London will be welcoming nine of the world’s top ten showjumpers, when the Global Champions Tour (GCT) comes to Horse Guards Parade next month.
Big rivals
World number one Scott Brash, who is the 2013 Longines GCT Champion, will be competing in London. Scott has won two of the prestigious Grands Prix classes so far this season and is just 29 points behind the current leader, Edwina Tops-Alexander.
Scott will be joined by his Olympic team mates, Ben Maher, Nick Skelton and Peter Charles. Ben is back to defend his 2013 London Grand Prix title.
“There are many, many good riders,” said Ben. “Everyone on the Tour is capable of winning the big Grand Prix in London. But at the moment Scott Brash is one of my biggest rivals and on home turf. I would say myself, Scott Brash and Nick Skelton will all be doing our best to get a home win,” said Maher.
Champions
In total, 27 out of the world’s top 30 riders will be competing in London.
These include the likes of Christian Ahlmann, who recently won the Grand Prix on home soil in Aachen, Olympic Champion Steve Guerdat (SUI), four-time Olympic Gold medallist Ludger (GER) and reigning European Champion Roger-Yves Bost (FRA).
Edwina will also be competing in a bid to keep her name at the top of the leaderboard. Other leading females riders heading to the UK’s capital are Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden and Jessica Springstreen from the USA, Pénélope Leprevost from France, and our own Jessica Mendoza.
Top class
Tickets for the showon 14-16 August can be bought online. The GCT Grand Prix is the final class on Saturday, but there are four other CSI5*showjumping classes and a host ofCSI2* events throughout the three days.