It was a nail-biter all the way to the finish as seven horse-and-rider combinations jumped their way into the all-deciding jump-off from an original starting field of 38 entries. Course designer Alan Wade (IRL) made full use of the WEC Grand Arena with a beautifully decorated track that tested bravery and accuracy under the lights.

Christian Kukuk of Germany won the $350,000 Grand Prix CSIO5*-LLN last year and had every intention of repeating his winning ways. The reigning Olympic champion opened the jump-off with a clear round in a time of 42.14 seconds riding Fantasia de WY, an 11-year-old Selle Français mare (Armitages Boy x Landsturm) owned by Francisco Pasquel, to lay down the gauntlet for those who followed. It was his fellow countryman Andre Thieme who picked it up, producing a classy clear in a time of 41.85 seconds riding Paule S. No one was able to better Thieme’s performance, giving Germany a one-two finish at the top of the leaderboard during a week where national pride is on the line.

France’s Nina Mallevaey, 26, rounded out the podium with Nikka vd Bisschop, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Emerald x Nabab de Reve) owned by Tara Dow-Rein and Rein Family LLC. The pair stopped the clock in 42.49 seconds to take third place, exactly as they had done one year earlier.

“I really wanted to win,” said Thieme, who has been spending his winters in Ocala for the past 26 years. “When I saw Christian, I knew this was going to be very hard. I was placed in every single grand prix here this year, and every single time, I didn’t take enough risk in the jump-offs. I thought okay, this is the last one in Ocala, so I took that risk, and it worked.”

Despite Thieme’s extensive experience, including winning the 2021 European Championships, competing at the highest level of the sport wasn’t a foregone conclusion for his mount, Paule S.

“A few years ago I thought we’ll see if he’s going to be clear-headed enough to finally do the sport because he always had the power, he always had the technique, he has everything it takes to be successful in the five-star sport,” said Thieme of the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Perigueux x Sir Shutterfly) owned by Ronald Meißner and Turnierstall Andre Thieme GmbH. “He’s very, very hot-blooded, and he has a very thin line between being too crazy and too hot and too strong; he has the power of five horses. But now he has won so many five-star nations cups, and he has been successful all around the world. This is not the first big grand prix that he’s won, so I have to give it to him. I’m very happy for the horse.”

With a strong finish in the $350,000 J.P. Morgan Grand Prix CSIO5*-LLN, Germany has become the odds-on favorite to win Saturday’s $770,000 Longines League of Nations™ Ocala team competition. As the defending title holders, the U.S. team of Natalie Dean, Lillie Keenan, Laura Kraut, and Aaron Vale won’t go down without a fight when the action gets underway at 5:15 p.m. ET. Belgium, Brazil, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, and Switzerland have all come to play with thrilling competition guaranteed.

Ocala serves as the second of five stops on the prestigious Longines League of Nations™ tour and is the only event held in North America. Abu Dhabi (UAE), Ocala (USA), Rotterdam (NED), and Gassin – St. Tropez (FRA) comprise the Longines League of Nations™ series leading up to the final in Barcelona (ESP) from October 1 to 4, 2026.

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