Edwina Tops-Alexander and Veronese Teamjoy at the LGCT of Madrid

© Stefano Grasso/LGCT

The start of one of the most glamorous legs of the Longines Global Champions Tour, the last in France for this 14th season of the prestigious circuit, with a star-studded line-up. A stone's throw from the renowned Pampelonne Beach, the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show will play host to 14 of the 20 best riders in the world, as well as the members of the team who were recently crowned European champions.

A line-up of champions

The mythical Pampelonne Beach is well-accustomed to stars and since 2014, the greatest riders in the world have also been coming to the place where And God Created Woman was filmed, for the annual Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show. The 2019 edition will be no exception to this rule. In Ramatuelle’s temporary ring, installed for the occasion by Denis Monicolo’s teams, and on courses designed by the Italian maestro, Uliano Vezzani, the German riders for example will be represented by a strong delegation, in a setting where they are frequently successful.

The following riders are thus expected: Daniel Deusser, number 3 in the Longines World Rankings, the Kaiser Ludger Beerbaum, Christian Ahlmann, World no. 9, who won here in 2017, Marco Kütscher, victorious in Ramatuelle in 2015, and Marcus Ehning, World no.19, winner of the circuit in 2010, among others. The Germans will come face to face and have to fight it out with those who finished ahead of them on the highest step of the podium, three weeks ago during the Longines FEI European Jumping Championships in Rotterdam, Belgium’s Pieter Devos, World no.7, Jos Verlooy, World no.16 and third individually at the Europeans, accompanied by Niels Bruynseels, World no.10.

Other major names of the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show and the Longines Global Champions Tour are also expected such as the World no.5, Great Britain’s Ben Maher, the winner of last year’s Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Ramatuelle -Saint-Tropez and 1st in last year’s Longines Global Champions Tour Ranking, Scott Brash, who was the Champion of Champions in 2014 and in 2013, as well as Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander, who was the overall winner of the Global Champions Tour in 2012 and in 2011.

As for France, it will be represented by World no.17 Kevin Staut and Julien Epaillard (World no.21), Simon Delestre (World no. 23) and the ideal of a whole generation, the best French lady in in the world rankings, Normandy’s Pénélope Leprévost.

The riders will come face to face on Saturday 14 September at 5.15pm for the highlight of this weekend of great sport, the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Ramatuelle -Saint-Tropez, boasting 300, 000 euros of prize money.

Everyone behind the Pirates! The St. Tropez Pirates are the local team competing at the Ramatuelle leg of the Global Champions League, and will be going all out for the glory of a home win, helped on their way by some outstanding riders sporting flamboyant colours with a theme song that is instantly recognisable. At the helm of the St Tropez Pirates, the Australian star Edwina Tops-Alexander can count on Belgium’s Pieter Devos and France’s Olivier Robert.

The 2019 Global Champions Tour Ranking before the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show:
1. Ben Maher (GBR) - 277 points
2. Pieter Devos (BEL) - 266 points
3. Daniel Deusser (GER) - 259 points
4. Kevin Staut (FRA) - 239 points
5. Maikel ven der Vleuten (NED) - 237 points-

The 2019 Global Champions League Ranking before the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show:
1. London Knights - 288 points
2. St. Tropez Pirates - 287 points
3. Shanghai Swans - 277 points
4. Miami Celtics - 267 points
5. Madrid in Motion - 260 points

Click here to view the full competitor list.

Source: Event press release

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