Nina Mallevaey and Destine to Be won the Sotheby's International Realty Normandy Grand Prix, the premier event of the CSIO 3* in Deauville, on Sunday, June 7, 2026. The top seed, the world's seventh-ranked rider, lived up to her status, winning the 1,55m class after a spectacular jump-off. The decisive round had started at a very high level. 2004 Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa, back in top form with Major Tom, and then Julien Épaillard, fast and precise with his young horse Hacker d'Auge, had successively taken the lead. But the rider from northern France responded with champion's determination: after a controlled start, she delivered an absolutely sensational second half of the course to cross the finish line more than a second ahead of Épaillard. Emirati rider Omar Abdul Aziz al-Marzouqi and the extraordinary Enjoy de la Mûre, nineteenth at the Paris 2024 Games, gave it their all to unseat her and secured a well-deserved second place. This victory rewards the growing partnership between Nina Mallevaey and her son by Diamant de Semilly, riders for just over two years and winners of a 1,55m class in Wellington earlier this year. This is their very first victory in an international Grand Prix, another milestone in the rise of one of the most promising pairs on the circuit, celebrated here before the Normandy crowd.

After a nail-biting finish, Italy won the Longines Nations Cup at the CSIO 3* Sotheby's International Realty in Deauville on Friday afternoon. The Italians edged out Belgium and France by two points, with the winners separated by their combined times. Led by a double clear round from Federico Ciriesi and Quincy Juice, the Italians secured the victory in a competition featuring twelve nations from three continents. The French team, coached by Olivier Guillon, benefited from a perfect clear round from Cédric Hurel and Fantasio Floreval, finishing third and qualifying for the Longines EEF Series semi-finals. A total of nine double clear rounds were recorded.

From June 4th to 7th, France hosts the Longines EEF Series Nations Cup at the Longines International Equestrian Center. For this 5th edition, assistant national coach Olivier Guillon has assembled a team true to the spirit of the circuit: two world-class riders surrounded by a promising young generation. Headlining the event are Nina Mallevaey, the world's number one female rider and French Pro Elite champion, and Julien Épaillard from Normandy, crowned champion in April at the Longines World Cup Final in Basel and ranked 9th in the world, returning to his home crowd. Alongside them are the next generation and experienced riders: Cédric Hurel, Eden Leprevost Blin Lebreton (European Young Riders Vice-Champion), and William Ligier de la Prade (French Young Riders Champion). The French team: Julien Épaillard & Hacker d'Auge · Cédric Hurel & Fantasio Floreval Z · Eden Leprevost Blin Lebreton & Fantasy de la Roque Z · William Ligier de la Prade & Caterina · Nina Mallevaey & Destine To Be. Join us on Friday, June 5th for the Nations Cup, a stage of the Western Region Qualifier, where France will face eleven other nations — live on BFM Normandie, GRANDPRIX.tv and ClipMyHorse.TV. Free admission all weekend.

The 2026 lineup blends the best of Europe with a touch of international flair. Eight European nations will compete: Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and France. This promises a particularly competitive team event, where each rider will represent their country over two rounds. Among the rivals to watch, Belgium triumphed in Deauville last year, propelled by a confident young generation. The French team, meanwhile, will be competing on home soil with a stellar lineup led by Nina Mallevaey and Julien Épaillard. In addition to these European nations, four invited international teams—Mexico, the United States, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates—will give the competition a truly global dimension and offer the Deauville public a taste of top-level international competition.