360th-ranked Rider in the World Has Dreamlike Win in Longines Grand Prix in Portugal

“Everyone wants to win a Global Champions Tour Grand Prix,” an excited Goldstein commented after her victory Saturday evening at the Hipódromo Manuel Possolo. Currently 360th in the rankings of the best show jumping athletes on the planet, the rider — who took top spot on her 11-year-old chestnut mare — is aiming to move up in that list, beyond collecting €99,000 on the night.

In a big contribution toward that objective, Goldstein, who owns a horse farm in the equestrian hotbed of Wellington, Florida, overcame a very strong field in Portugal — including World No.9 Maikel van der Vleuten of the Netherlands (in second after also riding clear, but slower, in the jump-off round with VDL Groep Arera C), No.20 Martin Fuchs of Switzerland, 3rd on Clooney, and Ireland’s Bertram Allen, ranked 17th on the planet and finishing fourth in Portugal on Molly Malone V. Belgium’s Jos Verlooy and Caracas were the fifth and final pair in the tie-breaking jump-off round.

Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya on Carlo withdrew from the Grand Prix, despite having the top result and winning €59,400 earlier in the evening in the 2nd competition of the team-based Global Champions League, which serves as a qualifier for the Tour Grand Prix. In that team competition, it was the Mexico Amigos of Yuri Mansur Guerios (on Unita ASK and Babylotte) and Henrik von Eckermann and Chacanno who came out on top at this competition stop in the Portuguese coastal resort area, about 30 km west of the capital Lisbon. Nevertheless, the Valkenswaard United team of Marcus Ehning, Bertram Allen, Alberto Zorzi, Janika Sprunger and Sanne Thijssen remain on top of the 2017 season standings, ahead of the Hamburg Diamonds and St Tropez Pirates.

After Goldstein’s win in the Grand Prix, Jan Tops, Founder and President of the Longines Global Champions Tour, spoke about the winning rider and some of the current Tour leaders: “You can see that persistence paid off. I’ve known Dani the last few years and how she is riding the last few shows it’s nice to see — it’s amazing and seeing her win this important Grand Prix is wonderful, well done. Harrie [Smolders] is still in a good position, Maikel is second, but I know how the Dutch are — you only get the prize after the finish and we have six important events to go.”

Next up on the schedule for the Tour and League, which bring together Olympic, World and continental show jumpers, is the 10th leg of 15 in total: Chantilly, in a forested region north of Paris. For full results from Portugal, including Friday evening’s Speed Class won by Abdel Saïd and SIEC Captain Future Z, please see here.