With just six weeks until the Longines FEI Jumping European Championship arrives in La Coruna, the team at EquiRatings have done a deep-dive into the team landscape. Who would arrive as favourites if every nation fields its four highest-rated horse-and-rider combinations?
&nbsp;
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/3ff29105-db54-4421-8e9e-4671d924e535.png?width=844&amp;height=990" alt="0 Dj Hk if Every Nation Brought Their Four Top Rated Combinations to the European Championships Who Would Be on Top ">
&nbsp;
<h2>Germany Ahead</h2>
By averaging the EquiRatings Elo rating of each country&rsquo;s top quartet (limited to one horse per athlete), Germany emerges with a Team Elo rating of 769. Their pack is spearheaded by Richard Vogel&rsquo;s United Touch S (775) and flanked by the formidable trio of Messi van &lsquo;t Ruytershof (770) for JF Meyer-Zimmermann, Killer Queen VDM (766) for Daniel Deusser and Iron Dames Dialou Blue PS (763) for Katrin Eckermann.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/f0ad93a1-533a-4fa7-8f73-bcb2f6430f35.png?width=2240&amp;height=1260" alt="1">
The battle for a spot on the German European team will be a tough one, however, with almost 20 German horses ranking among the Top 100 rated horses in the world. In a world where only the top-rated combinations for each nation make the team, the German team will have to head to La Coruna without their reigning Olympic Champions, Christian Kukuk &amp; Checker 47, currently on an Elo rating of 756.&nbsp;
With so many strong combinations in one nation, Germany&rsquo;s depth could turn out to be a mixed blessing and with other strong nations like Belgium &amp; the Netherlands ready for battle, Germany&rsquo;s team selection will be vital to ensure European success.
<h2> Belgium &amp; the Netherlands in the Chase</h2>
Like Germany, Belgium boasts enviable depth with a Team Elo of 764, spearheaded by Gilles Thomas&rsquo; dreamy stallion, Ermitage Kalone (775). While sporting an impressive Elo rating of 770, Belgium has a strong team member on paper in Gregory Wathelet&rsquo;s Bond Jamesbond de Hay, but will the pair&rsquo;s slip-up at World Cup Finals in Basel deprive them from a spot on the team this summer?
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/94eebd5d-c081-4e4f-8215-f708cbfaacad.png?width=2240&amp;height=1260" alt="2">
The Netherlands will likely lean on multi-medalist Beauville Z N.O.P. (782) &amp; Maikel van der Vleuten to bring the consistency and experience, alongside Harrie Smolders &amp; his Geneva Grand Prix winner, Monaco (775).
&nbsp;
<h2>The Challengers</h2>
France (760) parade consistency through Donatello d&rsquo;Auge (776) and Cayman Jolly Jumper (768), both already major winners in 2025. Julien Epaillard &amp; Donatello d&rsquo;Auge became the 2025 World Cup Final Champions in Basel two months ago, while Simon Delestre &amp; Cayman Jolly Jumper scored back-to-back five-star Grand Prix victories in &lsquo;s Hertogenbosch and Paris, Saut Hermes. On the ratings, they would be joined by Dexter de Kerglenn &amp; Visconti du Telman, but with a remarkable run of recent form, Nina Mallevaey &amp; Nikka vd Bisschop (740) could command a spot on this team.
While Ireland are not in the leading form we found them in 12 months ago, they are always a force to be reckoned with in any team competition. If team leaders James Kann Cruz &amp; Legacy can find their pre-Paris form back, they can be a dangerous nation this summer.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/34585ed3-7ee4-4912-ad01-19ab2e660274.png?width=2240&amp;height=1260" alt="3">
&nbsp;
<h2>Teams of Two Halves</h2>
Sweden and Switzerland look like teams of two halves. Sweden&rsquo;s King Edward carries the record-breaking Elo rating of 813, while Switzerland counters with defending European Champion, Dynamix de Belheme, and the multiple five-star Grand Prix winner, Leone Jei.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/c9811a63-35e9-4484-965d-16c1bdcfd976.png?width=2240&amp;height=1260" alt="4">
The Reigning Team Olympic Champions, Team GB, have a real superstar in their midst with Ben Maher &amp; Point Break, the second-highest rated horse in the world currently. On ratings, however, the team lacks some depth to be among the favourites for a team victory after the sale of Tim Gredley&rsquo;s Imperial HBF and the retirement of Harry Charles&rsquo; Romeo 88. An underdog position has never stopped the Brits from chasing the gold though and with the momentum of their Paris success, no one would be surprised to see them top the leaderboard.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/0baaed34-59c3-4f89-b0f9-e64862ec84d0.png?width=2240&amp;height=1260" alt="5">
Those headline scores lift each nation&rsquo;s average, yet the lower two combinations on both rosters sit 30-plus points lower. That split means the super-stars must jump clear as expected, while the lower-rated pairs need to rise to the occasion in La Coruna to keep medal hopes alive.
&nbsp;
<h2> The Underdogs</h2>
Austria (723) and Italy (715) round out the ten nations in the study. Each arrives with standout firepower&mdash;think Max K&uuml;hner&rsquo;s Elektric Blue P (765) and Giulia Martinengo Marquet&rsquo;s Delta del&rsquo;Isle, but need their supporting acts to find an extra gear if they are to storm the podium come July.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/037b211f-cad9-4d1c-8516-50462d940e70.png?width=2240&amp;height=1260" alt="6">
&nbsp;
<h2> Why the &ldquo;Power Four&rdquo; matters</h2>
The EquiRatings Elo rating is a predictive metric that weighs a combination&rsquo;s historical performance against the quality of competition faced.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a fun thought experiment, but it also highlights where federations may have tough selection calls,&rdquo; explains EquiRatings co-founder Sam Watson. &ldquo;Germany&rsquo;s depth is well-known, yet you see Belgium and the Dutch basically level. Factor in the pressure of a championship environment&mdash;plus the inevitable late-season form shifts&mdash;and this looks wide open.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
<h2>The road to Casas Novas</h2>
The Longines FEI Jumping European Championship runs 16&ndash;20 July 2025 at the iconic Casas Novas complex. National selectors have until early July to finalise their travelling squads, meaning campaigns at La Baule, Rotterdam &amp; Aachen could still reshape these numbers.
One thing is certain: if each nation unleashes its &ldquo;Power Four&rdquo;, the battle for team gold could produce the tightest finish Europe has witnessed in a decade. Fans in Galicia&mdash;and those tuning in worldwide&mdash;will not want to miss a single fence.
&nbsp;

