St. Tropez, France – September 19, 2026 – Victor Bettendorf (LUX) and Encore Toi du Linon delivered a flawless performance at Haras de Gassin, taking victory in the €56,800 La Clinique du Cheval Prize CSIO 5*. The Luxembourgeoise rider topped a highly competitive 1.50m class after 35 combinations lined up for the first round, with 16 earning their place in the decisive jump-off.

Bettendorf kept his 12-year-old bay Selle Français stallion, Encore Toi du Linon, clear once again in the shortened course, stopping the clock in 38.00 seconds. The Kannan x Desir du Chateau gelding—correction: stallion—showed both scope and precision under pressure to secure the top prize in one of the weekend’s most closely fought contests.

Brazil’s Marlon Módolo Zanotelli (BRA) came agonisingly close to taking the win with High Hopes du Fleuve. Also clear in both rounds, Zanotelli crossed the finish line in 38.04 seconds, just four hundredths of a second behind Bettendorf. The narrow margin underlined just how little separated the leading combinations in the jump-off.

Sanne Thijssen (NED) completed the podium for the Netherlands with Farah Z, adding another double-clear performance to the scoreboard in 38.38 seconds. With all three medal-winning combinations finishing on zero faults across both rounds, speed proved decisive at the Haras de Gassin, where Bettendorf ultimately emerged victorious by the slimmest of margins.

Final Results – €56,800 La Clinique du Cheval Prize CSIO 5*

1) Victor Bettendorf (LUX) & Encore Toi du Linon – 0 / 0 – 38.00

2) Marlon Módolo Zanotelli (BRA) & High Hopes du Fleuve – 0 / 0 – 38.04

3) Sanne Thijssen (NED) & Farah Z – 0 / 0 – 38.38

Source: Polo Club St. Tropez

Text: Jumper News, no reproduction without permission.

Photos: © Agence Ecary

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