Emanuele Camilli and Chacco’s Girlstar Get it Done for Mexico

In front of a sold-out crowd at Campo Marte, Emanuele Camilli and the outstanding Chacco’s Girlstar soared to victory in the €720,000 Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Mexico City presented by GNP Seguros. Last to go in a high-stakes jump-off, Camilli delivered a lightning-fast round in 42.99 seconds, securing his first-ever LGCT Grand Prix win and igniting the battle in the 2025 Championship race.

Marking a milestone moment in his career, the packed grandstands erupted as Camilli and Chacco’s Girlstar galloped through the timers, edging out Jörne Sprehe and Sprehe Hot Easy by just 0.32 seconds. Jérôme Guery and Great Britain V rounded out the podium in third, mere fractions behind at 43.50 seconds.

With this breakthrough win, Camilli earned 40 crucial championship points, catapulting him into third place in the overall standings, narrowly behind Edwina Tops-Alexander on 44 points and new championship leader Denis Lynch with 59 points.

Scroll to continue with content

An ecstatic Camilli shared his joy after the career-defining win: “I was last to go, and I knew that the jump-off was very fast – I took all the risk and I was lucky that it went my way today. I didn’t think so much apart from going full gas the whole way. This show is fantastic, the crowd are amazing – I think this is my new favourite show.”

This victory not only elevates Camilli to third in the LGCT Championship standings with 40 points, but also secures him a coveted golden ticket to the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs this November. He now joins Abdel Said in locking in a place for the season’s ultimate showdown, where the world’s best will battle for glory.

After watching the LGCT Super Grand Prix from the sidelines on screens at home, Camilli now has his sights set on what lies ahead. He said, “It is my first year on a team in the GCL, and now winning the Golden Ticket for the LGCT Super Grand Prix means a lot and I can’t wait to feel the emotion of Prague.”

As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on Camilli to see if he can continue his momentum and challenge the biggest names in the sport.

Second-placed Jörne Sprehe, who delivered a sensational round with her ultra-quick mare, spoke about the electric atmosphere in Mexico City: “It is so much fun to ride in front of this crowd. She is such a quick mare, but being up against Emanuele, who had already won on the first day, it was always going to come down to luck!”

Meanwhile, Jérôme Guery, who secured third place aboard Great Britain V, couldn’t hide his delight – not just for his result, but for his equine partner’s incredible comeback after colic and injury, “I don’t remember the last time I rode a jump-off so fast! But with the atmosphere here, the public, and each rider getting quicker and quicker, it was so exciting to be part of. If I had to ride this class again, I wouldn’t change a thing – i’m so happy with my horse!”

The 1.60m track, designed to challenge the world’s best, curved around the vast Campo Marte grass arena. The most influential line came down the home stretch, where the final fence shattered the hopes of many top contenders. A tight time allowed added further pressure, knocking home hero Nicolás Pizarro out of the jump-off with one agonising time fault.

Nine world-class combinations initially qualified, but ultimately, it became a five-way race to the top as some of the biggest names fell victim to the technical demands of the course.

Home hero Arturo Parada Vallejo and Fellow van ‘t Moerven set the stage as the first to take on the jump-off. Despite pushing hard, three fences fell, ending their podium hopes. Multiple LGCT Grand Prix winner Christian Ahlmann and his mount Dourkhan Hero Z were the first to deliver a double-clear, setting a strong benchmark at 44.41 seconds. Jana Wargers and Dorette OLD followed with a determined round, but fell just short, finishing 0.42 seconds behind Ahlmann.

Looking for her first LGCT Grand Prix title, Jörne Sprehe and Sprehe Hot Easy turned up the heat, slicing over a second off Ahlmann’s time to storm into the lead at 42.31 seconds. Katharina Rhomberg and Cuma 5 produced another clear round but settled for fourth, clocking in at 45.08 seconds.

Belgium’s Jérôme Guery and Great Britain V came agonizingly close, delivering a brilliant 43.50-second round—just 0.19 seconds shy of Sprehe. Meanwhile, Denis Lynch, a past winner in Mexico City, looked set to reclaim victory with Vistogrand, but a heartbreaking rail at the first element of the double dropped him down the leaderboard.

With only two contenders left, Gilles Thomas and Elfra van Beek Z went all out, stopping the clock at 43.82 seconds, but with four faults on the scoreboard, the challenge was left to just one man.

Then, as the crowd held its breath, Emanuele Camilli entered the arena. The Italian rider and Chacco’s Girlstar delivered a fearless, foot-perfect performance, taking every possible risk to shave off milliseconds. A daring gallop to the last fence sealed the deal, stopping the clock at 42.99 seconds—snatching victory from Sprehe and igniting an electrifying eruption from the grandstands.

With the dust settling in Mexico City, the Longines Global Champions Tour now turns to Shanghai for the third stage of the season, from 2-4 May. As the championship battle intensifies, the Shanghai Juss Equestrian Centre is set to host another thrilling showdown, where the world’s top riders will fight for glory in one of the sport’s most dynamic destinations.

Full results here.