If you see aloe vera and duct tape in our suitcase, it's for our sunburns and ripped umbrellas… both courtesy of Miami Beach’s bipolar weather.

But watching the LGCT Grand Prix was definitely worth the hassle!

In this issue you’ll learn:

1. Why Katrin Eckermann’s win was special (though you might need to double check our accounting department’s math)

2. How to make your non-horse friends understand how big of a deal the LGCT is in five seconds.

3. Breeding recommendations from VDL stud and rider feedback from Grand Prix rider Alex Matz.

But first, here’s some trivia:

Katrin Eckermann’s Latest Resume Addition

If you’re looking at Katrin Eckermann’s resume and see “Miami Beach LGCT Grand Prix Winner” listed twice, we can vouch that she isn’t embellishing it.

After a sensational win in Miami Beach last year, Eckermann and her ten year old mount, Cala Mandia, managed to repeat the same accomplishment this past weekend.

According to our accounting department, there was only a 0.0725% chance that a single rider would win both the 2022 and 2023 LGCT Miami Beach Grand Prix, and an even smaller chance that it would be the same horse and rider combination… but that math made their brain hurt.

Following right behind Eckermann was Eduardo Alvarez Aznar of Spain aboard Bentley De Sury, who came in just a second too late to snatch the top prize.

Rounding out the podium was Maikel Van Der Vleuten of the Netherlands aboard Beauville Z N.O.P.. Following his ninth place finish in Doha, this third place finish was good enough to catapult him to the top of the leaderboard for the LCGT rankings.

Trivia Answer:

Madrid in Motion Leads The Charge to Mexico

(Confused how all of this works? Here’s an explanation of the LGCT and GCL.)

While Eduardo Alvarez Aznar may have just missed out on gold for the LGCT Grand Prix, he did help his team, Madrid in Motion, secure the top spot on the GCL leaderboard.

Other team members on Madrid in Motion include father and son duo, Eric van der Vleuten and Maikel van der Vleuten, as well as Laura Kraut, Mark McAuley, and the new 22 year old talent, Jack Whitaker.

While this dynamic team currently holds the lead with a total of 46 points, they’re going to have to put up a good fight in Mexico as the St. Tropez Pirates, lead by Katrin Eckermann, are just two points away from stealing their gold position.

Noteworthy Guests in Miami Beach

If you’re trying to explain how big of a deal the Longines Global Champions Tour is to your friends and family, just tell them about some of the celebrities that showed up.

First, Princess Madeleine of Sweden joined Malin Baryard in the barn to take a picture with her show string.

Side note: Do royals have a course on keeping their dresses clean in a barn? Because we’ve never left a barn without a stain or smudge.

Or perhaps Donna Karan had a spare dress on standby, as the American fashion designer was also in attendance last weekend.

Finally, Gisele must have heard that ex-husband Tom Brady was checking out Wellington a couple of weeks ago and didn’t want to miss out on the latest showjumping action, because she also made an appearance this weekend in Miami Beach.

Casall ASK’s Happily Ever After

Last week Casall ASK celebrated his 24th birthday with an impressive oat/carrot/apple cake… but he earned it.

He’s the only horse to have won 10 LGCT Grand Prixs and he made it onto the podium 21 times throughout his impressive career.

Casall ASK’s final appearance was in 2017, where he and Rolf-Gorän Bengtsson won the LGCT Grand Prix in his hometown of Hamburg to bring his fairy tale story to a close.

Rounding out the Miami Beach news, here’s the answer to the final Trivia question:

Breeding Feedback: From VDL Stud

Here’s our new segment where any breeder can submit a video of a mare they own and we’ll ask top showjumping breeders to provide stallion recommendations based on her videos, pictures and pedigree.

Today’s breeding recommendations were made by Wiebe Yde van de Lageweg of VDL stud.

Rider Feedback: From Grand Prix Rider Alex Matz

We’re starting a new segment where anyone can submit a video of a round they own and Grand Prix riders will provide feedback. You can learn more about how to submit your video (for free) here.

This week, Grand Prix rider, Alex Matz, critiques an amateur’s round. Listen in as he provides commentary during the round and stick around afterward for the additional feedback:

Other News

Other Winners of The Week

While Katrin Eckermann stole the show in Miami Beach this week, there were some other impressive wins around the globe last week.

First, Shawn Casady and NKH Cento Blue claimed Gold in the $100,000 CSI3* ATCO Gold Tour Grand Prix. They also cashed a fat check earlier in the week after winning Thursday’s $40,000 CSI3* 1.50m Gold Tour Speed Stake.

Meanwhile, Conor Swail had a great week in Wellington winning the $146,000 Bainbridge Companies CSI3* Grand Prix on his new mount, Casturano.

Finally, Hannah Åkerblom snatched her first major win in Olivia last weekend aboard Chodec as they claimed the top place on the podium for the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix on the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour.

Estermann’s Rough Week

Last week was rough for Paul Estermann as the Swiss Equestrian Federation banned the former team rider for seven years after the Lucerne Cantonal Court found him guilty of animal cruelty.

Estermann can appeal the Swiss Equestrian Federation Sanction Commission’s decision within 20 days, though his outlook is pretty bleak.

Remembering Groom-Turned-Steward Karen Golding

Karen Golding began as a groom in 1970 when she met Bernie and Tiff Traurig in England. In 1974, she joined Michael Matz at Erdenheim Farm and worked with the team through 1998.

She then became a steward for the U.S. Equestrian team and attended every Olympic Games from 1976 to 2000 (with the exception of 1984) as either a groom for Matz or an official for the U.S. Equestrian Team.

In 2007, Golding was recognized for her dedication to the sport when she was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.

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Farms We Love

We’re blown away by this incredible farm in Rancho Santa Fe, a town in North San Diego County. These 77 acres are an equestrian’s dream with three sand arenas, two hot walkers, and a grand prix field.

The main barn is 27 stalls, and just in case you fill that up, there’s also an 8 stall family barn.

The main house is also impressive with 6 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms that spread over 15,000 square feet. Just in case there isn’t enough space for all of your guests, you can also take advantage of the 6-unit apartment building which also has 2 detached guest houses.

The price tag? Well… $98.5 million.

BUT! There are only 9,630 people in the U.S. with a net worth north of $100 million, so we’re hoping they’ll decide to take a few zeros off the price tag so that we can buy it.

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If you see aloe vera and duct tape in our suitcase, it's for our sunburns and ripped umbrellas… both courtesy of Miami Beach’s bipolar weather.