The Belgian top jockey rides the UAE President Cup on 1 September, brings young talent to the Gaverbeekhippodroom and is appointed Knight of the Order of the Crown

On the international racecourses, Christophe Soumillon hardly needs an introduction any more. Over the course of his career the Belgian jockey has collected more than 4,000 wins, claimed the Cravache d’Or as France’s best jockey ten times and added some of the biggest races in the world to his record.

A place for young talent

But Soumillon does not only look at his own career. Through the Soumillon International Pony Academy (SIPA) he also commits himself to young riders who want to take their first steps towards becoming a professional jockey. The academy gives children the chance to gain experience in pony racing and so to get to know the world in which Soumillon himself grew into one of the great names.

At Waregem Koerse, too, that initiative is once again given a place. On Tuesday 1 September, two pony races are on the programme: the A. S.I.P.A. Championship and the B. S.I.P.A. Championship. Young jockeys thus get their own moment at the Gaverbeekhippodroom, in between the day’s major international races.

The Soumillon Pony Trophy is run on Tuesday 1 September at 1.30 p.m. and 6.45 p.m.

A tribute to an exceptional career

During Waregem Koerse, Christophe Soumillon will be put in the spotlight for his impressive career and for what he means to the racing world.

Soumillon will be appointed Knight of the Order of the Crown, a special recognition that is only rarely awarded within equestrian sport. The distinction comes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and underlines just how exceptional his international career has been.

With ten French championship titles, wins in 19 different countries and victories in absolute top races such as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Dubai World Cup and the Breeders’ Cup, Soumillon has long ridden his way in among the biggest names in international racing. In 2025 he again proved that he belongs to the world elite, with ten Group 1 wins in a single season.

The appointment is therefore a special tribute to a Belgian jockey who has been performing at the highest level for more than two decades while helping to build the next generation.

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