SEASON 2016 PRESS PACK...equestrian championship. Throughout its history, the Longines Global Champions Tour series has grown from six events to 15 events, including debut shows in

S E AS O N 2 0 1 6 PRESS PACK

Longines Global Champions Tour • Season 2016 Press Pack2

Contents

4 Welcome to the 11th season of the Longines

Global Champions Tour

5 Longines provides its timekeeping expertise to the

2016 Longines Global Champions Tour

6 Jan Tops - Founder and President

7 2016 Calendar

8 New Destination: Mexico City

9 Top Locations around the World...

10 Celebrating Global Superstars:

Longines Global Champions Tour History

12 Hall of Fame

13 What the Riders Say...

14 Grand Prix Medal Winners 2015

15 The Tour in Facts and Figures...

16 Media Resources

18 Media Services

19 Rules and Regulations for 2016



The Longines Global Champions Tour series is a unique,

world-class show jumping Championship and a phenomenon

in the sport. Taking place in some of the world’s most unique

and prestigious destinations, Longines Global Champions

Tour offers the richest prize money in show jumping, creating

some of the most explosive and exciting competition of any

equestrian championship. Throughout its history, the Longines

Global Champions Tour series has grown from six events to

15 events, including debut shows in 2015 for Miami Beach and

Rome as well as introducing Mexico City to the impressive

destination line up for 2016.

Longines Global Champions Tour attracts the very best riders

and horses in show jumping to its glamorous Championship

series. Many of the riders are multiple medal winners at the

very top of their game, such as Olympic Gold Medallist,

former World Number 1 and two-time LGCT Champion

of Champions Scott Brash, 2014 World Champion Jeroen

Dubbeldam, 2014 FEI World Cup Final winner Daniel Deusser;

2012 Olympic Gold medalists Steve Guerdat and Ben Maher;

three-time Olympic medallist Beezie Madden, two-time

Longines GCT Champion Edwina Tops-Alexander, as well as

four- time Olympic Gold medallist Ludger Beerbaum - a true

legend of the sport.

The incredible equine athletes which compete on the Tour

are as popular as their riders, with fan clubs and dedicated

supporters at every event. Gerco Schröder’s beautiful

Olympic Silver medal-winning stallion London, one of the

most photographed horses in show jumping, has been

a regular on the Tour, as is Scott Brash’s Hello Sanctos,

Rolf-Göran Bengtsson’s Casall ASK and John Whitaker’s

Argento. The Tour is also the place to catch sight of up-and-

coming young equine stars of the future as riders introduce

them to top-level sport under the very best conditions.

The beauty and elegance of show jumping and the settings

provided by Longines Global Champions Tour appeals to

connoisseurs of elite level competition, from fans who follow

the shows around the world, or watch the sport live on the

website or TV, to high-profile enthusiasts such as H.S.H.

Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Caroline of Hanover,

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and rockstar Bruce Springsteen.

Style icons such as Marion Cotillard, Charlotte Casiraghi,

Longines Ambassador of Elegance Jane Richard Philips, actor

Guillaume Canet, and 5* riders Jessica Springsteen, Georgina

Bloomberg and Athina Onassis de Miranda also add their

own touch of chic to the Tour, creating a truly unique and

exclusive feel. But it is undoubtedly the glamorous venues and

the wonderful hospitality of the host countries that make the

LGCT events feel so unique. The Longines Global Champions

Tour is where world-class sport meets relaxed elegance in

vibrant destinations around the globe. 2016 sees us kick off

the season at the spectacular ocean-side venue of Miami

Beach, last year’s groundbreaking addition to the Tour. In this

Olympic year, there has never been a better time to witness

the world’s best horses and riders battle it out as the 2016

Longines Global Champions Tour series gets underway.

Welcome to the 2016 Longines Global Champions Tour season.

Welcome to the 11th season of the

Longines Global Champions Tour


Longines has been based at Saint-Imier in Switzerland since

1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion

to tradition, elegance and performance. Longines has

generations of experience as Official Timekeeper of world

championships and as partner of international sports

federation. Known for the elegance of its timepieces,

Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World’s

leading manufacturer of horological products. With the

winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in

over 150 countries.