What the Elo Rating Can Already Tell Us About the Upcoming European Championships

Eventing

Defender Kentucky

MARS Badminton Horse Trials

Jumping

FEI World Cup Final 

US Equestrian Open Jumping Final

Latest Shows

Previews & insights

Latest Articles

Follow our coverage

US Equestrian Open

Win Chances

Latest Insights

Close up Image of the Bay Horse Beauville Z N.o.p. & His Rider Maikel Van Der Vleuten Clearing a Show Jumping Fence in Competition. an Upward Trending Arrow Is Behind the Subjects. Photo Tilly Berendt. Design EquiRatings.

Current Top Horses

Close up Image of Rider Henrik Von Eckermann Rubbing the Neck of His Chestnut Horse King Edward With Both Hands as They Exit the Show Jumping Ring After a Round. Photo Tilly Berendt. Design EquiRatings.

All-Time Top Horses

Image of the Bay Horse Lordships Graffalo and Ros Canter During a Horse Inspection. an Upward Trending Arrow Is Behind the Subjects. Photo Tilly Berendt. Design EquiRatings.

Image of the the Bay Horse La Biosthetique Sam Fbw and Michael Jung During a Horse Inspection. Two Line Graph Icons Are Behind the Subjects. Photo Tilly Berendt. Design EquiRatings.

