Traverse City, MI – September 12, 2025—Abdel Saïd (BEL) returned to familiar territory on Friday to win the $117,000 CSI5*-W Grand Prix Qualifier, the same class he also captured during his debut at Traverse City Horse Shows in 2024. This year, he piloted Quaker Brimbelles Z for the win during the penultimate week of the Traverse City Tournament of Champions, featuring the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – Traverse City.
Saïd, currently ranked no.13 in the world was the only contender to cross the jump-off timers sub-40 seconds. Seven horses advanced to the tie-breaking short course, designed by Guilherme Jorge (BRA).
Saïd pipped current leader Katie Dinan (USA) to ultimately take the win. His 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Quicksilver St Simeon x Hickstead) stopped the timers at 39.77 seconds to Dinan’s 41.67 riding Out of the Blue SCF, owned by Grant Road Partners. Daniel Bluman (ISR) rounded out the podium in third with Abigail Wexner’s Hummer Z in a time of 42.23 seconds.
With his sights set firmly on the 2026 FEI World Cup™ Final in Fort Worth, TX, Saïd is starting his qualifying season off in the North American League.
“I love being in Traverse City and America in general,” he said. “Traverse City is special for me; the setting, the people, good course designs, and fantastic prize money. For me, it’s a super horse show, so I’m delighted to be here and win this class two years in a row.”
Saïd’s partnership with Quaker Brimbelles Z is still a developing one after the gelding joined his string at the end of 2024. “He’s come up strong and the partnership is growing. Today’s jump-off was quite fast and he answered all my questions.”
The partnership was one made by happenstance, according to Saïd. “I always loved him as a young horse, but he was never for sale,” admitted Saïd of the horse that was previously the mount of French rider Jean Luc Mourier. “It’s so hard to buy top horses—usually my job is producing and selling them. One evening, I was sitting at home and the owner called me. He said, ‘Would you like to buy him?’ But, I had to give him an answer that night. It was a stressful, crazy deal but it worked and I couldn’t be happier with the horse.”
For complete results from the $117,000 CSI5*-W Grand Prix Qualifier, click here.
Earlier in the day, Savannah Jenkins (USA) topped the two-star leaderboard with eight-year-old Comme Ci Comme Ca in the $32,000 Storm Ridge Capital CSI2* Speed for owner Ilan Ferder.
Back-to-back weeks of five-star competition continues at Traverse City Horse Shows, culminating this week in the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – Traverse City on Sunday.
Anna Tyler Saves Best For Last in $5,000 USHJA National Derby
Anna Tyler of Raleigh, NC, pocketed another derby victory during her Traverse City Horse Show season on Friday in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Perfect Products. She and new mount Shades of Grey were last to step foot into the Highstreet Arena in a hunt & go format, but saved the best for last by posting the high score of the day on a 175.75.
The 16-year-old won the $5,000 Junior Hunter Bonus, sponsored by Makoto Farms, Hunter Edge & Zoology Foundation, during GLEF and is back to winning ways at the Traverse City Tournament of Champions.
“I love the weekly derbies here in Traverse City; it’s definitely one of my favorite horse shows because of that,” said Tyler. “It’s special for me to have this success because I’m so lucky to have such great horses and a great team.
“I like the hunt & go format a lot because it’s something a little different,” continued Tyler. “I wasn’t really going in with any expectations for this horse, but she proved me wrong.”
Tyler took over the ride on Shades of Grey a month ago through a lease from barnmate Jenni Rosen.
Following Tyler in the results, Olivia Sweetnam of Wellington, FL, rode Closing Time to a score of 174.5 for second, and Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen of Wellington, FL, piloted Ratino Kn Ter Beuken to third on a tally of 174.
For the win, Tyler was presented with a custom electric bike from Perfect Products.
For complete results from the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Perfect Products, click here.
Hunter derby action continued on Friday with a win for Bitsy Woods of Ocala, FL, in the Traverse City Non-Pro 2’/2’6” Hunter Derby riding Hendricks. For the win, Hendricks was named the Platinum Performance Hunter Horse of the Week during the second week of the Traverse City Tournament of Champions.
About Traverse City Horse Shows
Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) offers 13 weeks of top equestrian competition each summer at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan—just 15 minutes from downtown Traverse City. The venue blends world-class sport with the natural beauty of Northern Michigan and features 12 weeks of FEI-ranked events, including three five-stars and an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*.
The season culminates in the three-week Tournament of Champions, highlighted by the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ CSI5*-W—Traverse City and $340,000 American Gold Cup CSI5*. New this year, the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship and $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship deliver big prize money and prestige to the equitation ranks.
For more information on the season, visit TraverseCityHorseShows.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