The Longines Master Collection, the Official Watch of the 2016 Longines Global Champions Tour.

For more than 100 years, the Swiss watchmaking brand

has been partnering with numerous sport events all over

the world and has truly become a privileged partner of the

world of sports. The involvement of Longines in equestrian

sports dates back more than a century, and has only been

growing with the passing of time. Today, the brand offers

its excellent and reliable expertise to serve many renowned

flat races and show jumping competitions as Official

Partner and Timekeeper. Longines is proud to be the

Title Partner and Official Timekeeper of the 2016 Longines

Global Champions Tour.

Longines provides its timekeeping

expertise to the 2016 Longines

Global Champions Tour


Jan Tops, Founder and President of the Longines Global

Champions Tour, is one of the most well-recognised

and experienced figures in the sport of show jumping.

He is both a distinguished athlete, a visionary and a highly

successful businessman.

An exceptionally high achiever in the world of show

jumping, Jan won numerous individual and team

championship titles and the distinction of an Olympic

Team Gold medal in Barcelona in 1992. Jan rode horses

professionally for several decades and through astute

trading of high-quality horses, his Tops Horse Trading

became renowned throughout the equestrian world.

During his time as an elite rider, Jan developed a world-

class show jumping stables and training facility in his

native town of Valkenswaard in The Netherlands. Over

time, Stal Tops has become famous for producing riders

who were previously unknown, but quickly progressed to

the highest levels of the sport. Jan is also internationally

recognised in the sport for his unique ability to match horse

and rider, creating a successful combination who are then

able to fulfill their potential by utilising his expert training

and management skills.

In the 1990s, Jan started out on the path that would

ultimately lead to the creation of the Global Champions

Tour. Shortly after winning Olympic Gold, he launched CSI

Valkenswaard in 1993 and turned it into one of the best

horse shows on the international equestrian scene. But his

vision and goal was to comprehensively raise standards

across the sport and in 2006 he launched the Global

Champions Tour and transformed the world of international

show jumping.

Jan Tops - Founder and President

The spectacular events which now make up the

Championship reflect the unparalleled high caliber of the

series, where the competition is always at its best, as the

Tour continues to attract the finest riders and horses in the

sport. Now as 2016 brings a new era of show jumping, the

Tour has firmly established itself in the highest echelons of

show jumping, attracting tens of thousands of spectators

to its beautiful international events, while millions more

watch live action on Eurosport, national channels or via the

GCT TV online live streaming service. The Longines Global

Champions Tour continues to raise the bar, offering a wealth

of world-class sporting spectacle in an elegant selection of

iconic global settings.

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2016 Calendar

1. Miami Beach 07-09 April

2. Mexico City 15-17 April

3. Antwerp 21-24 April

4. Shanghai 29 April - 01 May

5. Hamburg 04-07 May

6. Madrid 20-22 May

7. Chantilly 26-29 May

8. Cannes 09-11 June

9. Monaco 23-25 June

10. Paris 01-03 July

11. Cascais-Estoril 07-09 July

12. Valkenswaard 05-07 August

13. Rome 09-11 September

14. Vienna 15-18 September

15. Doha 03-05 November


The new 2016 calendar sees the circuit make a further

strategic expansion across the American continent with

the addition of a spectacular new event in Mexico City.

Mexico City will join the dynamic destinations of the world’s

premier show jumping series, featuring at total of 15 events

this year, including Miami Beach, Rome, Shanghai, Monaco

and Doha.

2015 saw the effervescent Miami Beach added to Tour line

up, and after a successful debut year will return as the

launch pad for the new season to kick off with in style. The

It’s an extremely exciting time to be in show jumping and I look forward to welcoming Mexico City to our list of fantastic desti-

nations worldwide in 2016. We will continue to invest in our sport to bring show jumping to wider audiences and to more cities

around the world so that it is accessible to more and more people who can see the best athletes in action. Our expansion in

the Americas will continue to grow our audience where there is a particularly strong interest in equestrian sport. This year will

be fundamental in the progression of show jumping as we push the boundaries of innovation and development for our fans

who watch on TV, online and as spectators.