Horse Ratings

Main

They&rsquo;ve each had their own path - different decades, different horses, different wins. But Boyd Martin, Kim Severson, and David O&rsquo;Connor all know what it takes to reach the top of the world rankings.
From Olympic medals to five-star results, these three champions spent years building careers at the highest level. In the newest Eventing Podcast, we take a look at how each of them became World Number One&nbsp;and what it really took to get there.
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36761670/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4d78f5/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h3 data-start="836" data-end="888">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="836" data-end="888">Boyd Martin: The Long Climb with the Right Horses </h3>
Boyd Martin, a four-time Olympian and consistent competitor for Team USA, is the current FEI Eventing World Number One. But it was his standout Kentucky performance, finishing three horses inside the top ten - a feat matched by only two other riders since 2008 - that pushed him from 10th to 1st in the FEI Rankings. For Boyd, becoming World Number One was a personal goal years in the making but it didn&rsquo;t come with fireworks or fanfare.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/d00e841b-bea4-4b6a-988a-0d52b0d61d23.png?width=1080&amp;height=567" alt="Boyd Martin (2)">
Despite the milestone, his day-to-day hasn&rsquo;t changed much. He&rsquo;s still up early, still grinding, and still chasing the next result. It&rsquo;s a proud moment but not a glamorous one. And that&rsquo;s exactly what reminds you: this is the equestrian industry. This journey was helped along the way with a bit of Olympic inspiration from the greats. He&nbsp;watched the&nbsp;Sydney Olympics from the stands as a working pupil. He was supporting the Australian team and cheering with a beer (or two) in hand - never imagining that&nbsp;David O&rsquo;Connor, who won gold that week, would one day become his mentor.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/8d00badd-e26f-4880-bb36-7d86fb85d45e.png?width=1080&amp;height=590" alt="Boyd Martin (5)">
Fast forward 25 years and Boyd has not only competed at four Olympic Games, he&rsquo;s now started 71 times at five-star level with 26 different horses - a record that puts him among the most prolific riders in the sport. But his position as World Number One wouldn&rsquo;t have happened without one in particular: Fedarman B - or Bruno, to those who know him.
Many fans know the emotional backstory behind Fedarman B, yet many don't know the performance arc. Bruno didn&rsquo;t start out as a world-beater - in fact, he was nearly rerouted to a show jumping career. But with patience, the right program, and a smart campaign through softer five-stars like Luhm&uuml;hlen and Pau, Boyd built him up to a horse who could not only deliver at the Olympic Games, but contribute three of the six results that made up Boyd&rsquo;s world number one ranking.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/04bee35b-a6dc-4a43-b262-5f408dd48872.png?width=1080&amp;height=563" alt="Boyd Martin (6)">
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1671" data-end="1674">
<h3 data-start="1676" data-end="1745">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="1676" data-end="1745">Kim Severson: Winsome Adante and the Confidence to Do It Again</h3>
Kim Severson's golden era in the 2000s is still etched into the history of U.S. eventing -&nbsp; three Kentucky wins with Winsome Adante, a&nbsp;World Championship team gold in 2002, and Olympic silver and bronze medals in 2004. Kim spoke about how success builds confidence - and how each horse adds something new to the process. That mindset is what delivered some of her biggest results and contributed to being named FEI World Number One in 2004.&nbsp; <img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/a9384501-3f13-4e51-919c-573b2ec5b42d.png?width=1080&amp;height=594" alt="Boyd Martin (7)">
Now, she&rsquo;s bringing through Cooley Corraghy Diamond, and she didn&rsquo;t hold back when asked how he compares. <img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/ec99d35c-2afa-442c-b82d-380b47bd096e.png?width=1080&amp;height=561" alt="Boyd Martin (8)">
It&rsquo;s a big statement &mdash; but one grounded in results. At just eight years old, Cooley Corraghy Diamond made his four-star debut this spring, finishing&nbsp;eighth at Aiken and then second at Tryon just weeks later. He&rsquo;s still early in his career, but he is certainly one to keep an eye on.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="2375" data-end="2378">
<h3 data-start="2380" data-end="2442">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="2380" data-end="2442">David O&rsquo;Connor: A Legacy Built on Your System</h3>
David O&rsquo;Connor&rsquo;s rise to World Number One came in a different era - before constant updates and digital scoreboards. The FEI rankings were still gaining traction when he was based in England in the early &rsquo;90s, and the system ran on yearly calculations, not monthly ones.&nbsp;David quietly climbed through the top ten, then the top five, and eventually reached Number One in 2000. The ranking was never the goal - it was the result of building a program that worked.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/024accc3-3fde-4c49-98bf-b104a57b8916.png?width=1080&amp;height=587" alt="Boyd Martin (9)"> David made it to the top over a number of years with a string of top horses- most notably&nbsp;Custom Made and Giltedge. He helped the U.S. to team silver at the 1996 Olympics and won Badminton in 1997 with Custom Made, becoming only the second American rider to do so. He went on to win team bronze and individual gold at the Sydney Olympics - the same year he was named World Number One.
Today, David is still involved in horse sport as a coach, leader, and mentor within U.S. eventing. He sees the talent coming up, the support around riders, and the strength of a system that can carry more U.S. riders to the top. While he once stood alone on the podium, David never saw greatness as an individual pursuit. It is built on horses, on teams, and on people. His reward now is watching the next generation climb the rankings while knowing exactly what it took to get there.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="3353" data-end="3356">
<h3 data-start="3358" data-end="3402">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="3358" data-end="3402">A Shared Standard Across Generations</h3>
What ties the three together isn&rsquo;t style or timeline - It&rsquo;s the ability to keep persevering when it would be easier to quit.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/65cac242-d701-4904-b3ec-1bcd27842b78.png?width=1080&amp;height=576" alt="Boyd Martin (10)">
&nbsp;
Boyd, Kim, and David may have come up in different decades. But the top of the mountain still looks the same and it still demands everything to get there.
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h2 data-start="2994" data-end="3013">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-start="2994" data-end="3013">🎧 Listen to the full episode on the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast</h2>
Hear the full chat with David O&rsquo;Connor, Kim Severson, and Boyd Martin on the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast. Follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eventingpodcast?igsh=MTZhMXY2NzI3aHdwYQ==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/eventingpodcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> for more insight, rankings, and stats you won&rsquo;t find anywhere else. 
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36761670/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4d78f5/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h2 data-start="150" data-end="200">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-start="150" data-end="200">📣 Stay in the Loop on All Things Eventing</h2>
Get the latest predictions, key stats, and storylines delivered where you want them.
👉&nbsp;Follow us on Instagram:&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://www.instagram.com/equiratingseventing" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="318" data-end="387">@equiratings_eventing</a>
📲&nbsp;Join our WhatsApp Channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaGnPJYFHWq9b1iSB647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Real-time insights, straight from the team</a> to your phone &mdash; no noise, just eventing.&nbsp;

