Delestre Goes Lights Out and Away to Victory in €1.5 million Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco

One word: Charged.

Monaco lit up tonight as Simon Delestre and the sensational Cayman Jolly Jumper stormed to victory in the €1.5 million Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco, delivering a performance worthy of the most dramatic finales. 

In front of a sold-out crowd lining the iconic Port Hercule, Delestre threw caution to the wind, blazing to a jump-off time of 32.06 seconds - a full 1.84 seconds faster than his closest rival Harry Charles with Sherlock.

In a Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix defined by razor-thin margins and split-second decisions. Kim Emmen delivered an exceptional round aboard Imagine N.O.P., claiming a well-earned third in the podium celebration.

Held under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco as he watched on from hospitality, the eighth Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of the 2025 championship drew a star-studded guest list blending the worlds of motorsport and equestrian excellence. Spectators lined the edges of the compact arena, creating an atmosphere that was nothing short of electric - Monaco style.

“What can I say about this horse, he is truly amazing, he’s a legend and it’s amazing for me to ride a horse like him… I have no more words to say how good he is.”... an ecstatic Simon Delestre tried to put into words what this win meant for him to GCTV. He went on to add, “winning here is a dream, it was my objective for this season - we tried to plan but to make it makes all the difference.”

Speaking after his second place, Harry Charles said of Maikel van der Vleuten. “I asked him ‘if the four was on’, as I think only him and Simon did it, so looking back I would've done five… I wasn't even in the ring when I took off - but Sherlock had a big enough step and he trusted me so thanks to him it paid off.”

As for third place Kim Emmen? Her eyes were on the clock and she couldn’t be happier with her third place finish. “Imagine jumped great, and also in the jump off he was just 2 seconds off the time of Simon so I was so happy. It was a very tough class with a lot of clears, but really it rode super and it was challenging enough.”

As for the Championship? A shakeup is on our hands. Led by unshakable young gun Gilles Thomas but the jump-off contenders in Monaco cement themselves inside the top 5. 

1st Gilles Thomas - 183 pts

2nd Simon Delestre 158.2 pts

3rd Andreas Schou - 126 pts

4th Denis Lynch - 112.2 pts

5th Pieter Devos - 105 pts

Royalty and VIP guests took their places for a spectacular evening of world-class show jumping as the 8th stage of the 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour reached its dramatic finale in Monaco. With panoramic ringside views and the Mediterranean glittering in the background, spectators were treated to an unforgettable showcase of equestrian excellence.

A total of 40 qualified riders stepped into the spotlight for the prestigious Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco, ready to take on a formidable track crafted by renowned course designer Uliano Vezzani. His clever design, packed with questions and distractions, proved decisive - with 12 riders emerging faultless from the opening round to make it through to the jump-off.

The stylish crowd added glamour to the evening, strolling past superyachts and along the portside red carpet, while fans leaned into the railings for an up-close view of the stars of the sport in action.

Set beneath the iconic Prince’s Palace, the magical floodlit arena delivered on every level. Among the distinguished guests were SAR La Princesse Caroline and Madame Charlotte Casiraghi awarded the trophies alongside Benjamin Manoukian, Responsable for Longines Communication France. 

As for the jump off? It was electric.

First to go, Maikel van der Vleuten set the pace aboard O’Bailey van het Brouwershof N.O.P., but their round was marred by a rail at the first part of the double. A smooth time of 33.59 seconds showed their speed, but the four faults kept them out of podium contention. As pathfinders, they bravely opened the jump-off but paid the price for risk.

Pieter Devos was next to go on his talented 10-year-old homebred, Casual DV Z, giving every fence room and jumping with elegance and scope. The Belgian rider earned a huge cheer for his clear round in 35.39 seconds, which would hold the lead - briefly.

Then came Simon Delestre, who arrived in Monaco with only one thing in mind: winning. Knowing exactly what was needed, he and Cayman Jolly Jumper rode flat-out to the final fence with clinical precision, slicing corners and never lifting off the gas. Their breathtaking round in 32.06 seconds rocketed them into the lead and brought the crowd to its feet.

Germany’s Maximilian Weishaupt followed suit on Zuccero HV, riding a tactful but competitive line. Tight turns and forward thinking kept him close, and his time of 34.49 seconds slotted him into second - until others would shuffle the leaderboard again.

Dutch rider Kim Emmen and Imagine N.O.P. gave it their all, executing a fluid round in 34.08 seconds, good enough to momentarily take over the runner-up spot and ultimately finish third after the final rider entered the ring.

That final rider was Harry Charles, piloting Sherlock. With everything to play for, the young Brit delivered a fast and polished round in 33.90 seconds, just missing out on the top spot but clinching second place overall. The last to go, the pressure was immense - but he delivered under the lights.

Elsewhere in the jump-off, Andreas Schou and Napoli vh Nederassenthof looked to be in contention, but the same part of the double that caught Maikel came down again. His quick time of 32.60 seconds proved how close it could have been without the four faults.

Mariana Frauches Chaves, making her LGCT Grand Prix debut, impressed on Pedro van de Barlebuis. One slight misjudgment at the purple oxer after the double saw a single rail fall, but a superb round nonetheless for the rising Brazilian talent.

Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca and Jappeloup opted for a more measured approach but were unlucky at the second element of the combination. Their clear intention was control, not risk - but that rail put them out of the running.

Henrik von Eckermann, world number three, gave it everything on the powerful Iliana, but it wasn’t his night. Three fences fell, including the tricky double and purple oxer, proving even the best can be caught out on Vezzani’s track.

Fernando Martinez Sommer and High Five were down on the clock, and their final fence fell, adding four faults to an otherwise smooth round. Jur Vrieling, aboard Kannan JR, had the worst luck of the evening - two early fences down saw him retire.

After an action-packed June and July, the Longines Global Champions Tour now pauses for a brief mid-season reset before charging ahead to London for the 9th stage of the 2025 Championship. With the pressure mounting and every point counting, the battle for the title is set to escalate as we enter the decisive stretch of the season.