Jan Tops

Founder and President of Longines Global Champions Tour

thrilling new destination of Mexico City will follow hot on

Miami’s heels just a week later from 15th - 17th April and

will see the world’s best riders head to new grounds to play

our the second round of adrenaline fueled competition.

The vast, ancient Chapultepec Park, one of the world’s

greatest along with Paris’ Bois de Boulogne, New York’s

Central Park and Tokyo’s Imperial Gardens, is the largest in

Latin America and receives millions of visitors every year,

will see world class show jumping at the former Olympic

venue of Campo Marte expanding the footprint of the

circuit in The Americas.

New Destination:

Mexico City

“ ”


Top Locations around the World...

Miami Beach Mexico City Antwerp

Chantilly

MadridShanghai Hamburg

Cannes

Cascais, Estoril Valkenswaard

Monaco

Paris

DohaRome Vienna


The Longines Global Champions Tour has always attracted

the biggest and brightest names in show jumping, and the

roll-call of Champions over the last decade is testament to

the incredible world-class level of sport the Tour presents. As

we forge ahead into another feast of Championship drama in

this, the 10th Anniversary Year of the Tour, it seems only fitting

to celebrate some of the most successful athletes and horses

of the last nine spectacular Longines Global Champions

Tour seasons.

As far back as 2006, such illustrious names as Rodrigo Pessoa

(BRA), Norman Dello Joio (USA), Nick Skelton (GBR) and

Ludger Beerbaum (GER) took part in the first season of what

would quickly become one of the most prestigious and lucrative

Championship series in the show jumping world. It was Belgian

hero, four-time Olympian Ludo Philippaerts, who dominated

the very first Champion of Champions title in 2006, winning

Gold at two of the five rounds with Parco and taking the season

win with an impressive 40 point lead from 2004 Olympic

Champion Rodrigo Pessoa.

In 2007, the Tour expanded to seven venues and it was the

unstoppable Nick Skelton (GBR) and Arko who took the

crown after collecting a Gold and two Silver Grand Prix medals.

Skelton has amassed a staggering 16 major international

championship medals during his illustrious career and fittingly

added Longines Global Champions Tour Champion to his

haul after finishing with a massive 50 point lead from 2001

European Team Gold medallist Jessica Kurten (IRE).

In 2008 and 2009, the Championship winner was determined

in a separate final and by 2009 the Tour consisted of nine

stunning venues around the world. The top 25 riders of the

season overall standings were invited to participate in the

2008 final and it was Jessica Kurten (IRE) with Castle Forbes

Libertina who went one better to become the first lady winner

of the Tour, beating Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER)

and the legendary Shutterfly by just 0.76s and taking an

unprecedented ¤300,000 first prize.

Celebrating Global Superstars:

Longines Global Champions Tour History

French superstar and two-time Olympic Bronze medallist

Michel Robert with Kellemoi de Pepita was victorious in 2009

pushing Beligum’s 2006 World Champion Jos Lansink and

Cavalor Valentina van ‘t Heike into runner-up position by just

0.13s. From 2010 onward, the Championship was once again

decided on overall Grand Prix points won through the season.

Germany came out in force with the master three-time

FEI World Cup Final winner Marcus Ehning as overall

Champion, seven points ahead of his fellow countryman

and double Olympic Bronze medallist Marco Kutscher.


After claiming 3rd in the overall ranking the year before,

Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) began her dominance of the

Tour by winning the first of two back-to-back Championships

with her star horse Itot du Château. The pair beat four-time

Olympic Gold medallist Ludger Beerbaum (GER) by 20

points in 2011 and stole the win by a nose from two-time

Olympic Silver medallist Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) in 2012

when both riders finished on the same points, but Edwina

had more podium finishes in the now twelve-venue Tour.

World domination by Britain’s Scott Brash began in 2013 when

the 2012 Olympic Gold medallist produced a record-breaking

performance to win both the final Grand Prix of the season

and the overall Championship - something never before

achieved on the Tour - with his star ride Hello Sanctos. Brash

pushed 2003 European Champion Christian Ahlmann (GER)

into 2nd place and took home the biggest prize pot of his

career, ¤442,500.