Kim Severson, Boyd Martin and David O'Connor in Bubbles with Soundwaves Behind Them

In Conversation with the U.S. World Number Ones

This is a rivalry built on more than wins - it's about legacy, depth, and national pride. The Americans have hit a generational high. Germany are still riding the afterglow of Olympic glory. And Great Britain? They are consistently rewriting the record books.
So as we look ahead to a packed summer season, it&rsquo;s fair to ask:&nbsp;who really runs the sport right now &mdash; and who is about to take over? 
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h3 data-start="1118" data-end="1318"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/cd3ab433-206a-4aa1-83df-eb3df7c484b5.png?width=1080&amp;height=213" alt="Usa Vs Gb Vs Ger (16)"> USA's FEI's World Number Ones </h3>
&nbsp;
May 2025 marks a turning point for US equestrian sport - with American riders now holding the FEI World Number One Ranking in both show jumping and eventing. This dual success is both rare and symbolic, proving the nation's resurgence to the top.
After an eight-year wait to return to the top, Kent Farrington reclaimed the World Number One spot following a dominant run of recent victories. His mare Greya has been central to the achievement, delivering five of his six wins at 1.60m level in the last 12 months. It wasn't an easy feat to take this top spot. Farrington had to unseat Henrik Von Eckermann, who held the World Number One spot for an impressive 32 consecutive months. Farrington didn&rsquo;t just land at the top; he fought to get there.&nbsp;
In the eventing world, it is the first time in over two decades, that a US rider sits on top of the FEI World Rankings. Boyd Martin's ascent to World Number One is more than a personal milestone - it marks a turning point for American eventing. After a standout Kentucky performance, finishing three horses inside the top ten&nbsp;- a feat matched by only two other riders since 2008 - he jumped from 10th to 1st in the FEI Rankings. Commando 3 made the podium, while Fedarman B and Luke 140 finished 6th and 7th.
Just two weeks later, Boyd followed it up with a win at Tryon 4*L on Cooley Nutcracker, adding another winner to his string of top-class horses. Right now, he&rsquo;s not just the best-ranked US event rider in recent history, he is the best in the world.
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h3 data-start="1118" data-end="1318"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/9239d6da-6376-4aef-ae2d-13f3ea456244.png?width=1080&amp;height=249" alt="Usa Vs Gb Vs Ger (15)"> Germany's Individual Podiums </h3>
&nbsp;
Not only did Germany claim Olympic individual gold in both eventing and show jumping - they completed a historic treble, taking all three equestrian disciplines, including dressage. This has only been achieved once before in Olympic history: Berlin 1936.
Christian Kukuk and Checker 47 delivered a landmark moment for Germany in Paris, becoming the nation&rsquo;s individual Olympic show jumping champion, the first time since 1996. Their win marked Germany&rsquo;s sixth Olympic individual title in jumping, extending their lead as the most successful nation in Olympic history.
Since then, Kukuk and Checker 47 have kept their momentum. In March, they won the US Equestrian Open Final in Wellington for the second year in a row &mdash; marking Germany&rsquo;s fourth victory in the last five editions of the class. Extending the German streak on American soil, against one of their biggest rivals, made the win even more exciting and significant.
Germany&rsquo;s eventing crown remains firmly in place thanks to Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH. Since their lap of honour in Paris, the reigning Olympic champions have only raised the bar. Their recent win at Kentucky was pure dominance. Jung posted an 18.6 in dressage, the best ever recorded at the event. After a dressage score like that, no one even got close to touching him.
At 17, fischerChipmunk FRH is showing no signs of slowing down, holding the highest Elo rating in the world at 917. All signs point to this combination competing for Germany at the Europeans this September and based on recent form, few would bet against them.
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h3 data-start="1118" data-end="1318"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/f474cfc6-a2a2-4205-98e2-de026fa57f7d.png?width=1080&amp;height=212" alt="Usa Vs Gb Vs Ger (17)"></h3>
<h3 data-start="1118" data-end="1318"> Great Britain's Gold Medals </h3>
&nbsp;
Great Britain&rsquo;s third Olympic team gold was sealed in Paris, with a team that combined experience and legacy. Scott Brash and Ben Maher returned to the podium twelve years after their gold medal in London - this time joined by Harry Charles, whose father, Peter stood with them on that very podium.&nbsp;
