Global Champions League: From London to Mexico Amigos

Today in London, the tenth of 15 Global Champions League stages took place. This is likely the first time in the series’ history that a married couple has claimed victory here. This historic achievement was accomplished by the Mexico Amigos Zoe Hank Conter (who is actually Belgian) and Carlos Hank Guerrero, who have been married since September 2025.

In the first round over 1.60 meters, both Zoe, riding the 15-year-old Chacco-Blue daughter Chaccophanie, and her husband, riding the Kasanova de la Pomme son Origi Horta, completed the course without faults. In the second round, Zoe went one better with her Kannan son Luis LN, while Carlos knocked down a rail riding the just-nine-year-old OS gelding Diachango Blue PS (by Diaron). But thanks to their faster time, they still managed to hold off their pursuers.

That was primarily the New York Empire team, featuring Mark McAuley on Clooney van Spalbeek Z (-/0), Scott Brash on Hello Folie (-/0) and Hello Jefferson (4/-), as well as Denis Lynch on Cordial (0/-). But even with three riders and the same number of faults, they couldn’t get past the Mexican-Belgian couple.

Individual title goes to Sophie Hinners

There are also German successes to report from London today. Sophie Hinners rode her 12-year-old Cornet de Lys daughter, Iron Dames Combella, to a clear victory in the first Global League qualifying round over 1.60 meters against the clock with a faultless round in 77.51 seconds.

Also placing: Maximilian Weishaupt and Zuccero HV with a clear round and the sixth-fastest time. In Round Two, Weishaupt and the former Holstein Association stallion were still in tenth place despite a knockdown—right behind Marco Kutscher and Pikeur Lemar NRW, the top German pair.

Although they finished sixth in the Global Champions League standings, the Riesenbeck International team continues to lead the overall standings. With 187 points, they are ahead of the Basel Cosmopolitans (163) and the Istanbul Warriors (159).