Shortly after his 2013 win, Brash became World No1 for the

first time in his career and has held on to the position for over

a year - the first rider to do so since Marcus Ehning in 2006.

Brash went on to become Champion of Champions again

in 2014 following a nail-biting race for top honours over 14

rounds between himself, Ludger Beerbaum and Rolf-Goran

Bengtsson. Agonisingly, once again Bengtsson finished on

the same points as the winner, but Brash had broken another

record that season by becoming the first rider to win three

Grand Prix in the same year.

2015 saw World Number 1 Scott Brash kick off the season

with an early Grand Prix win in the stunning new Miami Beach

destination. On the sands next to the sparkling Atlantic

ocean, Scott and his Olympic Gold winning horse Hello Sanctos

laid down the gauntlet to the world-class field who hoped the

British rider couldn’t make it three Champion of Champions

titles in a row. As the season progressed, one leading lady

took up the challenge with Portugal’s Luciana Diniz taking

home a strong win in the packed out venue of Madrid.

However Scott was not to be beaten and took a second

Grand Prix win in Monaco, quickly followed by a third in

Cascais, Estoril. It looked to be a two horse race, however

the brilliant Rolf-Göran Bengtsson proved it could be third

time lucky after two Grand Prix wins in London and Rome

with the mighty Casall ASK put him in the mix to claim his

first title. Another Grand Prix win in Vienna for Luciana, and

the battle for the 2015 Champion of Champions was down to

the wire, as Scott, Luciana and Rolf made it a three horse race

to the final event in Doha, Qatar.

As the Grand Prix played out, viewers around the world were

on the edge of their seats, however in the end it was Luciana

who took the title, and the Grand Prix of Doha win with her

feisty chestnut mare Fit For Fun, calling it a ‘dream come true.’

Longines Global Champions Tour is synonymous with the

finest show jumping in the world. The very best riders come

together to compete for the richest prizes in the sport in a

Championship hailed as the ‘Formula One’ of equestrianism.

The 2016 season includes the addition of the fantastic Mexico

City and is set to be yet another nail-biting year of top level

sport and entertainment.


Hall of Fame

Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place

2015 Luciana Diniz (POR) Scott Brash (GBR) Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE)

2014 Scott Brash (GBR) Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) Ludger Beerbaum (GER)

2013 Scott Brash (GBR) Christian Ahlmann (GER) Laura Kraut (USA)

2012 Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) Michael Whitaker (GBR)

2011 Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) Ludger Beerbaum (GER) Alvaro de Miranda (BRA)

2010 Marcus Ehning (GER) Marco Kutscher (GER) Edwina Top-Alexander (AUS)

2009 Michel Robert (FRA) Jos Lansink (BEL) Alvaro de Miranda (BRA)

2008 Jessica Kürten (IRE)Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum

(GER)Ludger Beerbaum (GER)

2007 Nick Skelton (GBR) Jessica Kürten (IRE) Jos Lansink (BEL)

2006 Ludo Philippaerts (BEL) Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) Leopold van Asten (NED)


What the Riders Say...

To be part of (the Tour) is great and the series is great for show jumping. The locations are fantastic

- it’s really what the sport was needing. It’s really raised the sport’s profile, it’s fantastic to be a part of it.

Scott Brash (GBR)

2013 & 2014 Longines Global Champions Tour Champion, 2015 Runner-Up, 2012 Olympic Gold medallist

I think (Longines Global Champions Tour) has the best Grand Prix in the world in the biggest cities in the

world. The classes are broadcast all over the world. (The Tour) is a prestigious product for our sport. It’s the

best riders competing against each other at top venues, in the top cities, for top prize money.

Ludger Beerbaum (GER)

Four-time Olympic Gold medallist

I try to ride at as many events as possible. It’s a great Tour - not only with a lot of prize money, it’s in great

places, there’s great sport.

Christian Ahlmann (GER)

2011 FEI World Cup Final winner, 2013 Longines Global Champions Tour Runner-Up

We are really grateful to have such events and sponsors that bring equestrian sport forward.

