With a fortnight to go until the Longines Global Champions Tour 2020 kicks off in Doha, Qatar (5-7 March) the teams are gearing up for the championship race in the GCL (Global Champions League).
A string of new British riders have been signed up for this year’s teams — Ellen Whitaker will make her GCL debut with the Miami Celtics, James Wilson has been drafted in for the Scandinavian Vikings and young Jack Whitaker is the under-25 rider selected to represent the Cascais Charms for the 17-leg series. Hickstead Derby winner Mikey Pender of Ireland will also be seen in the colours of the St Tropez Pirates for the first time.
Reigning champions the London Knights will once again be represented by Ben Maher, Emily Moffitt, Martin Fuchs, Nicola Philippaerts and Olivier Philippaerts, with new recruit Cameron Hanley, who recently joined Poden Farms.
Other British and Irish riders returning for 2020 include Harry Charles, Alexandra Thornton, Shane Breen, Scott Brash and Darragh Kenny.
US rider Jessica Springsteen moves from Miami Celtics to join Cannes Stars, while world number three Daniel Deusser transfers to St Tropez Pirates, where he joins Athina Onassis (pictured), Pieter Devos, Olivier Robert, Dani G.Waldman and Mikey Pender.
French star Penelope Leprevost makes her GCL debut with Paris Panthers, while Irishman Billy Twomey joins the roster of Monaco Aces alongside Jos Verlooy, Laura Kraut, Julien Epaillard, Jerome Guery and U25 rider Jeanne Sadran.
The full line-up for the 16 teams is as follows…
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BERLIN EAGLES
Ludger Beerbaum, Philipp Weishaupt, Christian Kukuk, Malin Baryard-Johnsson, Marco Kutscher and Harry Charles
CANNES STARS
Jessica Springsteen, Lorenzo De Luca, Hans-Dieter Dreher, Jane Richard Phillips, Laura Klaphake and Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen
CASCAIS CHARMS
Carlos Lopez, Roger-Yves Bost, Francois Mathy Jnr, Rene Lopez, Sadri Fegaier and Jack Whitaker
DOHA FALCONS
Rashid Towaim Ali Al Marri, Bassem Hassan Mohammed, Titouan Schumacher, Yuri Mansur Guerios, Philip Houston and Mike Kawai
HAMBURG GIANTS
Bart Bles, Simon Delestre, Vladimir Beletskiy, Arturo Parada Valljo, Suus Kuyten and Zoe Osterhoff
LONDON KNIGHTS
Ben Maher, Martin Fuchs, Olivier Philippaerts, Nicola Philippaerts, Cameron Hanley and Emily Moffitt
MADRID IN MOTION
Eduardo Alvarez Aznar, Maikel van der Vleuten, Eric van der Vleuten, Mark McAuley, Cindy van der Straten and Michael G Duffy
MIAMI CELTICS
Abdel Said, Maurice Tebbel, Jorge Matte Capdevila, Mohamed Talaat, Ellen Whitaker and Gilles Thomas
MONACO ACES
Julien Epaillard, Jos Verlooy, Jerome Guery, Laura Kraut, Billy Twomey and Jeanne Sadran
NEW YORK EMPIRE
Georgina Bloomberg, Scott Brash, Daniel Bluman, Denis Lynch, Shane Breen and Spencer Smith
PARIS PANTHERS
Gregory Wathelet, Darragh Kenny, Nayel Nassar, Harrie Smolders, Penelope Leprevost and Jennifer Gates
Niels Bruynseels, Marc Houtzager, Sergio Alvarez Moya, Jur Vrieling, Wilm Vermeir and Anna Kellnerova
SCANDINAVIAN VIKINGS
Evelina Tovek, Geir Gulliksen, Christian Ahlmann, Henrik von Eckermann, James Wilson and Teddy Vlock
SHANGHAI SWANS
Max Kuhner, Pius Schwizer, Margie Goldstein-Engle, Alexandra Thornton, Frank Schuttert and Lucas Porter
ST TROPEZ PIRATES
Pieter Devos, Daniel Deusser, Olivier Robert, Dani G. Waldman, Athina Onassis and Michael Pender
VALKENSWAARD UNITED
Alberto Zorzi, Marcus Ehning, Edwina Tops-Alexander, Peder Fredricson, Roberto Previtali and Bertram Allen
The opening leg takes place in Doha, Qatar, from 5-7 March with the finals taking place in New York in September before teams head to the GCL Super Cup at the GC Prague Playoffs in November, where Shanghai Swans emerged victorious last year.
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
