Oct. 30, 2026
Sandra Sysojeva of Poland rode Maxima Bella to victory in the Opglabbeek, Belgium CDI4* Grand Prix Friday for the 12th win in 20 Big Tour starts across the globe so far this year.
Sandra and the 10-year-old German-bred Oldenburg mare were awarded 73.391%, placed first among the 19 starting combinations by four of the five judges all above 74%, but one judge giving a mark of 68.370% to place the pair 10th by his reckoning.
Maxima Bella began her Big Tour career at eight years of age and started 24 times at international events including the Paris Olympics. The following year, the duo started 23 times including the World Cup Final and the European Championships in Crozet, France.
Sandra and Maxima began this year at a CDI5* in the Middle East, two months later were at the World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas and in August at the World Championships in Aachen, Germany.
Friday’s victory was the first outside Central Europe this year.
Results:
CDI4* Grand Prix
1) Sandra Sysojeva, POL – Maxima Bella 73.391
2) Tobias Nabben, GER – Forster 16 71.695
3) Jeroen Devroe, BEL – Lestor 71.196
4) Thomas Wagner, GER – Escolar’s Emil FRH 71.152
5) Corentin Pottier, FRA – San Cloud’s Lucky 69.826
6) Caroline Darcourt, SWE – Bournonville 69.304
7) Katharina Hemmer, GER – Slaide 68.326
8) Marie-José Calis, NED – Limited Edition 68.217
9) Lynne Maas, NED – Electra 68.000
10) Fabienne Müller-Lütkemeier, GER – Valencia AS 67.891
11) Jacco Doornwaard, NED – It’s Easy 67.674
12) Katharina Hemmer, GER – Special Gold PCH 67.370
13) Amandine Prevost, BEL – Quaterdance 67.283
14) Roy First, POL – Infinity Win T 66.522
15) Hubert Jankowski, POL – Guerlain 65.935
16) Tommie Visser, BEL – Karma Begijnhoeve 64.456
17) Caroline Chew, SGP – Blue Hors Zatchmo 64.348
18) Suphakamol Vuntanadit, THA – Farao Da Raia 63.174
19) Pierre Volla, FRA – Malcom X de Massa ELIM
