Can Brussels' Stephex Masters really claim show jumping's 'most impressive' new derby?
' The move is a bid to carve out a distinctive place on a crowded European circuit — and it puts a major international sport within easy reach of Belgian spectators.
In 30 seconds
- The Brussels Stephex Masters is introducing a new 'derby' show jumping class, described by organisers as 'the most impressive class in equestrian sport' (per Het Nieuwsblad).
- The event is held at Stephex Stables in Meise, Flemish Brabant, on the northern edge of Brussels.
- A show jumping derby uses longer courses and fixed natural obstacles — banks, ditches, water and hedges — unlike standard classes over removable poles.
- The format follows the tradition of historic derbies such as Hamburg (Germany) and Hickstead (England).
The Brussels Stephex Masters is an international show jumping competition held at Stephex Stables in Meise, Flemish Brabant, on the northern outskirts of Brussels. Stephex is a Belgian equestrian group associated with entrepreneur Stephan Conter, best known for horse transport and stabling. The newly announced class is a 'derby' — a form of show jumping run over longer courses with fixed, natural-style obstacles (banks, ditches, water, hedges) rather than only removable coloured poles, in the tradition of the Hamburg Derby (Germany) and Hickstead Derby (England). Organisers describe it as 'the most impressive class in equestrian sport.'
Background
Show jumping derbies are a long-established, prestigious sub-genre of the sport, defined by demanding courses over natural obstacles; the Hamburg and Hickstead derbies have been marquee tests of horse and rider for generations. The Brussels Stephex Masters has grown over the past decade from a Belgian fixture into an internationally attended stop, and a signature derby is a bid to join that lineage on home soil.
What to do
Spectators near Brussels can attend a top-tier equestrian event locally; expect ticketing, scheduling and traffic details around Meise closer to the competition.
Impact
Regional — The event is staged in Meise, Flemish Brabant, and draws international riders, owners and spectators to the Brussels periphery, generating hospitality, tourism and local spending, alongside the traffic and logistics that a large sporting gathering entails.
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- 8 Aug 2026
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