About

The Crystal Cup European Cross Country Challenge brings together the finest international horses and riders to reward the most successful stable in cross country steeple chasing.

A thrilling 12 race series, with over €850,000 in prize money,  hosted by many of Europe’s premier racecourses, over unique combinations of hedges, banks, ditches and timber, concluded at Lion d’Angers at the end of May when Patrice Quinton reclaimed the Crystal Cup from his Czech rival, Josef Vana, a competition that went right down to the final furlong.

This season’s Challenge begins in early September at a packed Waregem Racecourse in Belgium, whilst the final race takes place in front of an enormous holiday crowd at Lion d’Angers in late May. In the intervening 8 months are races over a mesmerizing variety of racecourses and obstacles across France, Italy, Poland, Britain & Ireland and the Czech Republic, each richly endowed with a healthy prize fund ranging from €40 – 200,000.

If you have a sense of adventure, and a curiosity to see the best of Europe’s racecourses, then this set of unique cross country races is for you. From experienced summer handicappers for Waregem, Craon and Lion’d’Angers, to the middle rank of steeplechasers and cross country specialists in the winter, the programme offers a well-balanced series of opportunities not limited to out-and-out stayers, and a less traditional qualification route to our Spring staying races like the Grand National.

 Follow the leaderboard for final placings up to and including Lion d’Angers on May 29th this year,  and our news pages for previews and reports of each race.

“France is proud to be involved in this exciting, seven-nation initiative, that brings together Europe’s leading Cross Country racecourses to celebrate the most successful stable in the 12 chosen races”

Jean d’Indy, Vice Chairman of France Galop.