One of the last international shows to take place in a showjumping season is Jumping Mechelen. Traditionally held between Christmas and New Year for the past 40 years, this event is a must-follow for equestrian enthusiasts. For sport at the highest level, we look forward to the World Cup class on Friday. Hippomundo would not be Hippomundo if we didn't have an extensive database of sports results throughout the years. Let's take a look at some of the past winners of the CSI5*-W World Cup of Mechelen.
Jumping Mechelen hosted its first edition in 1980. Back then, there was no Longines FEI World Cup season as we know it today, but Belgian rider Edgar-Henri Cuepper won the Grand Prix on the BWP gelding Cyrano.
In 1990, Jumping Mechelen hosted its first World Cup. That first edition was won by Jean-Claude Vangeenberghe on Avontuur. In total, 26 World Cup competitions have been held in the Nekkerhal in Mechelen. Just five of those were won by Belgian riders on home soil, the first of which by Vangeenberghe in 1990. The following year, Ludo Philippaerts claimed the win on Fidelgo. The Belgian audience then had to wait 16 years for the next World Cup win on home soil. In 2006, Dirk Demeersman spearheaded an entire Belgian podium on Tymoon vd Caloo Meerchen followed by Jos Lansink on Cumano and Judy-Ann Melchior on Grande Dame Z.
Ludo Philippaerts claimed his second World Cup win on home soil in Mechelen two years later in 2008 on the Belgian-bred stallion Winningmood, by Darco. The last Belgian win in the Mechelen World Cup dates back to 2011, when Gregory Wathelet wowed the crowd on another son of Darco, HH Copin van de Broy.
Eleven years after the last home win in the Mechelen World Cup, could a Belgian rider claim this Friday's victory?
Browse the Mechelen results archive here.
