Guillaume Batillat & Qapella di Lini: A French Victory at the end of a Long Road

By Jumper News on 2025-07-12

Chantilly, France – July 12, 2025 – With the Grand Prix horses resting today, the feature class, the Grand Prix de la Laiterie Le Montaigu CSI 4*, saw in action those horses not scheduled to start on Sunday… or those who had failed to qualify over the first two days.

That was the case for Eleven de Riverland, for instance: eight penalty-points yesterday, third place today with the first jump-off clear under 42 seconds. The son of Kannan – who took Nicolas Sers (FRA) to second place in the 5* Grand Prix (1.60m) at the CSIO in St. Gallen (won by Olympic champion Scott Brash, no less) – was clearly at ease in this more modest 1.45m Grand Prix. He breezed through the classic first round (13 fences, 16 efforts), and like his half-brother Qannando B&V yesterday, “played” with the jump-off using his massive stride: “I might not have tightened the turn enough on oxer no. 11,” Sers was heard muttering as he watched American rider Caroline Mawhinney (USA) Carsezy Z shave three tiny hundredths off his time.

**Guillaume Batillat** (FRA) & **Qapella di Lino**

Not enough to win, though: that was already secured by another Frenchman, Guillaume Batillat (FRA), who had just stopped the clock at 41.45 seconds with Qapella di Lini, 18 and 21 hundredths faster than Mawhinney and Sers.

With 86 riders on the start list, winning this kind of class is no small feat. And that feat went to France, signed Guillaume Batillat (FRA):

“As with any jump-off, you can’t hold back. Even more so with 22 in the mix, if you don’t take every risk, you don’t stand a chance. After three days here, you start to get your bearings on this big grass arena, and you find the ideal line for a jump-off. Qapella di Lini was perfect, there’s nothing more to say. She’s only 9-year-old, but she was incredible; she really gave it everything. Today she wins this 1.45m class, but she’s a mare with a big potential. She’s already jumped clear rounds in 4* Grands Prix. It’s great for the horses to learn on these big grass tracks… and good for us, too. I like the grass.”

Tomorrow, Batillat will ride Quistria du Bois, another 9-year-old mare, also Belgian, who he qualified on Friday with a 4-fault round in the Prix du Département de l’Oise.

This Saturday, the Grandes Écuries arena once again lived up to its promise, with excellent footing throughout a busy day of sport. A good sign on the eve of the Grand Prix de la Ville de Chantilly, where the week’s top 50 combinations will face off.

A highlight for spectators: the Grand Prix de la Ville de Chantilly will be preceded by a 30-minute equestrian show featuring liberty work, vaulting, and acrobatics by Elisa Laville and Jules Coquerel, on the main arena.

Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy free family activities, a shopping village for riders and non-riders alike, and a variety of food trucks set against the backdrop of the majestic Grandes Écuries.