The Longines Global Champions Tour Continues its Voyage Around the World in Shanghai

For Great Britain, Scott Brash, Ben Maher, Emily Moffitt, Alexandra Thornton and John Whitaker are scheduled to take part in the various individual Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) and team Global Champions League (GCL) Classes this weekend, while the Emerald Isle’s Bertram Allen and Darragh Kenny will also be chasing after some of the €1.25 million in prize money up for grabs — as well as points in the standings for the two circuits.

Quite unique in the elite equestrian sports world, alongside the Longines Masters of Hong — one of the three stops for the indoor Grand Slam of Show Jumping — Shanghai LGCT is in its fourth year this year, having become one of the major sporting competitions for the developing sport in China. The presence of many of the big names in the sport at this third stop of the 15-city season (a majority of the world’s top ten are in Shanghai with the elite mounts) will undoubtedly be a major draw for the event, which runs from the April 28-30.

For example, World No.2 Kent Farrington will take to the course in the Asian metropolis, known in part for its futuristic skyscrapers and lane way housing. The American will be riding a wave of momentum after his strong showing in Miami Beach in the middle of April. But he will have to face circuit veterans such as Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Christian Ahlmann or Scottish-born Brash, one of the most popular riders in China. Deusser and Ahlmann’s compatriot, the experienced veteran Ludger Beerbaum, who has actually worked a lot on the development of the sport of Show Jumping in Asia, will also be taking part in the competition. Also part of the strong German squad at the event is Marcus Ehning, ranked 8th in the world and competing in his first LGCT stage of the season. He will also represent for the first time the Valkenswaard United team in the GCL. Ehning’s new teammate is Ireland’s Allen, who will be there along with Italian Alberto Zorzi.

Winner of the Grand Prix in 2015, the Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders is coming back to try and grab a second title in China, and as for Italian Lorenzo de Luca, he will have extra motivation to get to the top of the podium as in the case of a victory in the Grand Prix, he could take the lead in the overall standings.