After taking Olympic team gold in Tokyo, the eventing team repeated the feat in Paris. This resulted in Great Britain became the most decorated Olympic eventing team in history with five team gold medals. This was more than a history-making medal, it reinforced Britain&rsquo;s dominance in the sport.
The Paris team included Tom McEwen (currently ranked World No. 2), Ros Canter (World No. 5), and Laura Collett (World No. 7). Collett also walked away with an individual bronze, having set a new Olympic dressage record of 17.5. Their strength lies not in a single standout performance but in the consistent brilliance across their top riders and horses.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h3 data-start="1118" data-end="1318"> Setting the Pace in 2025&nbsp;</h3>
 In the showjumping world, Team USA claimed the CSIO5*&nbsp;Nations Cup in Rome, delivering on their status as strong favourites. It was their first Nations Cup win at this venue in 16 years &mdash; a signal that they&rsquo;re firmly back at the top after a long wait. Germany, the defending champions, finished fourth, while Great Britain placed eighth out of ten teams. Meanwhile, all eyes turned to Bicton at the weekend for the opening leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup,&nbsp;the first major nation-vs-nation clash of the season. With five teams in the mix, Team&nbsp;GB came out on top, with the United States taking second. While Germany didn&rsquo;t field a team at Bicton - but with the European Championships approaching, you can imagine they&rsquo;re preparing something big behind the scenes. A win in the opening leg sets Team GB up well for the season ahead - last year&rsquo;s eventual winners France built their campaign around an opening day victory at Montelibretti. 
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>The Bigger Picture</h3>
 And let&rsquo;s not forget:&nbsp;everything is building to Aachen 2026. The World Equestrian Games will bring all disciplines together, in one venue, for a true test of national strength. It won&rsquo;t be about one rider or one result &mdash; it will be about the entire nation's program, performance, and ability to handle pressure.
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
<h3 data-start="4827" data-end="4856">Who Are You Backing?</h3>
&nbsp;
With the 2025 season heating up and the biggest test still to come in Aachen next year &mdash; which nation are you backing? 
<div id="strawpoll_xVg717dQzyr" class="strawpoll-embed" style="height: 500px; max-width: 640px; width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; display: flex; flex-direction: column;"><iframe id="strawpoll_iframe_xVg717dQzyr" style="position: static; visibility: visible; display: block; width: 100%; flex-grow: 1;" title="StrawPoll Embed" src="https://strawpoll.com/embed/xVg717dQzyr" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">Loading...</iframe></div>
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h3 data-start="1118" data-end="1318">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="1118" data-end="1318">📣&nbsp;Stay in the Loop on All Things EquiRatings 📣</h3>
&nbsp;
Get the latest predictions, key stats, and storylines delivered where you want them.
👉&nbsp;Follow us on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@equiratings</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/equiratings_eventing/?igsh=dHFlZ2c0c2tvZXlo&amp;utm_source=qr#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@equiratings_eventing</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/equiratings_showjumping/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@equiratings_showjumping</a>
📲&nbsp;Join our <a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaGnPJYFHWq9b1iSB647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eventing&nbsp;WhatsApp Channel:</a> Real-time insights, straight from the team to your phone &mdash; no noise, just eventing.&nbsp; 📲&nbsp;Join our <a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaGnPJYFHWq9b1iSB647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Show Jumping </a><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaGnPJYFHWq9b1iSB647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WhatsApp Channel:</a> Real-time insights, straight from the team to your phone &mdash; no noise, just eventing.&nbsp;
🎧Keep up to date with all things eventing:&nbsp;Follow&nbsp;<a href="https://podfollow.com/equiratings-eventing-podcast/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Eventing Podcast </a>and <a href="https://podfollow.com/equiratings-jumping-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jumping Podcast</a>
&nbsp;

