Foto: Laura Kraut - Fotograf: Stefano Grasso/Longines GCT
Today is the day! It is the day of all days! It is the day that we will crown our 2013 Longines Global Champions Tour season winner. Each year the Tour becomes more exciting, more competitive and more global. This year we debuted two new locations; London, England and Madrid, Spain. We returned to the exciting cities of Monte Carlo (MON), Cannes (FRA), Chantilly (FRA), Lausanne (SUI) and Vienna (AUS) just to name a few.
It has been an action-packed season with Grand Prix wins for Michael Whitaker, Christian Ahlmann, Laura Kraut, Ben Maher, Marcus Ehning, Richard Spooner, Hendrik von Eckermann, Beezie Madden, Doda Miranda, Lucy Davis and Gerco Schroder. Now we have arrived at the location of the final leg of this year's intense 2013 season; Doha, Qatar. Situated at the amazing AL SHAQAB venue, riders have flown from all over the world to battle it out for the Championship title. Season rankings leader Laura Kraut has brought her 2008 Olympic Gold medal winning mount Cedric to see if she can become the first American rider to win the Longines Global Championship season title.
Christian Ahlmann, Luciana Diniz and defending Champion Edwina Tops-Alexander have brought a myriad of talent including Little Lady Z, Lennox and Ego van Orti. Ludger Beerbaum and Rolf-Gorab Bengtsson certainly mean business, having each only brought one horse each. Clearly both European Championship winners have one particular class in mind; tonight's Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha. The air is filled with anticipation as riders prepare, both mentally and phyically, for the richest title in the sport of show jumping.
Not only does winning the Longines Global Champions Tour season title broadcast your name across international channels for months if not years on end, it offers riders the biggest pay out available in our sport. They become a part of history and they prove themselves in the most revered of ways.
So we asked a few top international riders, many of those who have competed on the Tour this year, respectable and talented equestrians in their own right, who they predict will win this year's exciting Grand Prix of Doha and the 2013 Championship title.
Rider's predict winners for the final leg of the 2013 Longines Global Champions Tour season
"I think and hope that Laura wins the championship! It's super hard to say who will win the gp. The problem with the sport these days is that literally everyone entered is a contender! There seems to be strong crowds from each countries so it should be very exciting!" Lucy Davis (USA)
"I hope Laura Kraut will win the LGCT title. She has some great horses and has been very consistent all season. She is a very stylish rider and is able to ride lots of different types of horses with great success." Ben Maher (GBR)
"I will be rooting for Laura of course. She has been in the lead for so much of this season and she is there to win." Nick Skelton (GBR)
"Parice Delaveau has been in very good form in Doha. I think he will win the Grand Prix of Doha. I think for the Championship, it will be between Luciana Diniz and Christian Ahlmann." William Funnell (GBR)
"I think Luciana Diniz will win the Championship this season." Marc Houtzager (NED)
"I think Laura Kraut is very strong right now and Scott Brash also. But anyone in the Top 10, besides Ludger and Nick, can win. Its a strong group of riders." Kamal Bahamdan (KSA)
"Ludger is in very good form. He could certianly win. I think Ludger Beerbaum will win the Grand Prix of Doha. I think Scott Brash will win the overall Championship. He is in very good form." Roger Yves Bost (FRA)
"I would put my money on Ludger Beerbaum to win the Grand Prix of Doha. His mare Chiara jumped great yesterday evening." Enda Carroll (IRL)
"I think Ludger Beerbaum will win the Grand Prix of Doha and Laura Kraut will win the overall Championship." Tim Gredley (GBR)
"I hope Laura kraut wins both the Grand Prix and the Season Championship!!" Brianne Goutal (USA)
"i think Laura could do it. I would love for Laura Kraut to win the Season Championship title." Jessica Newman (USA)
"I think Christian Ahlmann will win the Longines Global Champions Tour title of 2013!" Janne Friederike Meyer (GER)
"I think Luciana Diniz will win the Championship." Yazmin Pinchen (GBR)
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