Winner of last Sunday’s CSI5* Grand Prix in Fontainebleau, Thibeau Spits didn’t just take a class—he confirmed a partnership. With Impress-K van’t Kattenheye Z, the Belgian rider has a championship horse on his hands, a partner built from the very start, a rare talent who barely jumps at home, values his peace, and prefers open spaces to forced affection. Portrait of a duo moving forward quietly. Well, almost.
A win that felt inevitable
Fontainebleau didn’t produce a miracle—it confirmed a trend. Thibeau Spits and Impress-K van’t Kattenheye Z claimed the CSI5* Grand Prix on Sunday, the only double clear in a six-horse jump-off, ahead of Martin Fuchs and Marie Demonte.
For Spits, no over-the-top celebration. More a sense of validation. “This victory gives me a lot of confidence for the whole season,” he explains. With typical Belgian lucidity, « He adds: “Now it will be difficult to keep this level, because we’re already doing everything needed to have him there. Maintaining it over time—that’s probably the hardest part.” »
Five years together, no instruction manual
Spits didn’t meet Impress at the top level. He built him. I’ve done everything with him. I started riding him right after he was broken in. I know him by heart. »
That changes everything. Big days, small details. Stable routine, work, moods. Even the smallest things, I know how he is. It helps me a lot. »
In the stable, Impress isn’t just another horse. He’s the sporting boss. The one everything revolves around, schedule, routine, even the way the whole team breathes. « The one who gets the most attention. He’s clearly number one. »
The boss likes to be left alone
Don’t confuse superstar with attention-seeker. Impress is kind, but not needy.
« He’s a horse who likes to stay a bit in his own world. He doesn’t really like too much attention. He prefers being a bit on his own,” says Spits. In other words: he accepts care, not constant fuss. “He doesn’t want to be bothered too much. Exactly. »
A stallion, yes, but not a cliché. This year, Spits feels him stronger, more mature, more relaxed. “He’s more relaxed in his head. He doesn’t get worked up in the stable or at home. It’s very important for him to have a place where he can rest. ”
At home, he barely jumps
The secret? Not recreating five-star tracks in the home arena.
« Honestly, he almost never jumps at home,” », Spits says. Maybe a few small exercises, poles on the ground, but no repetition for the sake of it.
Instead: galloping. A track through the woods, fitness, air, freedom. “I try to go there twice a week. It’s good for his strength.” And just as important: for his mind. When he only works in the arena, he becomes a bit dull. There, he works without getting too much in his head. »
In short, Impress is prepared like an athlete who needs fresh air—not like an office worker under neon lights.
Between sport and breeding
This season, Impress has been campaigned sparingly. He competed in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Paris and Fontainebleau, jumping clear in those Grand Prix classes. His schedule has also been shaped by his role as a breeding stallion, with dedicated periods for reproduction.
« “In the past, we had a few issues—he could get a bit tired from it. Now he manages it much better. He comes back from breeding and he’s very fresh. Maybe even a bit too fresh last weekend,” Spits smiles. », sourit le Belge.
Fresh, but focused. Sharp, yet more mature. The kind of balance that turns a very good horse into a serious championship contender.
The pressure of a top horse
Riding Impress isn’t just an opportunity, it’s a responsibility.
« Every time you go in, you have a chance to win or be competitive. So you’re even more focused than with another horse .,” says Spits. Course walking becomes sharper. Time allowed, options, invisible mistakes, everything matters.
Because with a horse like this, excuses don’t last long.
Aachen in sight
Next stops: Rome for the Nations Cup, then Madrid to stay in rhythm. And further down the road: Aachen. The FEI World Championships 2026 will take place in Aachen from August 11 to 23, with jumping scheduled from August 17 to 23.
Spits stays grounded. “We’re not there yet. I have to keep working, keep proving myself, try to be in form there.”
But the idea is clear. And it fits Impress perfectly—a horse for big arenas, grass, and gallop. « Aachen is maybe the biggest show in equestrian sport. Even if I was very young, I remember Jos Lansink winning the World Championship there. That’s also where I rode my first five-star Nations Cup, with King (van Essene). t was super impressive. A World Championship in Aachenis like a cycling World Championship on the Paris-Roubaix course. It’s different. It’s mythical.»
With Impress, everything feels a little different. And maybe this summer, the stallion will become mythical too.