When I started, we were riding for small money and now we can live off the sport. The Tour is fantastic.

Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE)

Two-time Olympic Silver medallist, 2012 & 2014 Longines Global Champions Tour Runner-Up

I think it’s very exciting to have a Longines Global Champion Tour event come to the United States.

It’s even more exciting that it is bringing a brand new event to a brand new venue. I expect both will be

top class with top international competitors.

Beezie Madden (USA)

Two-time Olympic Gold medalist

Since GCT’s inception, Jan Tops has followed his dream of modernising the sport, bring the sport to

new heights.

Kent Farrington (USA)

The Tour has fantastic shows and fantastic places to go to, and Jan Tops is improving it all the time. It has

been a great change for the sport.

Gerco Schroder (NED)

2014 World Team Gold medallist, 2012 Olympic Individual Silver medallist

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Grand Prix Medal Winners 2015

Gold Medal Silver Medal Bronze Medal

Miami BeachScott Brash & Hello Sanctos

(GBR)

Bassem Hassan Mohammed & Palloubet D Halong

(QAT)

Pieter Devos & Candy(GER)

AntwerpSimon Delestre

& Ryan Des Hayettes(FRA)

Hans-Dieter Dreher & Embassy II(GER)

Edwina Tops-Alexander & Lintea Tequila

(AUS)

MadridLuciana Diniz & Winningmood

(POR)

Philippe Rozier & Rahotep de Toscane

(FRA)

Manuel Fernandez Saro & Enriques Of The Lowlands

(ESP)

ShanghaiHarrie Smolders & Regina Z

(NED)Pius Schwizer & Caretina de Joter

(SUI)Michael Whitaker & Viking

(GBR)

HamburgKent Farrington & Voyeur

(USA)Philipp Weishaupt & Chico

(GER)Rolf-Göran Bengtsson & Casall ASK

(SWE)

CannesPénélope Leprevost

& Ratina d’la Rousserie(FRA)

Rolf-Göran Bengtsson & Casall ASK(SWE)

Luciana Diniz & Fit For Fun(POR)

MonacoScott Brash & Hello M’Lady

(GBR)John Whitaker & Argento

(GBR)Emanuele Gaudiano & Admara 2

(ITA)

ParisBertram Allen & Romanov

(IRL)Luciana Diniz & Fit For Fun

(POR)Darragh Kenny & Sans Soucis Z

(IRL)

Cascais, EstorilScott Brash & Hello Sanctos

(GBR)Abdullah Al Sharbatly & Domingo

(KSA)

Greg Broderick & MHS Going Global

(IRL)

ChantillyGregory Wathelet & Conrad de Hus

(BEL)

Abdelkebir Ouaddar & Quickly de Kreisker

(MAR)

Pénélope Leprevost & Vagabond de la Pomme

(FRA)

LondonRolf-Göran Bengtsson & Casall ASK

(SWE)John Whitaker & Argento

(GBR)

Simon Delestre & Qlassic Bois Margot

(FRA)

ValkenswaardMarco Kutscher & Van Gogh

(GER)

Simon Delestre & Qlassic Bois Margot

(FRA)

Bassem Hassan Mohammed & California

(QAT)

RomeRolf-Göran Bengtsson & Casall ASK

(SWE)Luciana Diniz & Fit For Fun

(POR)Marcus Ehning & Comme il faut

(GER)

ViennaLuciana Diniz & Winningmood

(POR)Harrie Smolders & Don VHP Z

(NED)Kevin Staut & Silvana HDC

(FRA)

DohaLuciana Diniz & Fit For Fun

(POR)

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum & Fibonacci 17

(GER)

Rolf-Göran Bengtsson & Casall ASK(SWE)


The Tour in Facts and Figures...

Scott Brash and Luciana Diniz were the two top Grand Prix winning riders of 2015, both taking home three Grand

Prix wins each. However Luciana pipped Scott to the post on points, winning the Champion of Champions title.

19 year old Bertram Allen became the youngest rider in history to with a LGCT Grand Prix after his spectacular win

in Paris last season with the 17 year old Romanov.

