The Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Germany

The Global Champions Tour in Hamburg, Germany is the equestrian event where history is ingrained in every single piece of the turf. The best of the best German riders mix it with the international top ranked FEI riders, many of whom are drawn to the event via the Global Champions Tour circuit.

All will be heavily invested in attempts to win some of the €285,000 prize money on offer for the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Germany. Winners of the first two legs of the Global Champions Tour will be competing in the GCT Grand Prix of Germany that is set to take place on Saturday 5th of June at 13h40.

Brazilian Alvaro de Miranda Neto, winner of the first GCT round in Doha, brings his jumping machine Ashleigh Drossel Dan and Irishman Billy Twomey, round two winner in Valencia, will start Je t’Aime Flamenco. “I am travelling Je T'aime Flamenco, Romanov and Wild Thing to Hamburg and they are all ready to go,” Billy commented on his intended attendance at the Global Champions Tour in Hamburg.

“Since Je T'aime Flamenco's win in the Grand Prix in Valencia, he has jumped in La Baule, were he was very unlucky not to win the Grand Prix. He ended up 7th with a fence down in the jump off in the fastest time. Hamburg is a great show with a lot of tradition and history. The show has invested heavily in their surface and it’s nice to be jumping on a great grass surface.”

Jaeger-LeCoultre, the official partner and timekeeper of the Global Champions Tour for the second year now celebrates the 80th anniversary of Reverso in 2011. The lucky winner of the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Hamburg will be presented with a Reverso watch especially engraved by the manufacturer for this occasion.

USA rider Lauren Hough, winner of the 2010 Global Champions Tour Grand Prix, will be hoping to win a second Reverso watch as she won this superb timepiece here last year and has her Grand Prix horse Quick Study well prepared. “I spent the early part of the year in the USA on the Wellington circuit with some good results. Once I was back in Europe I headed to the Global Champions Tour in Valencia and since then Quick Study has had three weeks holiday. He is fresh and ready to go now. I will only start him in the Global Champions Tour classes at Hamburg."

The German spectators savour their own riders and will be carefully following the three German riders who are currently in the top 10 of the Global Champions Tour Ranking.

Lars Nieberg, who is currently placed third overall on the Global Champions Tour ranking list, will start Lord Luis at the Hamburg event. “I was 8th place with Lord Luis in the Global Champions Tour event in Doha and 8th place with my young Grand Prix horse Gallipo 5 in Valencia. I am very pleased with my horses and my current GCT Ranking.” said Lars. “I have been coming to the Hamburg event for 20 years now. It is a nice show in a nice city with good people and when the weather is fine everything is just perfect.”

Lars is looking to eclipse his placings of the first two legs of the GCT series. “I will start Lord Luis in the GCT Grand Prix. He is in good shape and I will ride him in a small class on the first and second days, give him a day off on Friday in readiness for the big class on the Saturday afternoon.”

German lady rider Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) also had a great start to the 2011 Global Champions Tour placing third at the first leg in Doha on Shutterfly and the fastest four fault round with Checkmate in Valencia placing 20th.

Her GCT ranking is now 13th overall, while her brother-in-law Ludger Beerbaum sits in 4th position.

Meredith relishes the Hamburg event on her country home turf. “Hamburg is a special show with a lot of tradition. It is famous for its Derby. I am happy that the GCT takes place in Hamburg now. It has made the Hamburg show one of the highlights of our summer tour!” commented Meredith.

Of course Checkmate will be there as will the stalwart of her team Shutterfly, the horse she placed third on at the first leg of the Global Champions Tour in Valencia in May, 2011

In fact, Meredith is tipped to be the first rider to make a million euros from prize money won over the 2006-2011Global Champions Tour events. Hamburg could just be the event where this is realised.

The first of the Global Champions Tour events in Hamburg will take place on Thursday 2nd June at 13h00. For spectators who are unable to attend the event Global Champions Tour capture and present all of their show jumping action via the Live Streaming at www.globalchampionstour.com.

Eurosport broadcast live coverage of the second round and jump-off of the Global champions Tour Grand Prix of Germany on the Saturday 4th June afternoon. ZDF Channel (Germany) will also cover the showjumping from Hamburg 16h00-17h00 . Sprotextra Sendung will provide highlights at 15h05-17h00.

Global Champions Tour Rankings – top 18 riders after 2nd leg (Valencia) 1. Alvaro De Miranda Neto (BRA), 66 - 2. Dennis Lynch (IRE), 64 - 3.Lars Nieberg (GER), 58 – 4. Ludger Beerbaum (GER), 56.50 - 5= Edwina Alexander (AUS), 55 – 5= Gerco Schroeder (NED), 55 – 7. Billy Twomey (IRE), 51 – 8. Sh Shakboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan (UAE), 49 – 9. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, 46 – 10. Kevin Staut (FRA) 44 – 11.Simon Delestre (FRA), 42 – Pius Schwizer (SUI), 37 – 13. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED), 35 – 14=. Luciana Diniz (POR), 33 – 14=. Laura Kraut (USA), 33 – 16= Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), 31 – 16=. Marcus Ehning (GER), 31 – 18. Werner Muff (SUI), 29

The Global Champions Tour ranking is updated after each leg of the tour based on the scores derived from the rider’s performances.

Global Champions Tour 2011 Events Doha, Qatar March 17-19 Valencia, Spain May 6-8 Hamburg, Germany June 1-5 Cannes, France June 9-11 Monte Carlo, Monaco June 23-25 Estoril, Portugal July 1-2 Chantilly, France July 22-24 Valkenswaard, The Netherlands August 12-14 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil September 2-4 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, November 10-12

Photo credit Stefano Grasso/GCT