Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Luciana Diniz and Vertigo du Desert win Abu Dhabi
from Dominique Wehrmann 
Vertigo du Desert has often given his rider reason for grateful hugs - here after the second clear round in the Nations' Cup in Aachen 2025 - but the pair have never won a 5* Grand Prix. Until today. Photo: sportfotos-lafrentz.de Unbelievable but true, as successful as Luciana Diniz and her 2021 Olympic horse, Vertigo du Desert, have been – they have never won a 1.60 meter Grand Prix. Until today. With their two clear rounds, they already had the lion’s share of third place for Brazil in the Nations’ Cup on Friday. Today they confirmed their super form.
No zero
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a tough one. The time in the first round was particularly tight. It was a jumping competition with two rounds and not a single pair made it through both courses with a clean slate. The Mylord Carthago-son Vertigo du Desert – loosely translated: dizziness of the desert, but this horse has been anything but a mirage in Abu Dhabi in recent days – was the closest with Luciana Diniz. The pair picked up one time fault from the first round and that was that.
The Union Jack flew in second and third place. Tim Gredley had two time faults with Medoc de Toxandria, while Joseph Stockdale and Ebanking had three.
The German results
Marco Kutscher and Catelly, who had saved second place for Germany on Friday, also had a time fault in the first round. This gave them a good chance of making it through to the second round, but they incurred further penalties, bringing the total to eleven. That was still enough for 13th place.
Team colleagues Lommers and Sophie Hinners, who had five penalties in the first round, were one out of the placings. Jörne Sprehe and Toys had twelve faults. Daniel Deußer retired with Pepita v’t Meulenhof.
You can find all the results here.
