Hessel Hoekstra on Top in the Quintes Maastricht Winning Round CSI 4*

By Jumper News on 2026-11-09

Maastricht, The Netherlands – November 07, 2026 – Hessel Hoekstra (NED) and Jumping Indoor Maastricht are proving to be a golden combination. Last year the Dutch rider won the 1.45m class on Saturday, and this year he was again the fastest in the Medium Tour. In the Quintes Maastricht Prize CSI 4*, he steered his nine-year-old stallion Stargos VDL clear in the winning round in 38.11 seconds.

Just through to the Winning Round

The twelve best combinations from the first round returned for a shorter winning round against the clock. Hoekstra very nearly missed out. “In the first round I was lucky to just make the best twelve,” he says. “I started early in the class and thought I could take it easy, but quite a lot of combinations went clear. Luckily I was just fast enough.”

A Long Wait

Stargos VDL has already built up an impressive record under Hoekstra: last week the pair won the ranking class in Riesenbeck. In the winning round, the approved stallion really came into his own. “He loves a jump-off; that’s when he’s really fast. It was a nice course, and riding a jump-off with him is easy. He really thinks along with you, so if you’re clear, you know you’re fast.”

Even so, it stayed tense for a long time. Hoekstra was first to go in the winning round, and then had to wait and see whether any of the eleven riders after him would beat his time. “I took eight strides to the last fence, so I was afraid I’d lost it there. But it was just enough.”

Hoekstra was full of praise for the show. “It’s a great show. Everything is well organised, the courses are beautiful and the field is very strong. I’d go as far as to call it one of the best shows in the Netherlands.”

Belgian Duo on the Podium

Thibeau Spits (BEL), who won Sunday’s MECC Prix last year, came closest to Hoekstra. With the nine-year-old gelding Remus de Muze, he clocked 38.62 seconds. His compatriot Gilles Thomas (BEL), who defends his Grand Prix title on Sunday, finished third with the eight-year-old stallion Saladin S in 38.92 seconds.

]Sophie Hinners (GER) rode the nine-year-old stallion Iron Dames Abou-Chaker NRW to fourth place. Turkish rider Emir Delikan, already second in the Small Tour earlier today, rounded off the top five with the ten-year-old gelding Burschi 22.

Final Results – €15,300 Quintes Maastricht Prize CSI 4* – 1.45m

1) Hessel Hoekstra (NED) & Stargos VDL – 0 / 0 – 38.11

2) Thibeau Spits (BEL) & Remus de Muze – 0 / 0 – 38.62

3) Gilles Thomas (BEL) & Saladin S – 0 / 0 – 38.92

FULL RESULTS

Source: News Release from Jumping Indoor Maastricht