Deauville, France – June 07, 2026 – Nina Mallevaey (FRA) and the very good Destine to Be won the €60,200 Sotheby’s International Realty de la région Normandie Grand Prix CSIO 3* at the Longines EEF Series Deauville CSIO 3* on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to a lightning-fast second half of the jump-off, the world’s seventh-ranked rider got the better of Omar Abdoul Aziz al-Marzouqi (UAE) and the extraordinary Enjoy de La Mûre. Julien Épaillard (FRA) guided his young Hacker d’Auge, already in fine form in Friday’s Longines Nations Cup, to third place.

Twelve years. Nina Mallevaey’s (FRA) first, and only, international win in Deauville dated back a little over twelve years. On May 25, 2014, the northern French rider won the Grand Prix of the Children’s CSIO then held in the Calvados aboard Gilbert, an Oldenburg gelding she rode for two seasons. This afternoon, the world number seven in the Longines rankings took her destiny into her own hands aboard the aptly named Destine to Be to win the Sotheby’s International Realty de la région Normandie Grand Prix CSIO 3* at the CSIO 3* held at the Pôle International du Cheval Longines Deauville, a venue she had not visited for a CSI since 2020. She duly upheld the global pecking order, having been the top seed of the show.

Before her round, the 2004 Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) had opened the jump-off of this 1.55m class in fine style with a Major Tom (ex-Nielsdaka van de Rhamdia Hoeve) who looked back to full form two and a half months out from the Aachen World Championships. The 40.24s posted by the Brazilian and his chestnut ultimately earned them fourth place.

Julien Épaillard (FRA), based some thirty kilometres away at his Haras de la Bosquetterie, bettered that with a time of 39.45 seconds, though without taking his usual risks, understandably, as he was riding Hacker d’Auge, an Action-Breaker son just nine years old and contesting only his second 1.55m Grand Prix.

With the former rider of Caracole de la Roque thus in the lead, Nina Mallevaey (FRA) showed all her well-known determination to steer her excellent son of Diamant de Semilly to his first international Grand Prix win. Partners for a little over two years and already winners of a 1.55m class in Wellington in early January, the pair produced a good start to the jump-off but, above all, an absolutely sensational second half, crossing the line 1.25s ahead of Julien Épaillard and his Hacker.

Riding his Olympic star Enjoy de la Mûre,  nineteenth at the Paris 2024 Games, Omar Abdoul Aziz al-Marzouqi (UAE) did everything he could to dethrone Nina Mallevaey (FRA), but all the qualities of his Selle Français stallion were not enough. With a time of 39.02 seconds, the pair, presumably preparing for the Aachen World Championships, nonetheless secured an excellent second place.

All classes of the Sotheby’s International Realty Deauville CSIO 3* are broadcast live on GrandPrix.TV, and results on www.longinestiming.com/equestrian

Final Results – €60,200 Sotheby’s International Realty de la région Normandie Grand Prix CSIO 3*

1) Nina Mallevaey (FRA) & Destine to Be – 0 / 0 – 38.20

2) Omar Abdoul Aziz al-Marzouqi (UAE) & Enjoy de La Mûre – 0 / 0 – 39.02

3) Julien Épaillard (FRA) & Hacker d’Auge – 0 / 0 – 39.45

Source: Press Release from Grand Prix Events

Photo: © Grand Prix Events

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