Olivier Philippaerts, Nicola Philippaerts, Malin Baryard-Johnsson, and Julien Epaillard claimed victory in the Super Cup Final on Saturday evening in Riyadh. In the final, the Stockholm Hearts proved to be the best, finishing with only one fault. This marks the second time the Philippaerts brothers have won the Champions League final, with their first victory taking place in 2021 as part of the London Knights in Prague.
The grand finale of the Longines Global Champions Tour and the Longines Global Champions League took place this year in Riyadh. The best riders with the finest horses were in attendance, ready to deliver top performances in a spectacular venue. With a demanding schedule including the Super Grand Prix and the Super Cup Final, it was crucial to select the right combinations. The Stockholm Hearts were directly qualified for the semifinals, allowing them to skip the quarterfinals.
The team decided that Olivier Philippaerts would ride Poppemieke JW van de Moerhoeve in the semifinals. “Poppemieke performed very well with one fault.” says Olivier, “She’s only 9 years old, and is not so experienced at this level yet. With a total of eight faults, we secured our spot in Saturday’s final with the Stockholm Hearts."
Friday evening marked the grand finale of the Global Tour. Nicola Philippaerts and Katanga van het Dingeshof had two faults in the first round of the Super Grand Prix. However, they delivered a faultless second round, finishing 9th overall. Olivier Philippaerts and H&M Miro concluded the competition in 12th place with one and three faults, respectively.
After the Super Grand Prix, the team for the Super Cup Final was finalized, and it was decided that Nicola Philippaerts would take his brother Olivier's place for the decisive round.
In the Super Cup Final, Nicola Philippaerts set the tone immediately by staying clear of faults. "I had already seen a few combinations working, and I had a good idea of what I had to do," says Nicola Philippaerts. "The result was a faultless round. My teammates did the same, giving us a strong position for the second round. I made one mistake in the second round, but Julien and Malin both stayed clear again. What followed was a collective outburst of joy. After a difficult season, we finished third in the regular competition. To be able to finish it off in the big final is fantastic. Katanga did what she does best these past days: perform under pressure. It's amazing to close the outdoor season this way."
For the twin brothers, this is their second overall victory in the Global Champions League Final. "In 2021, we won in Prague," says Olivier Philippaerts. "Back then, we both rode in the final. This time, only Nicola did. But I enjoyed it just as much. Together with Poppemieke, we did the preparatory work and qualified for the final. The teammates finished it off. Fantastic."