2013 and 2014 Champion Scott Brash became only the second rider in Tour history to win the Championship twice

back-to-back, the first being Edwina Tops-Alexander in 2011 and 2012.

In 2014, Bassem Hassan Mohammed because the first Qatari ever to win a Tour Grand Prix (Monaco). He went on

to finish 4th overall in the Championship.

Edwina Tops-Alexander has won most prize money on the Tour since it began, she sits nearly €600,000 ahead

of her closest rival Scott Brash.

In 2014, eventual Champion Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos became the first horse and rider combination ever to

win three Grand Prix in the same season.

Richard Spooner is the only rider to have won the same Grand Prix three times (Monaco), each time with the same

horse, Cristallo.

The youngest rider ever to make a Grand Prix podium was Constant van Paesschen, who took Bronze in Antwerp

in 2014 aged 19 at the time.

The Tour began in 2006 with six venues - Palm Beach, Cannes, Monte-Carlo, Estoril, Valkenswaard and Lanaken.

It now has 15 world wide destinations, including Mexico, Rome, Shangahi, Paris and Doha.

In 2008 and 2009, the Championship winner was determined in a separate final. The top 25 riders of the season’s

overall standings were allowed to participate in the final.

In 2006 and 2007, and again from 2010 the winner is determined by the overall Ranking of the season. In both

2014 and 2015 the action was so close that the title was decided at the final round of competition in Doha.

Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson has twice had to settle for runner-up position in the Championship (2012 and

2014) despite finishing on the same points as the eventual winners, but with less podium finishes. In 2015 he

came third.

Hamburg has had a national rider make the Grand Prix podium for seven of the last eight years. Katrin Eckermann

is the only German rider to make the Hamburg podium twice.


Media Resources

Television Coverage

The second round and jump-off of each of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix will be broadcast live or relayed

live on international channels including:

• Eurosport - over 135 million homes in 59 countries

• beIN Sport - over 80 million homes across the Middle East, North Africa, France, USA, Canada, Indonesia, the Philippines,

Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia.

The Longines Global Champions Tour is now broadcast to over 111 territories with a household reach of over 320 million.

This represents the distribution of a high quality highlights programme at every event of the championship circuit.

In addition, the combination of distribution of our broadcast news and content on the Gillette World of Sport platform means

a total household reach of around 500 million.

LGCT has also increased live and ‘as live’ coverage of the Grand Prix competitions at every event, further increasing the

profile and reach around the world for our sponsors and partners.

An increase in camera crews on site to conduct bespoke interviews and features, including CNN Sport, ABC News, BeIN

Sports and national TV channels worldwide.

GCT TV (Live Streaming)

Longines Global Champions Tour offers live streaming of all the CSI5* classes on the program via the Longines Global

Champions Tour website www.globalchampionstour.com.

Follow all the action on GCT TV, with in-depth commentary and technical analysis from our experienced presenting team

as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes profiles of our star riders. At many events, we also have a TV studio, featuring

interviews and reactions from athletes, owners and trainers. GCT TV provides unparalleled coverage of some of the most

exciting, world-class equestrian sport on offer.


The 2016 Season

We are in discussion with over 40 international broadcasters for live, “as live” and highlights coverage of Global Champions

League and Global Champions Tour including Eurosport, BeIN Sports, Bloomberg, ESPN, OSN and multiple national channels.

The full list, including smaller channels showing the highlights package, delivers a reach of 320 million homes. Further interest

from channels in Mexico, Brazil.

Feature coverage on Gillette World Sport’s most watched weekly magazine sport show is shown by 91 broadcasters with

a global household reach of 1.5 billion.

