Next stop, London? Tops-Alexander’s winning streak continues with Super Grand Prix victory

“I can’t believe it, I’ve had the most amazing three weeks of my life and to finish by winning the LGCT Super Grand Prix is incredible,” said the Australian show jumper after her €313,333 victory at the 02 arena with 11-year-old mare California this weekend.

The €1.25 million Super Grand Prix was part of the inaugural Global Champions Prague Playoffs, and featured 16 qualifying riders who had won a Grand Prix on the 2018 Tour, or finished high up in the standings when another rider had multiple victories. In her case, 44-year-old Tops-Alexander (again with California) had triumphed at the Miami Beach leg of this year’s Tour, in April. 

In Prague, the riders started the first of the two rounds of competition on Uliano Vezzani’s courses at 8:30 p.m. Saturday evening. The Italian course designer combined tall verticals, wide oxers and a triple combination in the indoor sand arena to challenge the elite equestrian athletes, including Great Britain’s Ben Maher, who finished fifth with Explosion W, and Scott Brash, seventh on Hello Mr President.

Joining Tops-Alexander on the Super Grand Prix podium were German veteran Ludger Beerbaum (with Casello) in second (€250,833), and rising Dutch rider Frank Schuttert (Chianti’s Champion) in third (€188,333). All had four faults over the two rounds, with the New South Wales native stopping the clock fastest, in 61.08 seconds.

“The set-up is something really special,” runner-up Beerbaum said afterwards. “The sport, the drama. For me, being in the sport for many years, it is a new feeling. I am quite sure this is a milestone in the history of show jumping.”

For his part, Maher – winner of both the Longines Global Champions Tour and Global Champions League regular season titles – paid tribute to his partner: “[It] wasn’t our day today. It’s easy to forget Explosion W is only nine and has limited experienced indoors but I’m happy he grew so quickly in the second round. I can’t be disappointed when he’s had such an amazing year.”

In any case, for Edwina Tops-Alexander, the Longines Global Champions Tour is something of a family affair: her husband Jan Tops, a fellow Olympian (and Team gold medal winner in 1992 in Barcelona) founded the series more than a decade ago. Since its beginnings, the Tour has continued expanding, and Tops plans for 20 stages around the world next year including a new stop in Montreal, Canada.

In the short term, the question is: can Tops-Alexander keep her streak going? Equestrian sports fans in London will find out this week as the rider is entered in the British capital’s Olympia Horse Show, from December 17–23. In London, she will be accompanied by two mounts, including her World Cup winning partner in La Coruña, Vinchester.