Basel Grand Prix goes to the Netherlands
Kim Emmen and Imagine NOP: Olympia, but never won a Grand Prix – until today
from Dominique Wehrmann 
Kim Emmen and Imagine NOP took their first victory in a Grand Prix at the World Cup tournament in Basel today. Photo: CHI Classics Basel/Katja Stuppia Six pairs managed to do in the Grand Prix of Basel today what the European champions Richard Vogel and United Touch S failed to do this time: finish clear. Gérard Lachat and Gregory Bodo had put a few obstacles in the way of the 43 pairs in the 260-metre course with 13 obstacles and 16 jumps, not only in the round but also in the jump-off, as it turned out.
Kim Emmen and Imagine NOP showed that they were on top form today in round one. They were the third pair and delivered the first clear round. Accordingly, they were the first to compete against the clock. Once again, all the poles remained in the arena and the 13-year-old son of Cassini Gold was also fast with a time of 33.39 seconds. However, it remained to be seen just how high they had set the bar.
One pair of competitors after another tried their luck. But no one could top them. Not even the World Cup winners Julien Epaillard and Donatello d’Auge. They made every effort and were faster at 32.61 seconds, but paid for the risk with a knockdown. In the end, they came second.
Only one other pair finished the second round with just one knockdown: Pieter Devos on Casual DV Z, who thus took third place in Belgium. Portuguese rider Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida and his KWPN mare Karonia.L, who were also among the front runners in Stuttgart, had eight penalty points in the jump-off. Emmen’s compatriot Hessel Hoekstra on Comthago VDL had eleven (with time faults). With the exception of Epaillard, the time would not have been enough to knock Emmen off the throne. Olivier Robert and Iglesias D.V. gave up.
And the Germans?
None of the German starters made it into the placings. For Richard Vogel, the tournament had got off to a great start with a victory in the opening jumping competition on the ten-year-old Diamant de Casall, a stallion bred with Diamant de Semilly as his sire and the full sister to Casall as his dam, as well as another triumph in the main jumping competition on Thursday evening in the saddle of his speed specialist Phenyo van het Keisersbos. But today in the Grand Prix with European Championship gold horse United Touch S he was awarded four penalty points.
It was an eight-fault day for Hans-Dieter Dreher and Elysium, Marco Kutscher with Aventador, Pia Reich on PB Löwenherz and Josch Löhden in the saddle on EIC Schabernack, the winners of the Grand Prix of Neumünster 2025.
Jens Wawrauschek and Mama S finished with 13 faults.
You can find all the results here.
