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Gilles Thomas: from mini steeple contender at Jumping Mechelen to the absolute world elite

Gilles Thomas, the poster rider of Jumping Mechelen 2025, enjoyed an exceptionally strong sporting year. He became European team champion and individual bronze medallist with the Red Musketiers, the Belgian team, in A Coruña, and crowned his season by becoming the youngest winner ever of the Longines Global Champions Tour, claiming the overall title with victories in Paris and New York, and podium finishes in Rome and Shanghai.

Dreaming big thanks to Jumping Mechelen

At the end of each year, Gilles invariably looks forward to an event that has held a special place in his heart since childhood. The local hero took his first steps in the Nekkerhal as a supporter, later as a competitor, and gradually grew into a consistent presence at the very highest level.
Gilles explains: “From a very young age, I used to come to the Nekkerhal, at first to support my uncle, Marc Van Dijck.” He himself first entered the iconic arena as a competitor in the mini steeple. “That progressed into the youth classes and eventually led to a podium finish in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup, presented by BMW, in 2024. At Jumping Mechelen, I saw just how great our sport can be. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to become a professional rider.”

CSI5*, Stallion competitions and the Battle of the European Champions

Gilles Thomas has an impressive string of horses in his stable, so it’s no surprise that he lines up with a particularly strong team. In the five-star classes, he will rely on Qalista DN, Chuck Marienshof Z and Qiara de Kalvarie. In addition, he will present four stallions in the breeding classes on 27 December. The star rider will also feature in a truly special competition. On Friday 26 December at 9.30 pm, Jumping Mechelen will host an absolute first. For the very first time, a five-star horse swap class will be held in the Nekkerhal, a rare and highly spectacular event in which the Belgian European Championship stars, The Red Musketeers, Gilles Thomas, Thibeau Spits, Nicola Philippaerts and Pieter Devos, will exchange their trusted horses for those of their teammates. One course, four talents, countless surprises. How quickly will they find the right connection with an unfamiliar horse? How strong are their sense of timing and trust? The audience will be given a rare glimpse into the very essence of top-level horsemanship.

The concept is simple: each rider first jumps a course on their own horse, after which the riders swap horses. With only two fences to find their rhythm, they immediately tackle the full course again at a height of 1.45 m. In the end, every rider competes with all the horses, and in case of equal scores, a jump-off will decide the winner.

For Gilles Thomas, the horse swap is a unique opportunity. “I always enjoyed watching the Final Four at the World Championships in the past. It’s a pity that class no longer exists, so I think it’s fantastic that we can now do this in Mechelen. It’s a very interesting class to watch,” Gilles adds. “I’m really looking forward to being able to take part in it.” When asked who has the best chance of winning, Gilles is reluctant to make a prediction. “I think all four of us can adapt well to different types of horses. Thibeau might stand out slightly for me, because he has a lot of experience with both young and more experienced horses. He adapts very quickly, so maybe that gives him a small advantage in this class.”

The horse swap class, the Battle of the European Champions, promises not only sporting excitement but also a unique insight into the pure horsemanship of Belgium’s top riders. It is a true first, perfectly in line with Jumping Mechelen’s tradition of surprising its audience year after year.

If you don’t want to miss this unique opportunity, it’s best to secure your tickets soon. This class featuring our Red Musketeers is bound to be one of the highlights of Vlaanderens Kerstjumping.