Global Champions Tour

The total prize money for this season’s Longines Global Champions Tour will be over €8 million (AUD$10 million), a new record for the premier championship series.

The significant prize money on offer is announced as the first Longines Global Champions Tour event of 2013 gets underway in Madrid, with a high calibre turn out of the world’s best riders and horses.

The eyes of the equestrian world will be on the immaculate grass arena at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid over the next three days as the contest for prize money and ranking points begins. With six 5* classes the debut event in Madrid will offer plenty of world class sporting drama as the top riders battle for supremacy.

Longines Global Champions Tour Show Director Marco Danese said: “We are looking forward to another fantastic championship series with some very exciting new events and, of course, the highest quality sport. The prize money for the 2013 championship series is really significant and will be another magnet for the world’s best riders to compete in the Longines Global Champions Tour.”

Today horses were given a thorough inspection at the vet check ahead of the first class at 10.30am tomorrow. And riders began warming up with their star horses including Edwina Tops-Alexander, reigning 2011 and 2012 champion, who was putting Cevo Itot du Chateau  and Guccio. The Top 30 riders in the world are out in force for the opening of the Longines Global Champions Tour season determined to put maximum points on the ranking board.