October 26, 2026 
For elite show jumping combinations, the journey from promising hopeful to 5* Grand Prix winner can sometimes be a matter of years. A top-ranked rider finds and purchases the horse as a 7- or 8-year-old, or takes over the reins from their stable’s young horse rider, then produces him or her up to the top sport.
For Belgium’s Pieter Devos, however, the road with Casual DV Z began much farther back than that—with a good broodmare and a dream. Pieter, his brother Wouter, and his wife Caroline all competed Casual’s mother, Just Me D, up to the 1.60m level, and knew she had the scope and mentality to serve as a top broodmare in their breeding program.
The Devos’ hoped pairing her with the stallion Cornet Obolensky would improve the elasticity in Just Me’s offspring, and the resulting foal—Casual DV Z—proved their hunch was correct. On Saturday, October 24, the Devos family’s wish came full circle when the now-11-year-old Zangersheide mare won the inaugural €1 million LGCT Grand Prix of Cairo.
“I am a bit overwhelmed to be honest,” Devos admitted after his victory. “I am really so happy with my horse! She really deserves this, she has had six 5* Grand Prix podiums this year, and now we can put the cherry on the cake with an amazing win.”
Indeed, Casual DV Z is currently locked in a three-way tie with Shane Sweetnam’s (IRL) James Kann Cruz and Steve Guerdat’s (SUI) Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte for seven, 5*, 1.60m podium finishes this season—the most of any horse in the sport (Jumpr). Her performance in Cairo, however, marks a career-first 5* win for the mare.
“We did the whole journey with Casual from foal right through now to 5* Grand Prix winner, and [it’s] fantastic that you can make that bond with the horse and bring her to the top level of the world,” said Devos, who topped the 12-rider jump-off on a time of 45.85 seconds—the fastest of seven double-clears.
“What she has given me back is just unbelievable.”
Saïd Seals the Deal
Elsewhere on the leaderboard, fellow Belgian Olivier Philippaerts was second with Hipster SV (46.31 seconds), punching his coveted golden ticket to the LGCT Super Grand Prix in Verona, Italy (November 17-22), as Devos, the class winner, had previously qualified. Ben Maher (GBR) and Point Break took third on 46.57 seconds.
But LGCT Cairo also marked a special kind of homecoming for Egyptian-born rider Abdel Saïd, a competitor for Belgium who hasn’t competed in the country of his birth in more than two decades.
Saïd finished 13th in the LGCT Grand Prix as the fastest four-faulter with the 13-year-old ESH mare Wathnan Bonne Amie. But thanks to his two previous victories this season in Rome and Cannes, Saïd secured the LGCT Individual Championship title ahead of the final stop of the season next weekend in Rabat.
Saïd and Bonne Amie, however, are already a mainstay in the GCT history books thanks to their win last November in the LGCT Super Grand Prix in Prague.
Cairo Controversy
With its dramatic backdrop in front of the Pyramids of Giza—the last surviving site of the original Seven Wonders of the World—the first-ever LGCT Cairo event was not without controversy. Many influencers and activists were quick to highlight the disparity between million-dollar show jumpers competing for a million-dollar purse in front of the Pyramids—a place where the care of horses involved in equestrian tourism has long been a subject of serious concern among animal welfare groups.
In response, today, a five-year initiative aimed at improving the lives of working horses and other animals at the Pyramids and in the wider Giza region was announced by the Egyptian Equestrian Federation (EEF), Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT), Brooke, and other partners.
Initially aimed at 200 horses, the coalition says it intends to expand its efforts to 2,000 horses in the next phase of development, providing improved access to feed, water, veterinary treatment, and essential medications; fundraising and welfare monitoring; and education and training to horse owners on the care of working horses.
The program will be overseen by Jenny Ellis, the Europe Representative of the International Grooms Association (IGA), who said that meaningful change will take more than just short-term innovations. “[It relies] on consistent care, education, accountability and a clear understanding of the challenges facing working horses and their owners,” Ellis says.
“As someone who has worked extensively on equine welfare issues in Cairo, I welcome the opportunity to contribute to a program that brings together the relevant expertise and resources, with a focus on delivering practical, measurable improvements over time.”
While the group says further details and a phased implementation roadmap for its program are still forthcoming, Egyptian rider Sameh el Dahan spent last week helping to launch an initiative of his own.
While in Cairo, el Dahan visited with the Egypt Equine Aid clinic, helping to highlight the immediate need for farrier and dental supplies for working horses in Giza, and urging veterinarians and/or farriers who may be interested in donating their time to provide free clinics in Egypt to reach out to Egypt Equine Aid directly.
El Dahan also shared a fundraising link for direct donations to Egypt Equine Aid that can be found here, has promised to contribute a portion of his own winnings from this year’s LGCT tour to the cause. In another post, the Egyptian rider stressed the importance of making the rider- and LGCT-led efforts there sustainable, and not just annual occasion for window-dressing.
“We adore these beautiful animals and feel incredibly privileged to work alongside them,” El Dahan wrote in a post in collaboration with the Sycamore Stables page. “We hope this tour can be a force for good, bringing greater awareness to their needs, supporting those working on the ground and helping make a positive difference to their welfare.”
