Irishman Impresses! Daniel Coyle Dazzles to Claim the Checkpoint Trophy at the European Championship

By Jumper News on 2025-07-17

The 2025 edition of the European Show Jumping Championship began at the Casas Novas Equestrian Center. It kicked off with the Checkpoint Trophy, the first scoring event, which was won by Irish rider Daniel Coyle.

Arteixo, Spain – July 16, 2025 – The first day of competition featured the €50,000 Checkpoint Trophy CSIO 5*, a Speed class where the stopwatch determines the outcome.

Time differences were minimal in the tightly contested final standings, which saw Irish rider Daniel Coyle (IRL) emerge as the winner.

**Richard Vogel** (GER) & **United Touch S**

Riding the mare Legacy, Coyle edged out Germany’s Richard Vogel (GER) on United Touch S by just three hundredths of a second, while Britain’s Donald Whitaker (GBR) finished third with Millfields Colette.

Among the Spanish riders, the standout performer was Armando Trapote (ESP) with the brilliant Tornado VS. A faultless round earned them 11th place, just a fraction behind in time, translating to 1.40 penalty points in the provisional standings.

The rest of the Spanish team had a weaker showing, resulting in an 11th-place position in the provisional team ranking. Great Britain leads the standings with 3.96 points, followed by Germany with 4.19 and Belgium in third with 4.61. Spain currently has 15.15 points.

Daniel Coyle (IRL), who is competing only as an individual, received the Checkpoint Trophy as the winner of this first qualifying event of the European Championship. The award was presented by Mariano Tudela, Vice President of Sales at MAS Worldwide.

**Armando Trapote** (ESP) & **Tornado VS**

Armando Trapote Receives Additional NH Collection Prize
The event also featured a special prize, sponsored by NH Collection, awarded to the best-ranked Spanish rider. This prize went to Armando Trapote, who—riding his outstanding Tornado VS—finished among the top competitors and is now seen as a strong medal contender. He received the award from Raúl Fernández Martín, Operations Director for the Northern Zone.

Second Qualifying Round Set for Thursday, July 17
The second qualifying round of the European Championship, both individual and team, will take place on Thursday, July 17 at the Casas Novas Equestrian Center. The competition is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM.

A Spectacular Opening Day at Casas Novas
The opening day also left us with countless memorable moments of spectators enjoying the incredible facilities of Casas Novas.

Under ideal weather conditions for spending the day in this privileged setting, the attending fans were thrilled by the Checkpoint Trophy and also enjoyed everything surrounding the European Show Jumping Championship: a 100% local gastronomic offer featuring several of the city’s most renowned restaurants, merchandising stands with a variety of brands—perfect for taking home the best souvenirs of the competition—and a spectacular atmosphere where nature and attention to detail took center stage.