Strong Start for Richard Vogel in KNHS Prize at The Dutch Masters

The first winner of The Dutch Masters 2026 has been decided. In the CSI5* KNHS Prize, a 1.40m speed class against the clock, Germany’s Richard Vogel immediately set the tone for the weekend. Just like last year, he claimed victory in the opening competition, this time riding the twelve-year-old Diamant de Casall.

“It’s always nice to start an important weekend with a positive feeling,” Vogel said afterwards. “The Dutch Masters is a very important show for us, and we always try to come here with our best horses. Diamant de Casall is still relatively new in our stable, so we don’t have much competition experience together yet. He jumped very well earlier this year in Basel, and it’s great to continue on that line here. Hopefully it’s a good sign for the rest of the weekend.”

The German rider has several goals for the event, including Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix, where he plans to compete with his top horse United Touch S. Vogel will also take part tonight in the HeadFirst Group Prize – Best of Champions.

Raijmakers once again second behind Vogel

For a long time, the victory seemed to be heading to Dutch rider Piet Raijmakers Jr. Riding For Freedom EKT, he set a very fast time, but in the end had to settle for second place behind Vogel – just like last year.

Third place went to France’s Simon Delestre, winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters in 2025.

Behind him followed a strong Dutch line-up, with Bas Moerings, Mans Thijssen, and Hessel Hoekstra finishing fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively.

Kent Farrington already looking ahead to Sunday

For American rider Kent Farrington, the opening class was mainly about preparation. The winner of the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva rode his twelve-year-old mare Toulayna in a controlled round, allowing her to become familiar with the main arena at The Dutch Masters.

“One horse, one class, one goal,” Farrington said, as he continues his bid for the Rolex Grand Slam. “Toulayna competed in Florida last week, so she’s already in a good competition rhythm. Today was mainly about letting her get comfortable in the ring. We want to save her energy for Sunday.”

With the Rolex Grand Prix in mind, Farrington knows the level of competition will be extremely high. “Everyone here belongs to the absolute top. The level is always strong, but of course we hope to fight for victory again.”

Photo: TDM/DIgishots

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