This year the British public will have the chance to see Britain’s Olympic showjumping heroes in action like never before at the spectacular venue of Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and just a stone’s throw from the River Thames.
With the world’s top showjumpers descending on the heart of London in August, this is a premium sporting and social event that you won’t want to miss this summer!
Horse & Hound is delighted to reveal that it will be joining forces with the Longines Global Champions Tour of London to bring readers all the action, exclusive content and insider info around this very special event. As the event’s official media partner, H&H will be the first to deliver the latest news, rider interviews and give exclusive insight at what promises to be an electric weekend of showjumping, where the world’s best horses and riders will battle it out for the top spot against one of the most beautiful backdrops in London, the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
From 4-6 August, Olympic, World and European champions such as Britain’s Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ben Maher will be in action for the 12th leg of the prestigious showjumping series. The ‘Formula 1’ of equestrian sport brings together the world’s top ranked riders to compete in unique locations around the world including Miami Beach, Paris, Shanghai, Monaco, Berlin and Doha for unprecedented prize money.
The innovative and dynamic team competition, the Global Champions League, will be hitting full throttle as teams compete against the backdrop of the iconic Royal Hospital Chelsea for the very first time in the sport of showjumping.
What’s on at the London GCT
Friday 4 August will see world class CSI5* action, as well as the first round of the thrilling Global Champions League where the world’s best riders will unite to fight for pole position ahead of the final on Saturday.
Saturday 5 August will host the exhilarating final of the Global Champions League ahead of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of London, where the top 25 riders will compete for £300,000 in prize money and valuable ranking points.
Sunday 6 August will see further top action from the world’s top riders and horses, as the world’s best battle it out for top honours on the final day of competition.
Who will be there?
At the breath-taking destination of Miami Beach, the London Knights (Ben Maher and Kent Farrington) stole the show in the Global Champions League, putting in a stunning display to win and rocket the team up the rankings. They’ll be looking for home support in London, with the team comprising Ben Maher, Kent Farrington, Emily Moffitt, Eduardo Menezes and Enrique Gonzalez. The London Knights can be identified by their red team kit and expectations will be high with the pressure on to see which pair they choose to compete on home turf. Learn more about the team >>
Scott Brash on Hello M’Lady in Mexico City. Credit: ph.Stefano Grasso/GCL
There will be many familiar names among the stars of showjumping, and spectators can expect to see Olympic medallists Scott Brash, Ben Maher and John Whitaker all bringing their top horses to compete against the top ranked international riders in the world. Previous LGCT London winners have seen both Ben and Scott fight off stiff competition to take the prestigious title, so all eyes will be on the local boys to see if they can make it a hat trick of home wins.
Something for all the family
With a shopping village, refreshment areas and thrilling sporting action packed into three days, there will be something for all the family as the LGCT and GCL series raise the temperatures in London. In the village area, delicious food and drinks will be available throughout the competition, and for the children there will be a dedicated area, including face painting and the gorgeous Longines carousel ride. Throughout the weekend there will be autograph sessions with the top British riders, as well as in-arena entertainment, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
How to book your London GCT tickets
All seating is unreserved and ticket holders will have the option of two covered grandstands, both with a clear view of the arena. Visitors will be able to explore the village, as well as see behind the scenes in the warm up, where the world’s top horses and riders with be breathtakingly close. Ticket prices vary per day, and children under 10 years of age go free.
A 10% discount for the covered grandstand tickets is available exclusively to Horse & Hound readers, just quote the code “HORSEANDHOUND”. Book your tickets >>
General admission tickets are also available for just £5, giving access to the shopping village, warm-up, childrens’ area and refreshments – this access will also give a restricted, standing view of the arena. However there will also be a big screen in the village to allow guests to watch the action. Limited VIP tickets are still available on request, please email hospitality@globalchampionstour.com for an information document and prices.
With just three championship events remaining after London, the main contenders for the 2017 crown will be fighting hard for every precious point and prize money in the richest series in the sport. This show promises all the action and entertainment expected of this prestigious show jumping series, so book your place now and join us to cheer on the champions!
Follow all the action from the London leg of the Global Champions Tour here on HorseandHound.co.uk and in Horse & Hound magazine.
