Preview: Week 5 at Wellington | Fidelity Investments Grand Prix

Charlotte Smet and Diarm Byrne are back from Wellington and straight into another huge week, this time previewing the LGCT of Miami Beach. After a dramatic US Equestrian Open Final in Wellington, the conversation starts with the standout performances that continue to shape the 2026 season. Charlotte and Diarm dig into Richard Vogel's extraordinary depth, debating whether Gangster Montdesir is now more than just the exciting young horse in the string and asking what that could mean for the road to Aachen. Then it is on to Miami, where a fascinating field brings together proven championship campaigners, rising stars and some of the most underrated horses in the sport.   🎙️ Your Hosts Charlotte Smet and Sam Watson, the EquiRatings Jumping team, bringing data-led insight to the biggest moments in show jumping. Sponsors Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to podcast listeners. Use code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. Note: this does not apply to already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs. For feeding questions, you can contact the Connolly's Red Mills nutrition experts directly. 👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe: If you're a fan of show jumping and eager to stay updated with the latest, hit the like button, share this video with fellow equestrian fans, and subscribe to our channel for more engaging content! 📌 Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/  

Sam Watson and Charlotte Smet rip through a stacked first two months of 2026: Scott Brash's outrageous Doha run and return to World No.1, Nina Mallevaey's jaw-dropping 12 consecutive 5* 1.60m clears, the Dutch stacking wins, and breakout moments in Wellington, plus a few bold predictions already coming good. This show is very kindly supported by FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips. Achieve Equine, LLC develops innovative equine products like the FLAIR Strips. Founded by Jim Chiapetta and Ed Blach, both equine veterinarians, the company focuses on enhancing horse respiratory health and performance. They conduct rigorous research to ensure the efficacy and safety of its products, aiming to support the health and safety of horses and riders. Achieve Equine emphasizes strong relationships, data-driven decisions, and effective solutions in the equine industry. Stayed tuned for what's next from Achieve Equine.   🎙️ Your Hosts: Charlotte Smet & Sam Watson. The EquiRatings Jumping team who live in the numbers, the predictions, and the storylines shaping the sport. 👍 Like, Share & Subscribe: If you're following the sport through a championship year, hit like, share with a fellow fan, and subscribe for more data-driven insight all season long. 📌 Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/

This week on the EquiRatings Jumping Podcast, we sit down with RED MILLS rider Michael Duffy in Wellington as he balances five-star competition with building the next generation of championship horses. Fresh from a Grand Prix qualifier win in Ocala with Mr. Qerly, Michael reflects on the start of his season — but this conversation is really about the bigger picture. From Irish team bronze in Milan to winning the LGCT Grand Prix of Miami, Michael has already proven himself at the top level. Now, the focus is clear: invest in youth, develop properly, and build toward the future. Michael speaks candidly about hard work, organisation, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. It's a conversation about patience, perspective, and understanding that success at the top isn't accidental — it's built. If you're interested in horse production, breeding strategy, and what it really takes to sustain a career at five-star level, this episode is for you.   🎙️ Your Hosts Charlotte Smet and Sam Watson, the EquiRatings Jumping team, bringing data-led insight to the biggest moments in show jumping. Sponsors Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to podcast listeners. Use code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. Note: this does not apply to already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs. For feeding questions, you can contact the Connolly's Red Mills nutrition experts directly. 👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe: If you're a fan of show jumping and eager to stay updated with the latest, hit the like button, share this video with fellow equestrian fans, and subscribe to our channel for more engaging content! 📌 Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/  

Sam and Diarmuid preview the Fidelity Investments Grand Prix at Wellington tonight. In this episode, we dive into the data behind the first five star of the Wellington 2026 calendar. Historically, winning the Fidelity Investments GP has been a harbinger of a record-breaking year (Kent 2025, 2017, Fuchs 2019). We break down the EquiRatings Prediction Model for tonight's class, forecasting a challenging track with a predicted 10 hitting the Jump Off. Kent Farrington starts as favourite but he will face a challenge from Daniel Bluman and the high-risk, high-reward "wildcard" Richard Vogel. Also, is tonight the night Ben Maher ends a long wait for a GP win?

January isn't waiting around. With five-star jumping unfolding across Doha, Hong Kong, and Thermal, Charlotte and Sam take a global look at the riders and horses shaping the early weeks of 2026. From Scott Brash's dominant start in Doha to emerging contenders laying down serious early-season markers, this episode is about momentum, depth, and what these first results might mean for the year ahead. What we cover Scott Brash's red-hot January and the strength of his current string Early British team storylines on the road to Aachen Hong Kong's rising names and why this show matters Thermal form from Farrington, Toulayna, and Foxy de la Roque 🎙️ Your Hosts Charlotte Smet and Sam Watson, the EquiRatings Jumping team, bringing data-led insight to the biggest moments in show jumping. Sponsors Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to podcast listeners. Use code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. Note: this does not apply to already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs. For feeding questions, you can contact the Connolly's Red Mills nutrition experts directly. 👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe: If you're a fan of show jumping and eager to stay updated with the latest, hit the like button, share this video with fellow equestrian fans, and subscribe to our channel for more engaging content! 📌 Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/  

