cheshire, Great Britain | June 25-28.

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This Week: 8.4/10

Two genuine five-star headliners — Kühner commanding in Paris, Maher and Point Break breaking through for a first five-star Grand Prix win in Rotterdam — anchored a week with depth at every level. The three-way League of Nations jump-off, decided by seven hundredths of a second, was the kind of drama the format was built for, and Maher's own Grand Prix margin of 0.16 seconds was barely wider. Whitaker's long-awaited second Derby and Jacobs' comeback against the world #1 added real storylines beyond the top tier. It sits just below the recent run of blockbuster weeks — two five-star headliners rather than three — but the quality of sport, the knife-edge finishes, and the variety across two continents push it comfortably into very-strong territory.