European Champion Richard Vogel Wins Wellington $500,000 CSI5*

European Champion Richard Vogel rode the 10-year-old Gangster Montdesir to victory in Wellington International half million dollar CSI5* Grand Prix before a Wellington International packed stadium Saturday night.

The German rider ranked No. 6 in the world logged the win with a double clear on the 1.60-meter course on the jump off time of 42.65 secs. for the sixth win for the partnership in six months and the first of four CSI5* events scheduled at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Great Britain's Ben Maher, ranked third in the world and on the 12-year-old League of Nations champion Enjeu De Grisien was runner-up less that 1/3 of a second off the leader's time.

Nina Malleveay of France placed third on Dynastie De Beaufour, the 13-year-old French-bred mare owned by the Rein family of Canada for whom she rides. Nina at age 26 is the highest ranked woman in the world at No. 8.

Kent Farrington, world No. 2, was the first of eight horse and rider combinations from six nations of the 39 starting riders and horses to qualify for the jump off. He set the pace with the fastest jump off time of 40.43 secs. on Greya, the 12-year-old mare on which he was defending champion of this event. The duo recorded seven top rated 5* victories on both sides of the Atlantic in 2025. but dropped the final rail in the second round Saturday that spoiled his chance at a repeat.

Richard Vogel, in his fifth year in Wellington in what he calls his winter home, said that although Gangster was a new partner, "right away I had a super feeling with him. He always wanted to do a good job... right away it clicked and we were performing very well. So I couldn't wish for anything more and I'm just thrilled how he jumped tonight and how he was fighting for us.

"Obviously if you get such a talented horse and stepping up so quick you always have to find a balance. We want to have those great nights like tonight, but also we never want to over-face it, give a couple of moments where we can take a breath, do a few smaller shows, a few smaller classes. So it's more kind of going with our feeling than just really setting up a plan and strictly going with the plan. Right now he feels very motivated and very game for it. So I think I give him a week off and then the 5* two weeks time. He's very green on this level, but we have very high hopes for him. So we really want to not over-face it and give him the time he needs."

He described the feeling Gangster gives him as "incredible... but sometimes I just have to make sure I stay in the saddle and he doesn't jump me out of the saddle."

Ben Maher said this was Enjeu De Grisien's fifth 5* podium finish but admitted although the horse was "great" he has "always been in the shadows of some of the other horses," including twice to Richard.

"So we need to change that around one time, maybe a third time lucky," he quipped. "He's been a little bit unlucky here and there. Maybe I need to get a little quicker. But he's a very good horse. high-energy horse." 

Nina Malleveay who a year ago was competing successfully at Under-25 level said the climb to the top senior woman in the world has "been amazing.

"It has been a really fast time in one year, a lot of changes, but I think it's a result of an amazing ceremony. I have incredible audiences and incredible people, and that's what I'm here today, and I'm really grateful for all of that, and I really enjoy it, so I'm really happy to be here."

Plus, Dynastie De Beaufour had her 11th consecutive 5* clear, an accomplishment of only eight other horses since 2010.

The horse, Nina said, is smart, can be fast if the rider is fast enough and is careful.

"She's an amazing person," she said, "I really like to talk to her. And I would say that she's the sweetest woman in the world. But she's always happy to do anything."

USA's Lillie Keenan on Argan de Beliard was also clear on a time of 44.56 secs. to place fourth. just ahead of Kent Farrington in fifth place.

Results:

CSI5* $500,000 Grand Prix

Rank Horse/Rider Nat. Jump Off Faults Time

1. GANGSTER MONTDESIR/RICHARD VOGEL GER 0 42.65

2. ENJEU DE GRISIEN/BEN MAHER GBR 0 42.95

3. DYNASTIE DE BEAUFOUR/NINA MALLEVAEY FRA 0 43.37

4. ARGAN DE BELIARD/LILLIE KEENAN USA 0 44.56

5. GREYA/KENT FARRINGTON USA 4 40.43

6. KEENELAND/SPENCER SMITH USA 4 44.85

7. FAVE D'AUTHUIT/ERYNN BALLAR CAN 4 49.78

8. BE SKY HAWK/MICHAEL DUFFY IRL 8 42.75

Photo: Richard Vogel on Gangster Montdesir clearing the final jump to win Wellington International's $500,000 CSI5* Grand Prix. © 2026 Ken Braddick/Jumper-News.US