Cate Kerr is a double four-star winner in Italy
Tuesday 05 May 2026
Cate Kerr conjured a double of four-star wins in Montefalco, Italy.
Cate commanded victory in the Under 25 1.45m European Cup Grand Prix with John Chadwick’s Petitfour VD Wareslage. Fifteen riders came forward over the 1.45m track – Cate’s first at this level – but only two clears were realised to go head-to-head in the jump-off. However, Cate was the sole competitor to jump another clear round to take a handsome victory on the Corydon Van T&L x Feinschnitt I VD Richter 11-year-old she took over in September.
Each leg in the European Youngster [EY] Cup Under 25 series, with the 1.45m Grand Prix earning world ranking points with the winner qualifying for the Salzburg Final, Austria, in December.
“I’ve been out in Italy for the past two weeks but didn’t do the Under 25 series in week one as I had to fly back to do GCSE exams,” said Cate, 16, who has benefitted from the help and advice of Billy Twomey. “I’ve been riding Petitfours for eight months now and we’ve been building up to 1.45m, but the bigger the jumps, the better. He’s such a fantastic, talented horse and very quick against the clock, I can’t thank John [Chadwick] enough for the opportunity to ride and for his great support.”
Cate hit winning form on day one, heading the 4* 1.35m with Ballypatrick Zambra, the nine-year-old Je T’Aime Flamenco daughter outpacing 78 rivals by 0.62 seconds for the top spot.
“She’s improving all the time and was placed a couple of times in week one, she deserved this win,” added Cate.
British riders filled two of the top three places in the final day’s 4* 1.45m, Robert Whitaker slipping Gentleman VH Veldhof into second ahead of Olli Fletcher’s BP Pocahontas in third. Forty-five competitors came forward in this two-phase class with Robert and the evergreen Quite Easy x Calido I 20-year-old failing to catch Italy’s Guido Franchi on Arsenio De Marchesana by 0.45 seconds. Olli was one whole second in arrears for third.
Laura Renwick was also a double winner, heading two 4* 1.35m classes with home-bred horses. The seven-year-old NFS Taluga (Taloubet Z x Heartbreaker) beat 58 others to top the two-phase by more than three seconds, and Laura claimed the top two places in the 34-strong 1.35m speed, the eight-year-old NFS Top Gun (Top Dollar IV x Heartbreaker) stepping into the top spot with seven-year-old half-brother NFS Taluga – both the sons of Laura’s top speed mare, Beluga II – in second, 1.71 seconds separating the two.
Sienna Charles takes a Grand Prix second in Deurne
Sienna Charles claimed second place in the concluding 2* 1.45mGrand Prix with Chawton at the Green Valley Estate in Deurne, The Netherlands.
A tough 13-fence, 16-effort track from course-designer Henk Linders reduced the 45 starters to only four for the jump-off, Sienna’s sister Scarlett one of the casualties having left every fence intact but picked up one time fault on Chicago’s Boy for fifth spot.
Sienna posted another clear round with the 12-year-old Typhoon S x Caletto II stallion to finish second 2.46 seconds behind the winner, Japan’s Taizo Sugitani on Quincy 194.
One rail proves costly for Scott Brash in Shanghai
Scott Brash was in contention for the Longines Global Champions Grand Prix of Shanghai with Hello Chadora Lady, but one costly rail denied him glory.
The electric atmosphere of Shanghai reached fever pitch as 40 world class riders went into battle for the more than €630,500 in prize money in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Shanghai in one of the most competitive classes of the 2026 season so far.
In a 19-strong jump-off packed with drama, first out Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts set a sizzling standard to land the win on Katanga VH Dingeshof with 2.83 seconds in hand over Germany’s maestro Marcus Ehning aboard Coolio 42.
The real threat came from defending LGCT Grand Prix of Shanghai winner Scott Brash, and he looked like he was going to post back-to-back wins. Flat-out from the start with Hello Chadora Lady, he was up on the clock and flying - until it all unraveled. One rail. Gone. Despite a blistering time 1.49 seconds quicker, the lowered rail it dropped him out of contention and into fourth.
