Coming up GCT 5* 1.45-1.50m and unique sport in Jaeger-LeCoultre Pro-Am Cup

Monaco Global Champions Tour (Photo: Alan Davidson/GCT)

Anyone fancy escaping winter and visiting Monaco to watch the best showjumpers in the world? We're loving these reports from the crew at the Global Champions Tour...

Another warm day at the stables on this second day of the GCT series in the beautiful setting of the harbour in Monaco. The horses are being cooled by the special ventilators and being given showers by the grooms. The top riders trained their horses early this morning from 7 till 9 am in preparation for the 1.45-1.50m 5* GCT competition at 17:15h this afternoon. A good preparation for the thrilling Grand Prix tomorrow.

The groom of top Brazilian rider Alvaro de Miranda said: “The horses of Alvaro didn’t jump yesterday, so they are fit to compete.” Alvaro, who was 4^th in Cannes two weeks ago and is 13^th in the GCT ranking, will compete with his Belgium studhorse QH Show Show LF. The groom of French rider Roger-Yves Bost said: “We wait for tonight.”

Yesterday’s speedy winner Cassio Rivetti and second place British rider Scott Brash, riding in his first GCT, will compete tonight. Leading riders including Edwina Tops-Alexander, Ben Maher and Laura Kraut are all geared up for some dynamic show jumping tonight and tomorrow. The Irish rider Jessica Kürten is back in the GCT show and will compete with her two horses Vincent en Voss. She became 4^thwith the Irish team in the Nations Cup of Rotterdam. Gerco Schröder, the winner of Cannes, will enter the Port Hercule arena as first rider with his stallion Eurocommerce Callahan (Contendro x For pleasure). Speaking about the fantastic facilities and showground at the GCT in Monte-Carlo, Gerco said: "Jan Tops has improved the facilities every year in Monte-Carlo. You feel there is a horseman behind it."

Later tonight sponsored teams will be galloping flat out in the unique Jaeger-LeCoultre Pro-Am Cup in front a big crowd in the hospitality suites and public grandstands. Amateur rider Jane Davies will compete with Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nayhan of the United Arab Emirates.

Top Belgian rider Cindy van der Straten, the third prize winner of the 1.40m yesterday, compete with her close relative Laurent van der Straten. Cindy van der Straten-Marie said: "It is a super show here in Monaco. It must be so difficult to achieve this kind of organisation, it is a great success. I am looking forward to the competition later today and my horses are all well and they travelled fine."

Also the unique pair Charlotte Casiraghi and Edwina Alexander will be riding in Gucci colours and try to beat them all. Each pair will be in the ring together and if an amateur rider knocks down a fence, or has a refusal, the professional will have to jump a much more difficult fence to try and rescue their overall score.

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