On now: teams of world’s best show jumpers face off in Global Champions League

Taking place alongside the Longines Global Champions Tour (which also begins this week in the Qatari capital and whose competitions are for individual riders), the fourth edition of the Global Champions League (GCL) features squads made up of six international riders, including one who is 25 or under. GCL Teams must compete at each show of the series, with 2–3 riders per team per event. Additionally, one rider at each show must be relatively highly-placed in the rankings. To watch live, see here. 

The 16 show jumping teams in the GCL are named after different cities on the competition circuit, and their line-ups this year foreshadow some fierce competition for the 2019 title, which was won last year by the London Knights squad of Ben Maher (also LGCT winner), Martin Fuchs (SUI), Olivier Philippaerts and Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) and Emily Moffitt (GBR). This year, the team has stayed the same, except for one strong new recruit, Austria’s Max Kühner. 

Another European capital, Berlin, is the namesake for the Berlin Eagles: Ludger Beerbaum (GER), Lorenzo de Luca (ITA), Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE), Philipp Weishaupt and Christian Kukuk (GER) and U25 rider Emil Hallundbaek (DEN). Meanwhile, the Cannes Stars feature 2008 Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze (CAN), who has been out action recently with an illness, Margie Goldstein Engle (USA), Jane Richard-Phillips (SUI), Karel Cox (BEL), Abdel Said (EGY) and young rider Daniel Coyle (IRL), who has been based in Canada in recent years. 

The Chantilly Pegasus squad will be anchored by another champion rider, Roger-Yves Bost (FRA), alongside Dayro Arroyave, Carlos Lopez and René Lopez (COL), Sadri Fegaier (FRA) and U25 talent Constant van Paesschen (BEL).  And on the Doha Falcons, Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani (QAT) will join Bassem Hassan Mohammed (QAT), Michael Whitaker (GBR), Jur Vrieling (NED), Bronislav Chudyba (SVK), and U25 rider Mike Kawai (JPN). 

The Hamburg Giants have revamped their lineup for 2019, and will see the following riders in action at different stops on the circuit: Simon Delestre (FRA), Lauren Hough (USA), Mathilda Karlsson (SRI), Alfredo Hernandez (ESP), Bart Bles (NED) and U25 rider Titouan Schumacher (FRA). For its part, Madrid in Motion is back with a very strong group after winning the play-offs last year in Prague: Maikel van der Vleuten (NED), Eric van der Vleuten (NED), Eduardo Álvarez Aznar (ESP), Mark McAuley (IRL), Cindy van der Straten (BEL) and Michael G Duffy (IRL). 

The Miami Celtics live up to their moniker with an all-American/Irish/British linep: Jessica Springsteen remains with 2018 teammates Shane Breen (IRL), Cameron Hanley (IRL) and Michael Duffy (IRL), with their team welcoming newcomers William Whitaker (GBR) and U25 talent Harry Charles (GBR). Another coastal city, the Principality of Monaco and its Monte Carlo casino, has given its name to the Monaco Aces team, made up of Jérôme Guery (BEL), Julien Epaillard (FRA), Jos Verlooy (BEL), Marlon Zanotelli (BRA), Laura Kraut (USA) and U25 rider Jeanne Sadran (FRA).

The daughter of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, Georgina Bloomberg (USA) is heading up the New York Empire team with a strong group of teammates: Scott Brash (GBR), Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER), Daniel Bluman (ISR), Denis Lynch (IRL), and Spencer Smith (USA). And one of the teams facing them will bear the name of another world capital, the Paris Panthers, with none other than Harrie Smolders (NED) joining the squad for 2019, alongside Darragh Kenny (IRL), Gregory Wathelet (BEL), Nayel Nasser (EGY), Yuri Mansur (BRA) and U25 talent Jennifer Gates (USA). 

The final five teams are further proof of the strength of the overall field of competitors, starting with the Prague Lions: Niels Bruynseels (BEL), Marc Houtzager (NED), Gerco Schröder (NED), Marco Kutscher (GER), Wilm Vermeir (BEL) and U25 talent Anna Kellnerova (CZE). The Scandinavian Vikings will be headed up by top German rider Christian Ahlmann (GER), alongside Geir Gulliksen (NOR), Leopold van Asten (NED), Danielle Goldstein (ISR), Evelina Tovek (SWE) and Teddy Vlock (USA).’

For their part, the Shanghai Swans have a heavyweight line-up with some notable new additions: Daniel Deusser (GER), Pius Schwizer (SUI) and Shane Sweetnam (IRL) will be joined this year by Peder Fredricson (SWE), Kamal Bahamdan (KSA) and U25 rider Kim Emmen (NED). Meanwhile, the St. Tropez Pirates feature two-time LGCT Champion Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS), Athina Onassis (GRE), Pieter Devos (BEL), Olivier Robert (FRA), Lucia Le Jeune Vizzini (ITA) and U25 star Laura Klaphake (GER). 

Finally, 2016 GCL Champions Valkenswaard United will be looking to get back on top of the podium with Marcus Ehning (GER), Bertram Allen (IRL), Alberto Zorzi (ITA) and Maurice Tebbel (GER) at each other’s sides. New to the squad will be experienced Irishman Cian O’Connor (IRL) and U25 talent Frank Schuttert (NED). For more information on the Global Champions League, see here.