<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The weather was fine in Lanaken. Late-summer atmosphere, sunshine over Domein Zangersheide and, as so often here, enough beautiful horse per square metre to give ordinary mortals a few complexes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But for the 54 combinations entered in the Sires of the World, Friday afternoon was no simple parade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this 1.50m class reserved for stallions, Bernard Mathy and his team had built a course that was not handing out gifts. Faults fell across the track, with a Liverpool placed at fence 12 notably taking care of reminding everyone that the title would not simply be won on a nice pedigree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end: seven clears. Seven candidates for a jump-off. And therefore seven ways to try to leave Lanaken with one of the nicer lines to add to a stallion\u2019s CV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n First to return to the ring, Mykola Pylypeiko<\/strong> did not exactly play it safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n With Money Time<\/strong>, a nine-year-old Holsteiner by Million Dollar and Clearway, the Ukrainian immediately sent the message: 41.70 seconds, clear, with distances taken forward and a very clear intention not to leave much room for those who followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A proper benchmark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00ab There was nothing more this horse could give at this stage of his career. He and I gave everything,\u201d<\/em> Pylypeiko explained after his round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The problem, when you give everything, is that sometimes there is still someone able to go faster while looking as though they are doing less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That someone was called Kim Emmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fourth to go in the jump-off, the Dutch rider arrived with Kaiser DMH<\/strong>, an 11-year-old KWPN stallion by Cardento VDL and Concerto II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And Kaiser rather lives up to his name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emmen d\u00e9roule. Pas de geste d\u00e9sesp\u00e9r\u00e9, pas de virage fa\u00e7on frein \u00e0 main, pas de grande s\u00e9ance de bricolage pour arracher trois dixi\u00e8mes \u00e0 la montre. Juste un cheval en \u00e9quilibre, une cavali\u00e8re qui sait exactement o\u00f9 elle va et un chronom\u00e8tre qui s\u2019arr\u00eate \u00e0 40\u2019\u201994.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n That was 76 hundredths quicker than Pylypeiko.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And the best part of the story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kim Emmen felt she had not even had to push the machine to its limits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00ab I knew my horse was in good form and, even in the jump-off, I never felt that I had to work very hard. We even added a stride somewhere, but it was still enough to produce the best time<\/em> .\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One stride more and 76 hundredths in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nice for the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind them, there were still others trying to knock the pair off the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Egor Shchibrik<\/strong>, the Asian champion, was the last rider with the chance to change the script. With Crack HV<\/strong>, an 11-year-old stallion by Cornet Obolensky and Candillo, he completed his jump-off in 42.43 seconds. Enough to climb onto the podium, not enough to touch Kaiser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sohorse.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12311-Emmen-Kim-Pylypeiko-Mykola-Shchibrik-Egor-Kaiser-Dmh-Money-Time-Crack-Hv-\u00a9-SPORTFOT-1876-NH202163-2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n54 at the start, seven in the jump-off<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pylypeiko had set the bar high<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sohorse.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12310-Pylypeiko-Mykola-Money-Time-\u00a9-SPORTFOT-1876-NH202008.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nKaiser, without forcing it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sohorse.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Emmen-Kim-Kaiser-Dmh-\u00a9-SPORTFOT-1876-RP107052-2280x1520.jpg\")
\u201cHe is a rock star\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sohorse.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12309-Shchibrik-Egor-Crack-Hv-\u00a9-SPORTFOT-1876-NH201722.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n