Which Nation is on Top?

Piazza di Siena sets the stage for one of the most prestigious Grands Prix of the year. Ben Maher&rsquo;s Point Break meets Martin Fuchs&rsquo; Leone Jei, while last year&rsquo;s winner Karl Cook returns with Caracole de la Roque.
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/6d250a31-1bb2-4e7a-be6e-73820d2ce402.png?width=1518&amp;height=1518" alt="A2 Adq Win Chances Form Guide Sunday Copy (1)">
&nbsp;
<h1>The Favourites</h1>
<h3>Point Break vs Leone Jei</h3>
Two of the Top 10 Elo-rated horses in the world will go head-to-head in Sunday&rsquo;s Rolex Grand Prix of Rome. EquiRatings Predictive Analysis puts them as joint favourites for the win this afternoon allocating each a 12% chance at the win.
Ben Maher&rsquo;s Point Break has had a fast ascent up the ratings in recent months with incredible performances and steady consistency at the highest level, highlighted by a runner-up finish at World Cup Finals in Basel last month. The 11-year-old stallion currently ranks as the second-highest rated horse in the world with an Elo rating of 789, second only behind the record-breaking King Edward (813). As Point Break competes in his 40th round at five-star 160 level today, he has maintained a superbly consistent record, staying clear 62% of the time. With this consistency and a World #2 rider on his back, many eyes will be drawn to this remarkable stallion.
One pair will not make it easy for them, however. Martin Fuchs &amp; Leone Jei already have 6 five-star Grand Prix victories on their record and are always hungry for more. The pair have jumped more than double the amount of five-star 160 rounds (81) in their career together than Ben Maher &amp; Point Break have, at a clear consistency of 52%. Fuchs&rsquo; white wonder currently ranks as the eighth highest-rated horse in the world on an Elo of 773.
<h1> The Challengers</h1>
<h3>Can the US score the double?</h3>
Fresh off Friday&rsquo;s Nations Cup victory, the US riders will likely be in full form for Sunday&rsquo;s Rolex Grand Prix. Title defenders, Karl Cook &amp; Caracole de la Roque, return with an 8% chance to add a second consecutive Rome Grand Prix title to their tally. The pair were a part of Sunday&rsquo;s Nations Cup team and produced a Round 2 clear to contribute to that victory. The pair has shown remarkable consistency throughout their partnership having maintained a five-star 160 clear rate together of 63%.
Cook &amp; Caracole will not be the only US pair to keep an eye on this afternoon. Olympic partnership, McLain Ward &amp; Ilex, are among the favourites to win with a 5% chance at victory, while we may not rule out Laura Kraut and her 11-year-old mare Bisquetta, who finished as runner-up in the US Equestrian Open Final, Rolex Grand Prix of Wellington last month.
<h3> The hometown heroes</h3>
Riding the high of their podium finish in Friday&rsquo;s Nations Cup, the Italian crowd will be backing their home riders for a win in Sunday&rsquo;s Grand Prix. One of their favourites will undoubtedly be Giulia Martinengo Marquet and Delta del&rsquo;Isle, who produced a beautiful Round 1 clear on Friday. With proven successes in the Rolex series, this pair will want to bring their best out on home soil today.&nbsp;
<h1>Ones to Watch</h1>
With a win chance of 8% on paper, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmerman and Iron Dames Dubai du Cedre are among the favourites for the win in today&rsquo;s Rolex Grand Prix. Their relatively new partnership however has only seen them compete in 5 rounds at five-star 160 level together. Their first clear at this level came in Friday&rsquo;s Nations Cup here in Rome. If this pair has found their rhythm together, they could become a pair to beat.

