Dutch equestrian businessman Jan Tops faces major uncertainty after a regional court ruled that his main venue in Valkenswaard lacks a valid event permit. The legal ruling affects the central operations of Stal Tops B.V., the headquarters of the prestigious Longines Global Champions Tour.
The legal setback coincides with efforts by Athina Onassis, the granddaughter and sole surviving heir of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, to sell her investment stake in the business. Onassis has engaged in an out of court mediation process to resolve her investment rights and navigate a potential exit from the enterprise.
Jan Tops, a former Dutch Olympic gold medalist in showjumping, established the Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard, located in the province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands. The modern facility serves as the primary host location for international showjumping competitions in the Longines Global Champions Tour and Global Champions League series.
The legal dispute originated in 2025 and escalated in early 2026. Regional newspaper Eindhoven Dagblad reported on January 7, 2026, that the competent regional court had issued a decision carrying serious consequences for Jan Tops and his commercial operations. The report ran under a title describing the ruling as a court bomb for the Tops facilities, adding that authorization for the stables, events, and hotel was missing.
Dutch equestrian news portal horses.nl subsequently reported that the lawsuit was brought by Groen en Heem, a nature and landscape protection organization in North Brabant. The environmental group has tried for years to prevent further expansion at the competition complex operated by Tops International, where Onassis is a financial partner.
Legal Challenge to Showjumping Venue
The Regional Court of East Brabant ruled in favor of Groen en Heem, concluding that Tops does not possess a valid permit to conduct tournaments and events in the form currently taking place. The court determined that local municipal authorities had improperly granted the original venue permit.
The court also rejected an appeal filed by Jan Tops challenging a refusal to grant a planning permit for a hotel. Tops had sought to construct the hotel within a protected natural conservation area, but municipal authorities had denied the building permit application.
Equi pages published an extensive subsequent article after contacting the company to inquire about its next steps following the court judgment. Stal Tops downplayed the significance of the ruling in an official statement, attempting to clarify the status of upcoming events at Tops International Arena.
Stal Tops stated that publicity surrounding the December 2025 decisions by the Regional Court of East Brabant had caused confusion about the future of events at the venue. The company confirmed that all scheduled competitions would take place as planned and that event preparations would continue as usual.
The company insisted that the judicial decisions do not affect existing facilities at Tops International Arena or Stal Tops. It stated that court findings concerning the national nitrogen emissions crisis primarily relate to future investment plans for adjacent land intended for municipal policies on avenues and equestrian zones.
Stal Tops added that it looked forward to welcoming riders, teams, partners, and spectators throughout the season, offering world class equestrian sport while supporting athletes, horses, and the local economy.
Temporary Operating Order and Permit Reexamination
Equi pages subsequently updated its reporting after requesting the original court documents to examine contradictions between local press reports and the Stal Tops announcement. The official court documents confirmed that the court ruled for the nature protection organization, finding that the stable permit was issued incorrectly and forcing the municipality to reexamine the issue.
The court records also confirmed that the Stal Tops announcement was accurate regarding current operations, as a temporary court order allows events to proceed while the municipality reconsiders the application. However, the temporary order imposes strict conditions, permitting competition events for a maximum of 15 days between July and September 2026.
The legal documents verified that Stal Tops lost its appeal regarding the denial of urban planning consent for the hotel project.
Impact on Athina Onassis and Stables Enterprise
The court ruling and the required municipal review have alarmed Athina Onassis, who maintains her own private stables near the Valkenswaard complex. Onassis possesses direct knowledge of local operations and faces significant financial risks as an investor if the municipality delivers a negative final decision regarding the main facility.
Dutch business outlet Quotenet cited Onassis as confirming that investment firm Bluestone Capital was a prospective buyer for her financial stake in the business. However, Bluestone Capital withdrew from negotiations after failing to obtain clear information on company performance and financial returns.
The failure of the sale led Onassis to initiate drastic legal and mediation measures against Jan Tops. The enterprise now awaits a new decision from municipal authorities, which will decide the future of the Valkenswaard complex and its financial partners.
