Weishaupt Unleashed: Kilmister Flies to Thrilling Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Vienna Win

For a second week in a row, a nine-year-old horse captured the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix crown. This time it was Kilmister’s turn, and the partnership with Philipp Weishaupt was simply untouchable in the iconic venue in Autria’s Capital Vienna.

“I am not just saying this because I won, and I can’t say it’s my favourite as I am from Riesenbeck, but we are lucky enough to jump at lots of incredible venues around the world… but this? This is by far the most incredible, alongside Riesenbeck of course,” said Weishaupt, visibly moved by the grandeur of Vienna’s return to the Tour. “When you have Peder Fredricson behind you, you never really know what is to come and what will happen, but being 1.2 seconds faster than Monaco and Harrie Smolders… we know we did a pretty good job.”

Against the majestic baroque backdrop of Schönbrunn Palace, the Longines Global Champions Tour of Vienna Grand Prix unfolded in truly unforgettable fashion. The Austrian capital came alive with electric energy as sold-out grandstands packed with passionate fans created an atmosphere that was nothing short of spine-tingling. 

Harrie Smolders and Monaco, winners already this season in Cannes and Valkenswaard, once again rose to the occasion to finish runner-up. Reflecting on the class, Smolders said: “The sport this weekend has been fantastic, a super jump off last night and now again 12 in the jump off tonight. Sport at a very, very high level and it really makes all the difference. Tonight you had to ride it very precisely – there were lots of options and decisions to make.”

Third place went to Ireland’s Bertram Allen with the talented nine-year-old Qonquest de Rigo, marking a special return to the LGCT spotlight for the youngest ever LGCT Grand Prix winner on the Tour. “I am absolutely delighted – he is a young horse at another 9 years old and was so impressed with his step up today. When you’re against some of the best in the world there is only so much you can hope for, and this is definitely it. It was a very technical jump off actually and to be honest, everything went to plan today,” said Allen.

For Weishaupt, victory also meant the coveted Golden Ticket to the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs. “Prague is my favourite week of the year without a doubt. The most emotional day in my sporting career was winning the GCL Super Cup in 2023, and I am so pleased to be back jumping the LGCT Super Grand Prix in 2025,” he said.

In the overall Longines Global Champions Tour Championship standings, Gilles Thomas retains the leader’s armband on 261 points, despite skipping Vienna. Christian Kukuk edged closer in second on 206 points, while Andreas Schou held firm in third with 182 points. Harrie Smolders and Maikel van der Vleuten round off the top five as the race tightens with just three events left and the pressure mounting.

As the sun dipped low over Vienna, the arena became a cauldron of drama – the perfect stage for high-stakes sport at its finest. Families, first-time spectators, and seasoned show jumping enthusiasts alike were swept up in the intensity, riding every moment with the athletes. It was more than just competition; it was theatre, with stories of heartbreak and triumph unfolding fence by fence. In a setting where history meets modern sporting excellence, the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix once again proved why it is one of the most breathtaking events on the international sporting calendar.

From the very start, the crowd knew they were witnessing something special. The first clear round came from Allen himself, immediately lighting the spark for what would become a fiercely competitive jump-off. Bassem Mohammed and Rocket Man added to the excitement with another clear, soon joined by Eduardo Alvarez Aznar on the aptly named Legend. Martin Fuchs with L&L Lorde made sure the home stretch was stacked with talent.

But the course was unforgiving. A cruel handful of time penalties caught out Jörne Sprehe and Guido Grimaldi, while Henrik von Eckermann fell heartbreakingly short of qualification with a round that was less than a second over the allowed time. And when it came to the jump-off itself, drama followed at every turn. Fuchs, Aznar, and Mohammed all fell victim to the same bogey fence, while speed merchants Katrin Eckermann and Hans-Dieter Dreher went all out, only to leave a rail behind.

while Jörne Sprehe and Guido Grimaldi thrilled the crowd but were cruelly undone by time penalties. Henrik von Eckermann, heartbreakingly, also fell foul of the clock with Qasirah van de Reistenhoek, missing the jump-off by the narrowest of margins. In the end, twelve combinations qualified – setting up a jump-off to remember.

Allen returned first and threw down the gauntlet with a sharp 42.31 seconds, his horse looking every inch a future star. Mohammed followed but clipped the final stretch, their 43.12 seconds with four faults not enough. Aznar, too, was quick at 42.90, but the same fence fell again to scupper his hopes. Fuchs had déjà vu, yesterday’s 5* winner hitting that very same rail once more to finish on four in 43.45 seconds.

Then came the fireworks. Katrin Eckermann took risks aboard Iron Dames Dialou Blue PS, flying around in 41.50 but paying the price with a pole down. Hans-Dieter Dreher was even faster, his 40.49 seconds the quickest of the day, but again a rail fell to collective groans from the stands.

It was Smolders who finally delivered the clear the crowd craved, Monaco rolling back the years with a flawless 41.96 to take the lead. The cheers reached fever pitch for Weishaupt, who attacked every line on Kilmister, daring the turns and opening the throttle down the final stretch. The result: 40.85 seconds – over a second quicker and untouchable. The arena erupted.

Fredricson, last to go, was ice-cool as ever with Alcapone. Smooth, precise, but not quite quick enough, his 42.43 left him in fourth, just shy of the podium. Mexico’s Fernando Martinez Sommer impressed with a steady clear in 48.82 for fifth, while Dreher’s lightning-fast but faulted effort kept him in sixth.

As champagne sprayed under the lights of Schönbrunn, Vienna’s long-awaited return was crowned with a storybook finish. A nine-year-old horse, a daring German rider, and a palace full of fans created a moment to remember. All eyes now turn to Rome, where the Eternal City and the historic Circus Maximus will host Stage 14 from 10–12 October – another unmissable chapter in the 2025 Championship race.