2016 News Coverage Channels Includes:

• CNN International World Sport

• CNN Asia Fox

• Eurosport France

• Eurosport Germany

• Universal Sports (USA)

• M6

• TF1

• BBC

• Univision Deportes (USA)

• Sky Sports

• France 3

• RTL

• ARD

• BFM TV

• Teledeporte

• NDR

• Setanta

• BeIN Sport

• BT Sport

• Dubai Sports

• Canal +

• France 2

• BeIN Sports News

• Channel 4

• ZDF

2016 26 minute Highlights Package includes:

BROADCASTER REACH

Bloomberg 198,559,000

BT Sport (UK) 5,000,000

Universal Sports 60,000,000

OSN (Pan Middle East) 38,000,000

ORF (Austria) 5,860,000

SRG SSR (SUI) 3,300,300

Nelonen (FIN) 2,000,000

Abu Dhabi Sports 800,000

Dubai Sports 777,000

Meridiano (VEN) 7,000,000

Cable Thai 500,000

BTV (BUL) 2,300,000

TYC (ARG) 7,090,125

HD Life (FIN) 630,000


Media Services

For access to all the latest news and information, including event details, rider profiles, the season ranking, start lists and

class results, as well as GCT TV live streaming and media services, please visit our website.

Press can register online at www.globalchampionstour.com/media/login in order to have access to Longines Global Champions

Tour high resolution images free of rights for press usage, as well as video footage and news/press releases.

For press accreditation applications to events, please contact: [email protected]

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube provide up-to-the-minute news, quotes and exclusive interviews throughout the season, while

our Instagram account offer beautiful pictures, information to our popular merchandise and fun behind-the-scenes shots.

• facebook.com/GCTofficialpage

• twitter.com/GCT_events

• youtube.com/GlobalChampionsTour

• instagram.com/longinesglobalchampionstour

Media Contacts

LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR PRESS OFFICE

• M: +44 (0) 7585 551 170

• T: +31 (0) 40 20 69 111

• E: [email protected]

• W: www.globalchampionstour.com


Rules and Regulations for 2016

Overall Classification

Athletes may take part in all Longines Global Champions Tour events. A maximum of 50% of the 2016 LGCT Grand Prix

competitions held, rounded up to the next whole number, count towards an individual athlete’s points to establish the overall

season ranking classification. Events on borrowed horses are excluded from this 50% maximum. In the case of a tie on points

for any position at the end of the season, the athlete with the highest number of 1st placings will be classified before the other

athletes tying for the same position on points. If there is still a tie, the athlete with the greatest number of 2nd placings will be

classified before the other athletes and so on, until all those on equal points have been separated.

Championship Prize Money Allocation

Prize money will be offered to the top 18 competitors placed in Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix as follows:

Prizes won by competitors who are tied are added and divided equally.

The top three athletes in the LGCT overall season classification after the last Grand Prix competition must be present at the

last event of the LGCT 2016 season to receive their prize in person and must be available for the press conference following

the last competition. Athletes must be dressed in competition attire.

No prize money will be given to an athlete who does not present himself at the prize giving ceremony for any of the LGCT

competitions if required to do so. This does not apply to the overall season classification prize giving ceremony, except for the

top three placed athletes.

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Prize Money Percentage (%)

31 20 13 8 5 3.5 2 1.5 1 0.75


Invitation System for Each Event

Group 1:

The athletes ranked from 1 to 30 on the Longines FEI Rankings (60% of the number of athletes participating in the Grand Prix)

are invited to attend the event two months prior to the event date. In the case of athletes declining invitations, replacements

will be selected from the Longines FEI Rankings in descending order. Riders in this group cannot be lower on the Longines FEI

Rankings than 150th place.

Substitutions will be taken in descending order until ten days prior to the start of the event (this applies also to the nominated

FEI Wild Card) - for those events held outside Europe, due to the requirements for horse flights and health documents, the

deadline for substitutions will be 30 days prior to the event. After this date, the place(s) will e allocated by the Organising

Committee (Group 3).

Group 2:

Five athletes are selected in Group 2 (10% of the number of athletes participating): four will be home athletes and will be selected

by the National Federation. Also included in this group is one FEI Wild Card who is selected by the FEI. Should the National

Federation and/or FEI not be able to meet its quota of athletes in this group, the quota will be filled by the Organising Committee

(Group 3) inviting additional athletes.

Group 3:

Fifteen participants (30% of the number of athletes participating) are selected by the Organising Committee. It is not

obligatory that these participants be chosen from the Longines FEI Rankings. The FEI will apply a certain amount of flexibility

in relation to enforcing the rule obliging Organising Committees to have at least ten National Federations represented.

