INTERNATIONAL STARS SET FOR 2021 LGCT SEASON KICK-OFF

Show jumping’s premier horses and riders have arrived in Qatar’s dazzling capital city Doha, for the first round of action on the Longines Global Champions Tour 2021.
The season will kick off at the magnificent Longines Arena at AL SHAQAB in Doha, Qatar, next week 4-6 March and the official rider list is announced today for this hotly anticipated opening leg of the new season.
The thrilling first event of the individual and GCL team Championships promises to be an electrifying launchpad as athletes eye up the competition and aim to show their strength in the vast Longines Arena at AL SHAQAB, a member of the Qatar Foundation.
48 international riders are joining the CSI5* event with some of the most dominant names on the circuit present including Pieter Devos (BEL), Marcus Ehning (GER), Maikel van der Vleuten (NED), Penelope Leprevost (FRA), Peder Fredricson (SWE), Christian Ahlmann (GER), Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS), Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and Eric Lamaze (CAN).  And with a golden ticket for the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs in the forefront of everyone’s mind, the stars of show jumping will be pulling out all the stops to try and land themselves on top of the podium in Doha
Britain’s Scott Brash, the only rider to date to win the Rolex Grand Slam title, will come together with the 20-year-old Jack Whitaker, son of Michael Whitaker.
The world’s number 1, Steve Guerdat, will take his chances as well as the world’s number 2, Martin Fuchs. Fuchs won the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva in December 2019. The number four of the rankings, Sweden’s Peder Fredericson will also try to take a victory.
 The Netherlands is sending 10 riders, among them top athletes Jeroen Dubbeldam, Harrie Smolders, Leopold van Asten and Eric and Maikel van der Vleuten. The Dutch jumping riders are preparing themselves at different shows in Europe to prepare for The Dutch Masters. National coach Rob Ehrens mentioned that events like The Dutch Masters are important for the riders to prepare them and their horses for the most important sports event of the year, the Olympic Games.
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Floss Bish-Jones
Longines Global Champions Tour / GCLfoto Stefano Grasso