Fontainebleau, France – April 25, 2026 – There was plenty of excitement on Saturday in the Main Arena (Terrain d’Honneur) at the Grand Parquet. The sun was shining, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the grandstands were packed with enthusiastic spectators. Indeed, the crowds in Fontainebleau made their voices heard throughout the day, constantly cheering on and supporting the riders.
After Julien Épaillard’s win in the French Pro Élite Championships riding Hard’Rock Queen HJD, the day continued in style with the €56,800 Saur Prize CSI 5* . On the eve of the GL events Grand Prix, a total of 52 of the world’s top riders had a final opportunity to hone their skills ahead of Sunday’s big event, in this 1.55m, table-A class against the clock.
In this kind of format, against the clock, the riders and horses needed put in fast times without undermining their confidence, take risks without losing their discipline, and test themselves without pushing too hard. In short, this class was a balancing act, where every detail counted. Although 13 riders managed to complete clear rounds, after a thrilling battle that went down to the wire, it was Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (SWE), riding Glamour Girl, who finally won the class in a time of 67.94 seconds.
The Swede finished ahead of two Belgian riders. Pieter Devos (BEL), riding Jarina J, took second place in 68.74 seconds.
Jérôme Guery (BEL) and Gigolo di Villagana took third place in 69.53 seconds.
What he said:
Henrik von Eckermann (SWE), winner of the CSI5* Prix Saur with Glamour Girl:
“I’m just so happy with this win. The wins that make us happiest are often the ones we don’t see coming. To be honest, I was not sure whether I would be in the starting line-up or not. My mare had been jumping well on the other days, but there was something about her today that made me think she might not be at 100%. She’s 15 years old, so she has nothing left to prove. That means I have no qualms about resting her if she’s not at her best. But today, during the warm-up, I immediately felt everything was fine. I had a good feeling about her, so I said to myself: “Go for it!”. It’s been a wonderful day for Janika and me. It’s not often that we both win on the same day. In fact, I don’t think it’s ever happened before. Tomorrow, I’ll be riding Qasirah van de Reistenhoek in the Grand Prix. We hit two bars on the first day, even though she was jumping quite well. But that’s also the beauty of our sport: anything can happen. One day you win, and the next day everything can be totally different. I’d also like to thank Sylvie Robert for this competition, and for all the others she organises. She does everything so well, especially for horses. The surfaces are incredible, from the competition arenas to the relaxation areas. Of course, it’s wonderful for the fans and spectators, but for us, the most important thing is the well-being of the horses. And here, everything is done with that in mind. We are really grateful to have someone so committed to our sport.”
Final Results – €56,800 Saur Prize CSI 5*
1) Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) & Glamour Girl – 0 – 67.94
2) Pieter Devos (BEL) & Jarina J – 0 – 68.74
3) Jérôme Guery (BEL) & Gigolo di Villagana – 0 – 69.53
Source: Press Release (edited) from Eloise Lepine for Les Printemps des Sports Équestres
Photos: © PSV / J. Morel
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Categories: CSI 5*, English, Jumper News Sverige
