The world’s top riders arrive in Hamburg this week for the third leg of the Global Champions Tour 2012 with € 285,000 at stake in the hotly-contested Grand Prix

The highest ranked riders on the international scene (listed below) and the richest prize money in the sport of show jumping set the stage for a thrilling four days of competition as part of the GCT season, the world’s premier show jumping circuit.
 
The Global Champions Tour Grand Prix will take place in the famous main grass arena on Saturday with around 50 riders battling for victory and a share of the € 285,000 prize pot.
 
In Hamburg this year the GCT Grand Prix not only counts for the GCT rankings but also as a qualifier for the forthcoming London Olympics this summer. Course designer Frank Rothenberger will be setting serious challenges for the riders and horses throughout the weekend. Huge crowds are expected to witness top-level sport with the best riders performing in this critical Olympic year. Many of its riders will also be representing their countries in the Olympics.
 
GCT President Jan Tops said: “I am confident spectators and our TV and livestreaming audiences will be treated to some spectacular world class equestrian sport.”
 
Luxury Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre will present a beautiful timepiece to the winner of the Grand Prix as part of its sponsorship of the Global Champions Tour.
 
Edwina Tops-Alexander, 2011 GCT overall champion, has led the GCT rankings for 2012 since winning the opening Grand Prix of the season in Doha, Qatar. Irish rider Denis Lynch, who won one of the top classes in Hamburg last year, is in second place followed by German riders Marco Kutscher and Marcus Ehning.
 
Last year Swedish rider Rolf-Goran Bengtsson won the Grand Prix in a dramatic jump off on his champion horse Casall La Silla with Ludger Beerbaum in second place.
 
In 2012, Global Champions Tour will showcase the world’s top 30 riders, competing for ranking points, at 13 stunning international locations. This year the GCT calendar has the biggest schedule since it was founded by Olympic show jumping gold medallist Jan Tops in 2006. Four exciting new venues have been added to the series - Vienna, Lausanne, Wiesbaden and Shanghai.
 
The Grand Prix will be broadcast on Eurosport, which reaches around 130 million homes in 59 countries. Fans of GCT can also watch the top riders in action via live streaming on the GCT website www.globalchampionstour.com.
 
These are the confirmed riders for the GCT in Hamburg this week:
 
 

Pressemitteilung vom 14.05.2012 (globalchampionstour.com)