Will Girl Power Triumph Once More at Chantilly Global Champions Tour?

Female riders have dominated the show jumping honours in the GCT Grand Prix of Chantilly for the past two years and the question is will they triumph again in 2012?

In 2010, the first Global Champions Tour event at Chantilly, the Grand Prix podium was topped by American Laura Kraut, with French rider Pénélope Leprevost in second place and Edwina Tops-Alexander of Australia in third.

In 2011 it was all change - but still a female line-up - as Edwina leapt to the top spot with Luciana Diniz of Portugal and Pénélope dropping one place to third position. Laura Kraut missed out on the podium but came in fourth.

All will be competing in the Grand Prix at Chantilly again this year and the pressure will be on the men to out perform their feminine rivals.

Pénélope, who is approaching her 32nd birthday, achieved her success in 2010 and 2011 on the fantastic Mylord Carthago but the stallion will be going to the Olympic Games in London. She is set to ride either Nayana or Topinambour in  the Grand Prix this year. As well as her top-level riding career she is also mother to her daughter Eden, who is learning to ride

Show jumping is one of the only international elite sports - and Olympic sport - where men and women compete on a level playing field. The GCT ranking board is currently led by Edwina, who won last year’s championship and has been in pole position since winning the first show in Doha in 2012.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was the first woman to reach the number one spot in world show jumping in 2004 and she will also be competing in Chantilly.

Quick Link

• Visit Global Champions Tour website for more information

Photo: Sportfot/GCT