World’s top show jumpers converge on Belgium for CSI5* of Waregem

As the Mayor of the city, Kurt Vanryckegehem, puts it on the Waregem Horse Week web site, “Waregem is, as [the] City of the Horse, very excited to welcome this 5* show jumping event. It’s one of the four CSI5* in our country; an exclusive privilege.”

A total of €530,000 in prize money is up for grabs at the 5* level this weekend, including €270,000 in the Grand Prix on Sunday, September 30. And some of the big names that will be going after those paycheques include World No.1 Harrie Smolders from neighbouring nation the Netherlands, the United States’ Kent Farrington, Canada’s Eric Lamaze, Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum and Daniel Deusser, Great Britain’s Michael Whitaker, France’s Kevin Staut, Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander, Portugal’s Luciana Diniz, Great Britain’s Scott Brash, Italy’s Lorenzo De Luca, Ireland’s Bertram Allen, and Greece’s Athina Onassis.

Of course, host nation Belgium will also have a big contingent of athletes in Waregem, whose original name Waro-ingha-heim was first documented in 826 and means ‘the residence of the clan Waro.’ In fact, the name and the settlement date back much further. Belgian riders in town this week include: Niels Bruynseels, Pieter Devos, Gregory Wathelet, Nicola and Oliver Philippaerts and Gudrun Patteet.

For a fuller list of the star-studded field of competitors, see here. Also on tap during the Waregem Horse Week are 1 and 2* classes as well as young horse competitions across two arenas, ensuring a “wide spectrum of show jumping.”