Nina Mallavaey kicks off Winter Equestrian Festival with a top ten goal
France’s Nina Mallavaey arrived at the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] sporting her new status as one of the world’s top ten showjumpers and demonstrated her determination to retain it.
“The goal is to be in the top 10 for December in Geneva,” the 26-year old said, referring to the annual International Jumping Riders Club contest held in Switzerland at the end of the year. “It is a dream to do this show.” Britain’s Scott Brash won against nine other top ten riders four weeks ago in the ‘best of the best contest’, which saw USA’s Kent Farrington finish runner up.
Nina, ranked 8th worldwide since the start of 2026, was speaking after a win in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 at Wellington International aboard Destine to be. Her jump off round in 33.1 seconds proved fast enough to give her the edge over Olivia Sweetnam and Epic’s time of 34.58. It also put Nina ahead of her former mentor, USA’s Laura Kraut, who finished third in 36.33 seconds with Dorado 212.
Laura – who has also had a bumper year in which she celebrated her 60th birthday – was already one of the world’s top ten, ranked seventh, when Nina’s ascension to eighth place created another milestone in female showjumping history. It has been ten years since two women showjumpers were at the coveted pinnacle of the list and Nina’s arrival marks only the seventh woman to make the top ten.
Destine to be, a 10-year old gelding by Diamant de Semilly, was bought as an eight-year old by the Rein Family for Nina. “He’s a really good horse and he has a lot of potential,” she said. “He did one five-star last year and then he had a little bit of a break. He just came back now and feels amazing.”
Nina has considerable depth to her string – not least in 13-year olds Nikka VD Bisschop and Dynastie de Beaufour, both also owned by the Rein Family LLC. She plans to show them in February – for now they are “on holiday” she said. “They have a lot of experience and I can really count on them.” Her 11-year old mare My Clementine is scheduled to jump on the grass during next week’s three-star show at Wellington International. But this week belongs to Destine to be, who will appear in Saturday Night Lights’ $140,000 Grand Prix.
Being in the top ten has given Nina extra motivation, tempered with attention to horsemanship. “It motivates me to try to stay in it [the top ten],” she said. “But of course I’m going to listen to my horses and I won’t push them to get ranking points.”
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