Jess Mendoza lands a Grand Prix win in Toronto
Thursday 28 August 2025
Jess Mendoza hit form in the 2* classes in the Major League Showjumping in Toronto, Canada, with I-Cap CL Z.
The pair finished second in the Greenhawk $46,000 2* 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier in a 17-horse decider, half a second behind the winner, Ireland’s Jordan Coyle on Action T. The efforts boded well for the Grand Prix itself, and they went one better to take the win.
Thirty-nine competitors came forward over German course-designer Olaf Petersen Jr’s 13-fence, 16-effort track in the Sprucewood Tack $46,000 2* Grand Prix but only eight mastered every test to join the jump-off. Confident and on-form, last-to-go Jess guided the 13-year-old I-Cap (I’m Special De Muze x Air Jordan Z) into a fast yet accurate clear, breaking the finish beams with 1.27 seconds to spare, leaving Israel’s Daniel Bluman and Rebelline De Kwakenbeek trailing in their wake.
“He’s always very fast in the jump-off, I know I don’t have to do the lead out as he can still be very quick so, I made a decision early on not to do the six strides to the skinny, I went on seven instead as I knew that wouldn’t slow him up. I just had to leave the jumps up but I could be quick naturally, his footspeed makes him quicker than the others,” said Jess, who has owned I-Cap since he was a five-year-old.
“He’s the biggest personality in the barn, he comes across as a little grumpy, but it is fake grumpy, he’s actually a cuddly little character. I would never want to part ways with him, he’s going to stay in the family until he retires; he’s my heart horse. I haven’t done big five-star Grand Prix with him the last year or so and let him skip round 1.45/1.50m classes, not trying to pressure him too much after he did the World Cup Finals, just let him have fun, go quick and win and he feels amazing. He’s going to do one more show and then have a few easy weeks – he tends to have a few weeks between showing, this seems to be what works for him.”
Ben Maher’s masterclass earns victory on the Longines Global Champions Tour of Valkenswaard
Ben Maher gave a masterful demonstration to claim victory in the 5* 1.60m speed on the Longines Global Champions Tour in Valkenswaard, The Netherlands, with Enjeu De Grisien.
Running concurrently with the Global Champions League and with his trademark ice-cool control on display, Ben delivered two brilliant clear rounds for the Shanghai Swans on Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s Enjeu De Grisien. Unfortunately, round one partner Max Kuhner incurred four faults and second round teammate Daniel Deusser returned on eight to drop the team down to fifth.
The Prague Lions took the win from second placed host country Valkenswaard United, who remained top of the leaderboard, pulling away from the second-placed Shanghai Swans by 15 points.
Nonetheless, Ben’s effort second time out over the 13-fence, 16-effort 1.60m speed track designed by Uliano Vezzani on the Toulon x Andiamo 11-year-old earned the win in the individual competition by 0.79 seconds. Belgium’s Gilles Thomas had to settle for second place on Qalista DN.
Robert Murphy is on the podium with German showjumping icons
Robert Murphy guided Hulde G into a four-star podium place in Munster, Germany.
A field of 47 riders registered for the 4* 1.50m over a 13-fence, 16-effort course designed by Peter Schumacher, but the challenging test witnessed only six post flawless rounds two qualify for the jump-off.
Two of Germany’s great – Christian Ahlmann on Otterongo Alpha Z and Marcus Ehning with Askala NRW – filled the top two as Robert entered the arena as last to go. And he gave it his best shot, piloting the Vigo D’Arsouilles x Warrant 13-year-old Hulde G into a swift, yet smooth round to split the two, finishing 0.29 seconds behind Christian.
Image: Monarch Creative
