With his spectacular colouring, enormous presence and growing list of top-level results, Ping Pong van de Lentamel has become one of the most recognisable horses on the international showjumping circuit. Now, at 11 years old, he has started an exciting new chapter in his career, joining the string of Irish rider Denis Lynch. Naturally, we had to go and meet him.
Meet Ping Pong
Officially known as Ping Pong van de Lentamel, the striking BWP gelding was born in 2015 and is bred from two hugely influential jumping lines: Ping Pong is by the legendary Emerald van ’t Ruytershof, while his dam is Lieve Vrouwke van de Lentamel, by Toulon. While his pedigree is impressive, it is his colour that makes him instantly unforgettable.
His eye-catching skewbald coat has become part of Ping Pong's identity. In a sport filled with bay, chestnut, grey and dark horses, Ping Pong can pick himself out from the crowd from a mile away. But, as Denis is quick to point out, there is considerably more to this horse than his good looks.
His career really began to take off with German rider Gerrit Nieberg, with whom he developed into a serious five-star performer. The partnership produced some remarkable results, including victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Riesenbeck in 2025, as well as strong performances at Aachen and on the World Cup circuit. In January 2026, the pair finished an impressive third in the World Cup Grand Prix at Leipzig, their final international appearance together.
Now the reins have passed to Denis Lynch, and we were lucky enough to get an opportunity to see the superstar up close.
“He knows he’s a superstar”
When Denis talks about Ping Pong, one thing becomes immediately obvious: this is a horse with a huge personality. “He's an incredibly intelligent horse,” Denis tells us.
And apparently, Ping Pong knows exactly how to use that intelligence.
“He knows that he's a superstar,” Denis laughs, explaining that the gelding actively seeks attention from everyone around him, including Denis and all of the grooms.
It's easy to see why. He has that presence that some horses simply possess, the feeling that they know they are special. And alongside his character his is a serious athlete.
“Everything you do with him, he knows exactly what you ask him to do,” Denis explains. “When you jump the fence, he's very, very focused.” That combination of intelligence, personality and focus is one of the things Denis believes makes Ping Pong so exciting.
From promising youngster to five-star star
Ping Pong's rise to the top has been an interesting one. Rather than being rushed through the levels, his development was carefully managed. When he joined Gerrit Nieberg, the rider took his time, allowing Ping Pong to gain experience before progressively moving up to the bigger classes. That patience paid off.
By 2025, Ping Pong was producing some of the big performances. He won the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Riesenbeck, competed at CHIO Aachen and earned his place among the world's best Grand Prix horses. And he did it while becoming something of a fan favourite.
Why is Ping Pong so special?
For Denis, his achievements alone make Ping Pong an extraordinary horse.
“For what he's achieved already in his career, winning four-star and five-star Grand Prix with Gerrit Nieberg and also Nations Cups for Germany as a coloured horse, it's quite extraordinary,” he says. Ping Pong has already achieved something that very few horses can claim: he has combined serious international results with an unmistakable character and appearance. But for Denis, this isn't about what Ping Pong has already done. It's about what could come next. “First of all, it's incredibly exciting to get such a horse, an opportunity to ride such a fantastic horse,” Denis says. And you can hear the excitement in his voice. “I can't really wait to get him to his first show.”
A new chapter
A change of rider is always a fascinating moment in a top horse's career. Ping Pong and Gerrit Nieberg had built a hugely successful partnership, so the move to Denis Lynch represents a genuine new chapter. Denis brings enormous experience at the highest level of the sport, while Ping Pong arrives with confidence, proven ability and a growing reputation as one of the most exciting horses around.
Meeting him in the flesh, it's easy to understand the excitement. He's beautiful. He's unusual. He's clever. He has already won major Grand Prix classes, jumped at Aachen, competed on the World Cup circuit and taken on the very best in the world. Now he has Denis Lynch in the saddle.
Watch this space. The next chapter is going be a very exciting one.