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Billot and 9-Year-Old Heartlove de Pleville Shine in Andalucía Invitational Grand Prix
Sunday, 22nd of February 2026
Billot and 9-Year-Old Heartlove de Pleville Shine in Andalucía Invitational Grand Prix.
Week three of the XXXII Andalucía Sunshine Tour comes to an end with a highlight victory for France’s Mathieu Billot, who secured first place in the 1.55m Andalucía Invitational Grand Prix riding the promising 9-year-old Heartlove de Pleville against a strong international field of 50 starters.
The Grand Prix course was designed by renowned French course designer Grégory Bodo, who also created the tracks for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The technical and selective track proved challenging for the field, with only three combinations producing clear rounds to qualify for the jump-off.
Among those returning for the decisive round, Billot delivered when it mattered most. Riding with precision and efficiency, he produced the winning jump-off performance to take the top honours. Spain’s Pilar Lucrecia Cordon and Pica Pica Z finished second, while Julio Arias Cueva with Filou du Manoir completed the podium in third place.
The victory marked an important milestone for both rider and horse. Heartlove de Pleville, at just nine years old, showed maturity, scope, and composure well beyond his age, confirming his potential for future top-level sport. Billot has been competing at the venue over recent weeks and has enjoyed consistent success, including a second-place finish in last week’s CSI4* Grand Prix before returning to claim this week’s win.
“I would like to thank the organizers and the sponsors for this fantastic show. It was my first time here and I was very happy to come. Last week I finished second in the 4* Grand Prix, and this time I managed to take the win with my 9-year-old Heartlove de Pleville, which makes me very proud,” said Billot.
Other Grand Prix Results
The CSI4* 1.50m Medium Tour Grand Prix saw Great Britain’s Sameh El Dahan and WKD Aimez Moi take victory after a competitive jump-off. Ireland’s Susan Fitzpatrick with Guedelon Batilly finished second, while Belgium’s Axel Vandoorne aboard Gaudi de Hus placed third.
In the CSI4* 1.45m Small Tour Grand Prix, the Netherlands’ Vincent Voorn claimed the win riding Eowyn de Goedereede Z. Ireland’s Sean Monaghan and Tiberio della Caccia took second place, with Mexico’s Claudia Michel and Farfelue de Beaufour finishing third.
The Andalucía Sunshine Tour now pauses briefly, with a few days of rest ahead before returning with a CSI2* competition, followed by a further three weeks of CSI4* sport throughout March. The circuit, the longest-running in Spain, enjoys institutional support from the Regional Government of Andalusia —through the Ministry of Tourism and Andalusia Abroad— and the Provincial Council of Cádiz, a key backing that strengthens its sporting, economic and tourism impact.
22/02/2026 by Sunshinetour News , Press releases
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