Victor Bettendorf was happy just to be qualified for the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Rome on Sunday.
Then he won it.
The Luxembourg rider is ranked no. 72 in the world and has topped 31 grands prix prior, most at the 1.45m and 1.50m heights (Jumpr Stats). But he’d never won a 5* Grand Prix before Sunday.
“I was already happy just to be qualified for the Grand Prix when you see the list of the riders. So I did not even dream about winning,” said Bettendorf.
But with Foxy de la Roque under his saddle, perhaps he should start.
The 9-year-old homebred mare (Armitages Boy x Kannan) has contested just three 1.60m classes to date—and won every one.
The pair made their ranking class debut last August.
In July, they jumped their first 1.60m Grand Prix at the CSI4* La Coruna, Spain—and won. This week at the LGCT Rome, they jumped their first 5* at the height and won both the Global Champions League of Rome Individual Classification on Saturday and the Grand Prix on Sunday.
“For me, it was nice to win yesterday. To repeat it today, I would not even dream about it,” said an emotional Bettendorf.
“I can’t talk very much because it’s a mare I just really love. I’ve been riding her since she was six. She’s homebred. It’s just a dream come true to compete against all these guys who just did the Olympics. I will need to sleep a few days to realize I think,” said Bettendorf.
Seven pairs qualified for Uliano Vizzani’s short course, among them reigning Olympic champion Christian Kukuk on Just Be Gentle, speed specialist Simon Delestre on I Amelusina R 51, LGCT Grand Prix of Cannes winner Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann on Messi van ‘t Ruytershof and Maikel van der Vleuten on Beauville Z N.O.P.
Last to return, Bettendorf stopped the clock at 34.07 seconds—three seconds faster than Delestre (37.51)—to take the W and his career first 5* Grand Prix title.
“It’s like a walk in the park with that mare. I don’t care about the height. I don’t care about anything. I just go in the ring and have fun,” he enthused.
With the win, he also picked up the penultimate golden ticket to the exclusive Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix in Riyadh later this year—a feat Bettendorf is also still processing.
“Normally, I watch these shows on the tv. It’s a bit strange to say I will go this year. It’s a dream come true.”
The LGCT next heads to Rabat, Morocco October 18-20 for the final qualifying leg of the season ahead of The Playoffs in Riyadh.