Graham Gillespie lands Sentower Park’s CSI3* Grand Prix with a flourish at his first show for a month with Veneno in this week’s international round-up
Tuesday 10 June 2025
Graham Gillespie seized victory in the CSI3* Grand Prix with Veneno at Sentower Park in Belgium.
Graham and Veneno, at their first show for four weeks, had fired a warning shot across the bows to their intentions in an early 65-strong world ranking 3* 1.45m speed to take second and secure their Grand Prix qualification.
Forty-one riders came forward to face Spanish course-designer Marco Nunez’s demanding 13-fence, 16-effort 1.55m Grand Prix track but few found all the answers, several struggling with the time and a further six making just one error to bow out on four faults. Graham had no such problem with the Chacco-Blue x Baloubet Du Rouet 17-year-old, and they claimed the favourable draw.
“It was a difficult first round, very well built with lots of questions and only four clear rounds,” said Graham. “I was last to go in the jump-off and the one before me was the only clear on not the fastest horse, so I decided to keep it tidy knowing how quick Veneno is but not going over-quick to risk a fault.
The pair secured their Grand Prix victory by 1.46 seconds.
“It worked out perfectly. He’s an amazing horse as we have been busy at our new base, Springhill Farm in Valkenswaard, preparing and advertising for new training clients and merging into that side of the business. To pop out to a three-star show and win the Grand Prix is a fantastic result,” added Graham.
Olivia Sponer outpaced 84 rivals to take the top spot in the 3* 1.40m two-phase on Crazy Girl, the Corlensky G x Ars Vivendi 16-year-old mare claiming a 2.23 second winning advantage.
Evie Dorise was also in the winner’s enclosure, heading a 1* 1.30m two-phase on the Centurio 13-year-old Morginto by 0.09 seconds.
Millie Allen takes a five-star win in La Baule
Millie Allen continued with her successful run to add a five-star win in La Baule, France, to her tally.
Twenty-one contended the 5* 1.45m Accumulator but no rival was a match for Millie as she forged into victory by an impressive 3.65 seconds on Karel Cox Horses BV’s nine-year-old mare Quick Diamant HR (Diamant De Semilly x Quidam De Revel).
Jess Mendoza claimed third in the 5* Derby De La Baule with Disa DM 42. Fourteen tackled the 5* 1.50m course, but only Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat posted a clear on Easy Star De Talma for the win, Jess coming home on four faults on the Diarado 11-year-old mare for third place.
Scott Brash steered the Chacco-Blue 12-year-old Hello Chadora Lady into fourth in the 5* 1.50m 16-horse decider 0.43 seconds behind the winner, Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam on Gilona AO.
Scott was in contention for his second Grand Prix win in a week in the concluding 5* Rolex Grand Prix Ville De La Baule in the eight-horse jump-off, but four faults dropped Hello Folie down to fifth.
A tiny margin denied Georgia Tame a Golden Girl moment in the Wiesbaden Grand Prix
Georgia Tame was a fraction away from victory in the concluding 4* Longines Grand Prix of Wiesbaden with BE Golden Lynx in Germany.
Twenty-eight riders faced German course-designer Isabel Rothenberger’s 13-fence 1.60m track but only five came up with all the answers to progress into the jump-off. Georgia led the way on Breen Equestrian’s home-bred Golden Hawk x Lux Z nine-year-old, and it looked like she may take the win. But she was pipped at the post in the final draw as Italy’s Elia Simonetti stole victory in the final moments by only 0.13 seconds on Li La Bo.
Georgia sped into third in the 27-horse 4* 1.40m speed and handiness with the 10-year-old Loughton Diamond (Diarado x Cruising) 1.95 seconds behind the winner.
Jack Whitaker passed the power test with a win in Wiesbaden. With a cool, calm demeanour, Jack smoothly posted five clear rounds on D&H Q Paravatti N to take the top spot in the 4* Six-Bar competition.
Fifteen initially came forward to face this power test over six verticals, and only four were left as the fifth and final round approached, although one rider opted out at this point. The other three all left every fence intact to share the first prize, Jack and the Quality Time TN x Indoctro 13-year-old on the top of the podium with Belgium’s Andres Vereeke (Dukaat Van Herkenrode Z) and Morocco’s Vincent Zacharias Bourguignon (Rambo VH Gebergte).
Chad Fellows jumped Conquida De Revel PS into third in the 4* 1.55m. Thirty-two contended this class but only four came up trumps with a clear, Chad and the 11-year-old mare (Conthargos x Quidam De Revel) jumping another clear round to take third 3.21 seconds off the pace.
Sienna Charles takes a podium place in Cannes
The Brits just missed out on a win in the beautiful setting of the Longines Global Champions Tour in Cannes, France, but picked up podium places.
Sienna Charles was less than half a second from a win in the 5* 1.55m speed with Chawton. Fifty-seven riders engaged in this race against the clock over Italian course-designer Uliano Vezzani’s 12-fence track with Sienna and the Typhoon S x Caletto II 11-year-old finishing 0.41 seconds behind The Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten on Beauville Z NOP.
John Whitaker slipped Sharid into third in the 27-strong Prix Barons de Rothschild 5* 1.45m two-phase, the Toulon 16-year-old 0.44 seconds behind the winner, The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling on Cornet Blue PS.
Emily Routledge steered the eight-year-old Comme Il Faut stallion Mister Jones into third in the Cannes 2* 1.45m Grand Prix, 2.62 seconds off the pace.
Matt Sampson takes a five-star podium place in Spruce Meadows
Matt Sampson eased Ebolensky into third in The Mustangs 1.50/1.55m at Spruce Meadows Continental in Canada.
Thirteen of the 31 starters returned for the jump-off over Canadian course-designer Peter Grant 1.50/1.55m track with Matt claiming two of the rides. He posted double clears on both, the game 16-year-old mare Ebolensky (Clinton x Heartbreaker) jumping into third o.64 seconds off the winning time set by Ireland’s Daniel Coyle and Incredible. Matt finished sixth on Daniel, just behind Charlie Jones and Capitale 6.
Matt picked up a 1.30m win with Don Quentin with 0.32 seconds to spare in the 20-strong decider.
Louis Wood claims a Grand Prix podium place in Italy
Louis Wood jumped into second in the 2* Grand Prix of Bedizzole in Italy, with Filou Moussardiere.
Eighteen of the 72 starters returned for the jump-off with Louis and the selle Francais 15-year-old jumping another clear to take the runner-up position 0.54 seconds off the pace.
Image Credit: Pegasus Photo
16yy6aqhhqea.jpg "Rosa Beer Shines at Chard Equestrian in Thrilling STX-UK Pony British Novice Second Round")
