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The Brazilian rider and Chevaux Hex Lup Imperio Egipcio claim the first five-star class of the 2026 Brussels Stephex Masters, a Rolex Series event, ahead of Denis Lynch and Sean Monaghan.
The five-star riders made their first appearance in the Grand Place Arena on Thursday afternoon. The opening 1.40m class, presented by Sport Vlaanderen, was run as a Table A against the clock.
In the end, it was Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha who proved untouchable. Riding the experienced 17-year-old Chevaux Hex Lup Imperio Egipcio, Barcha produced a fast and faultless round in 57.42 seconds, securing the first CSI5* victory of the week.
The result comes only a few days after the World Championships in Aachen, where Barcha represented Brazil with Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio. He was the only Brazilian rider to qualify for the individual final and eventually finished 17th in the overall individual classification.
Lynch and Monaghan complete the podium
Ireland’s Denis Lynch came closest to challenging the winning time. Together with Brooklyn Heights (Nabab de Rêve x For Pleasure), he crossed the finish in 58.53 seconds to take second place.
Fellow Irish rider Sean Monaghan completed the top three. He piloted Roger de Mariposa (Vagabond de la Pomme x Air Jordan) to a clear round in 60.01 seconds.
Brazil was also represented inside the top five. Marco Antonio Peixoto Ferreira Filho finished fourth aboard Stagoldesso PS (Stakkatol x Kannan) in 64.76 seconds. Petronella Andersson followed in fifth place with Odina Van Klapscheut (Zazu x Landor S), stopping the clock at 65.50 seconds.
Belgian riders make their mark
The best Belgian result came from Annelies Vorsselmans and VDL Kelton (Bubalu VDL x Corland). The pair delivered a clear round in 65.55 seconds to finish sixth, just five hundredths of a second behind Andersson.
Newly crowned World Championship silver medallist Thibeau Spits also opened his Brussels CSI5* campaign with a clear round. Riding Jazzy des Dames (Emerald van ’t Ruytershof x Calvaro Z), he finished tenth in 66.50 seconds.