Entries

In accordance with the current FEI rules on entries, no competitor may enter more than one event on the same weekend without

the agreement of both Organising Committees. The penalty for contravening this rule is disqualification from the event. This

does not apply to athletes on the definite entry list who have been selected to replace another athlete at a CSIO on the same

weekend (Jumping rules Art. 251.14). Organising Committees of LGCT events will permit athletes who withdraw from an

LGCT event past the deadline for definite entries to participate at a CSI4* or lower event on the same dates, but will not allow

participation of such athletes in another CSI5* on the same dates.


Eligibility for Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix

Participation in each LGCT Grand Prix is open to maximum of 50 (fifty) athletes. To be eligible to start in the LGCT Grand Prix,

the competitor must complete in one competition at the event with the horse he/she will ride in the LGCT Grand Prix (in the

case of mixed class formats, e.g. one round and a jump-off or two rounds, we consider the first round; in case of a two-phase

competition we consider the 1st phase and this applies also for art. 274.5.6).

If the LGCT Grand Prix is held on the second day of the event and for whatever reason a competitor has not been able to

complete a competition on the first day of the event with the horse to be ridden in the LGCT Grand Prix, the competitor in

question may compete the horse to be ridden in the LGCT Grand Prix in a competition on the same day as the LGCT Grand

Prix if he/she wishes to take part in the LGCT Grand Prix. This exception is only applicable if the LGCT Grand Prix is held on

the second day of the event.

Grand Prix Format

The class that counts for points in the Longines Global Champions Tour overall season ranking is the Grand Prix, which takes

place on the Saturday or Sunday of the events. The Grand Prix is a jumping competition over two rounds against the clock,

with one jump-off against the clock in the case of a tie on penalties for first place (Art. 273.3.4.):

• A maximum of 18 (eighteen) participants return for the second round based on penalties and time in the first round.

In any case, all participants with zero penalties in the first round return for the second round. The participants that tie

for the 18th place (penalties and time) are allowed to participate in the second round - participants are classified according

to their penalties in both rounds and if necessary according to their penalties and time in the jump-off.

• The participants of the second round not taking part in the jump-off are classified according to their penalties in both

rounds and time in the second round.

• The participants of the first round not taking part in the second round are classified according to their penalties and time

in the first round.

Starting Order

The starting order will be established according to a draw. Participants are divided into two groups based on their position on

the Longines FEI Rankings at the time of the event (we consider this in the 1st competition day of the event). The competitors

in the group with the higher ranked participants start last in the first round.

The order of starting in the second round is according to the reverse order of penalties and time in the first round.

The order of starting in the jump-off is according to the same order as in the second round.


Points System

Only competitors participating in the second round of the Grand Prix will obtain points in each competition of the Longines

Global Champions Tour. The following point-system will be used for each LGCT Grand Prix:

Grand Prix Prize Money

The minimum prize money of the Grand Prix will be €285,000 (approx. $319,000).

The amount for each Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix and the tax deduction will be specified in the schedule of each

event. The partition of the prize money is as follows in percentage:

The Organising Committee has the right to round off slightly the amounts, maintaining the proportions of the percentage. Prizes

won by competitors who are tied are added and divided equally.

Points won by competitors who are tied are added and divided equally.

Grand PrixPlacing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

PointsAwarded

40 37 35 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 12 11 10 9 8 7 6

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7-9 10 11-13 14-18

Prize Money Percentage (%)

33 20 15 10 6 3 2 1.5 1 0.5


Tour Partners

Partners

We would like to thank all of our Event Partners and Tour Partners.

Your support and contribution throughout the season helps make the

Longines Global Champions Tour a great sporting spectacle for the

competitors and the fans alike.

We appreciate your continued support and here’s to a successful 2016.

www.g l o b a l c h a m p i o n s to u r. co m

Documents

SEASON 2016 PRESS PACK...equestrian championship. Throughout its history, the Longines Global Champions Tour series has grown from six events to 15 events, including debut shows in