2026 has arrived, and with it a year of serious stakes: Aachen World Championships, the second edition of the US Equestrian Open, and a battle for world number one. The EquiRatings Jumping team sorts through form, streaks and star power to ask the real question: who shapes the season ahead? From Greya's bid for 800 Elo and Scott Brash's world #1 chase, to Belgium's depth, France's championship threat and USA's Open ambitions, Charlotte and Sam make their predictions, crunch the data and lock in their early calls for the year. This show is very kindly supported by FLAIR Strips. Achieve Equine, LLC develops innovative equine products like the FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips. Founded by Jim Chiapetta and Ed Blach, both equine veterinarians, the company focuses on enhancing horse respiratory health and performance. They conduct rigorous research to ensure the efficacy and safety of their products, aiming to support the health and safety of horses and riders. Located near Minneapolis, Minnesota, Achieve Equine emphasizes strong relationships, data-driven decisions, and effective solutions in the equine industry. 🎙️ Your Hosts: Charlotte Smet & Sam Watson. The EquiRatings Jumping team who live in the numbers, the predictions, and the storylines shaping the sport. 👍 Like, Share & Subscribe: If you're following the sport through a championship year, hit like, share with a fellow fan, and subscribe for more data-driven insight all season long. 📌 Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/

It's the final sign-off for the EquiRatings team in 2025… sort of. Because while most of the crew are mentally halfway to mince pies and mulled wine, the jumping world is still rolling on and some of us are very much still on duty. So what do we do with the whole team on one call at Christmas? Naturally: a very serious quiz (with questionable rules, minus points for guessing, and absolutely zero respect for staying on topic).

It's Friday night, it's festive, and the show jumping doesn't stop. Charlotte Smet is joined by Sam Watson to preview the London World Cup Qualifier weekend: the post-Geneva "calm down" that still comes with serious five-star pressure, valuable World Cup points, and the kind of home-crowd magic that makes London feel like Christmas.   Sponsors: Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to podcast listeners! Use the code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. View the full collection here. Note this does not apply to the already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs. If you have any other questions regarding feeding click here to ask the Connolly's RED MILLS experts. 🎙️ Your Hosts: Meet Charlotte Smet, Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson, the EquiRatings team, who spend their time deep in number-crunching for new insights on the equestrian world. 👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe: If you're a fan of show jumping and eager to stay updated with the latest, hit the like button, share this video with fellow equestrian fans, and subscribe to our channel for more engaging content! 📌 Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/

It's December 12 and the countdown to Christmas is on… but first, it's Geneva. Charlotte and Diarm sit down (with thanks to Connellly's Red Mills) to preview one of the strongest-field weeks of the entire season at CHI Geneva: the IJRC Rolex Top Ten Final (Friday night) and the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva (Sunday)—a key leg of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. This episode is packed with rivalry, records, and a few "party spoilers" who could wreck the script. What we cover Why Geneva has become the show of the year: calendar timing, atmosphere, and the sheer depth of field. Kent Farrington vs Scott Brash: the defining head-to-head of 2025—and why it matters even when they're not on their "default headline" horses. The Top Ten Final quickfire: rapid takes on every contender, plus podium picks. Sunday's Grand Prix: record-chasing, legacy-chasing, and spoiler energy from a stacked cast.   Sponsors: Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to podcast listeners! Use the code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. View the full collection here. Note this does not apply to the already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs. If you have any other questions regarding feeding click here to ask the Connolly's RED MILLS experts. 🎙️ Your Hosts: Meet Charlotte Smet, Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson, the EquiRatings team, who spend their time deep in number-crunching for new insights on the equestrian world. 👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe: If you're a fan of show jumping and eager to stay updated with the latest, hit the like button, share this video with fellow equestrian fans, and subscribe to our channel for more engaging content! 📌 Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/

The season finale brings a stacked Riyadh field and €500k on the line. Charlotte and Diarm break down the headline match-ups, who's trending up, and how this weekend feeds the story building up to Geneva in December.   Sponsors: Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to podcast listeners! Use the code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. View the full collection here. Note this does not apply to the already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs. If you have any other questions regarding feeding click here to ask the Connolly's RED MILLS experts.  Your Hosts: Meet Charlotte Smet, Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson, the EquiRatings team, who spend their time deep in number-crunching for new insights on the equestrian world.  Like, Share, and Subscribe: If you're a fan of show jumping and eager to stay updated with the latest, hit the like button, share this video with fellow equestrian fans, and subscribe to our channel for more engaging content!  Follow Us: EquiRatings Jumping WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaByaVo3QxS7qLas323H EquiRatings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equiratings/ EquiRatings Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquiRatings Official Website: www.equiratings.com Latest News: https://news.equiratings.com/