Can Team USA turn Friday’s Nations Cup win into a Rome double?

Few venues are as testing as the Club de Campo&rsquo;s Madrid arena, and the 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix arrives with storylines to match its reputation. Kent Farrington will canter through the arch wearing the Longines World #1 armband for the first time; Belgium&rsquo;s Gilles Thomas fronts the challenge with Ermitage Kalone; and half the field are still auditioning for European-Championship spots. With past editions producing clear-round rates as low as 20 percent, Sunday&rsquo;s LGCT Grand Prix promises a thrilling climax with some of the sport&rsquo;s top combinations vying for the win.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/9c3f83ab-4b3e-4067-981f-b3a4db00e22b.png?width=1682&amp;height=1688" alt="Vg CCV Top 10 Elo Rated Horses for Csi5 Lgct Grand Prix of Madrid">
<h1> The Favourites</h1>
<h3>Gilles Thomas &amp; Ermitage Kalone</h3>
Ermitage Kalone enters the 2025 LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid as the highest-rated horse in the field and, notably, made his 160 Grand Prix debut on this very turf only a year ago. In the intervening 12 months the 11-year-old stallion has recorded an Olympic appearance and podium finishes in both the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva and the LGCT Super Grand Prix in Riyadh.
While this Belgian combination is almost mouth-watering to watch, with a career clear rate at five-star 160 level currently being maintained at 58%, questions might arise around Ermitage Kalone&rsquo;s ability to hit the gas pedal in a potential jump-off.
&nbsp;
<h3>Kent Farrington &amp; Greya</h3>
A horse that has repeatedly proven to feel right at home in any speed challenge is Greya, the 11-year-old mare whose trio of five-star Grand Prix wins in the opening five months of the season returned Kent Farrington to the summit of the FEI Longines rankings. When the fences stay up, her jump-off times are routinely unbeatable, so Farrington&rsquo;s inaugural appearance as World No. 1 therefore carries genuine threat.
As first to go on Sunday, the pressure will be on this pair to give their newly-acquired World #1 band a strong first outing.
&nbsp;
<h1>The Challengers</h1>
<h3>The Belgian Brigade</h3>
Aside from the favourite in Ermitage Kalone, Belgium&rsquo;s depth is underlined by the presence of Abdel Said&rsquo;s Bonne Amie and Pieter Devos&rsquo; Casual DV Z, each hovering near the 750 Elo mark. Those three horses rank among the Top 4 rated horses in Belgium currently, where the battle for a spot on the European Team in two months is starting to bloom. A strong performance in Sunday&rsquo;s Grand Prix can put them one step closer to a ticket to La Coruna.
&nbsp;
<hr>
<h2> Three questions to keep in your back pocket</h2>
&nbsp;
Can Kent turn the armband into a win? Nobody has ever won Madrid twice, so history says no &ndash; but Greya has been rewriting a few stats lately.
Is this finally Ermitage Kalone&rsquo;s moment? Eleven clear rounds from 19 at 160 says &ldquo;absolutely&rdquo;. His jump-off speed says &ldquo;maybe not yet&rdquo;. Sunday will tell.
Which Belgian leaves with the upper hand? Bonne Amie can light up a jump-off when the mood strikes, Casual DV delivers clinical, mistake-free rounds on repeat, and Ermitage Kalone remains the public darling with sky-high stats to match. With clears on the board on Sunday, we might be looking at out La Coruna team.
&nbsp;

Who Wins the LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid?

What the Elo Rating Can Already Tell Us About the Upcoming European Championships

Top Stories

What the Elo Rating Can Already Tell Us About the Upcoming European Championships

In Conversation with the U.S. World Number Ones

Which Nation is on Top?

Can Team USA turn Friday’s Nations Cup win into a Rome double?

Who Wins the LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid?

Latest Shows

Defender Kentucky

Eventing

MARS Badminton Horse Trials

Eventing

FEI World Cup Final

Jumping

US Equestrian Open Jumping Final

Jumping

Latest Insights

Latest Articles

Previews & insights

US Equestrian Open

Follow our coverage

Win Chances

Jumping

Win Chances

Eventing

Horse Ratings

Current Top Horses

Jumping

All‑Time Top Horses

Jumping

Current Top Horses

Eventing

All‑Time Top Horses

Eventing