LGCT makes a stopover in Shanghai

It is the sixth year running for this Shanghai Longines Global Champions Tour leg and with forty-nine riders and over ninety-three horses this week end, the event is fueling growing interest in equestrian sport in China.

Europe will be particularly well represented in Shanghai as thirty-seven riders among forty-nine traveled from the old continent. Within European countries, Belgium is bringing seven athletes. It is the biggest team this week-end as it was in Miami. Among them, Pieter Devos, leader of the overall ranking and winner of the last leg in Florida, will try keep his position. But his compatriot will not make it easy for him as last year winner, Gregory Wathelet will be there as well as Jérome Guery, victorious in the Mexico leg. Niels Bruynseels, Karel Cox, Cindy Van Der Straten and Constant Van Paesschen will also try to shine for Belgium.

A large number of German riders will be there too. Spectators will keep an eye on Daniel Deusser, second in the overall ranking, Marcus Ehning, Christian Ahlmann, Christian Kukuk, Marco Kutscher and Philipp Weishaupt. With six riders too, France will be very well represented as Doha’s leg winner Julien Epaillard, Roger Yves Bost, Simon Delestre, Olivier Robert, Kevin Staut and Titouan Schumacher travelled to China.

For Great Britain, only two riders will compete : Scott Brash, Michael Whitaker and William Whitaker. Thanks to his seventh position in Miami, Scott Brash is the best Britain rider in the overall ranking. He is currently fourteenth but with a good performance this week-end he might climb up in the ranking.

In a change to the schedule the Global Champions League competition will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Due to a delay in the arrival of one horse flight it was decided with FEI approval to change the earlier team competition to ensure the horses were well rested and fresh for the weekend with horse welfare the top priority. Thanks to a landmark agreement between the European Commission and the Chinese Government the horses are able to arrive and compete in mainland China due to a special quarantine arrangement. 

Startlist : here

http://www.hippobase.com/EventInfo/Entries/CompetitorHorse.aspx?EventID=865