Showjumping's biggest names and most recent big winner's will be converging on the beautiful show ground at Chantilly, France from Thursday 22nd July. Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze, who after a triumphant show series at Spruce Meadows, Calgary, last week regained the World Number One spot from Puis Schwizer, will be heading the list of riders vying for places at the GCT Final in Rio De Janeiro next month. If taking pole position on the world rankings from the Swiss rider were not enough, this weekend Lamaze pipped Schwizer for the CHIO Aachen Grand Prix on Sunday with his superstar horse Hickstead.
But the battle for the prize money is unlikely to just be fought only by these two riders. Also at Aachen, the Irish won the Nations Cup with a zero score in the second round and Denis Lynch, a member of that team, will be arriving in France as well.
Rolf Goran Bensston, winner of the 2010 Grand Prix's at both Rotterdam and Falsterbo, will be hoping he can add another 5* GP to his tally. As will the GCT Winners from Cannes and Hamburg, Edwina Alexander and Lauren Hough. And if that were not enough competition, triple World Cup Final winners, Rodrigo Pessoa, Meredith Michaels Beerbaum and Marcus Ehning (the current holder) will be making sure there will be no easy victories here.
Of course, it would be foolish to forget the home side. France have won three out of six Top League Nations Cup this year, led by European Champion Kevin Staut who will be joined by the leading French lady rider Penelope Leprevost in Chantilly as well as the in form Roger Yves Bost who won three classes at Aachen to add to his GCT Estoril double. Timothee Anciaume, GCT winner in Valencia is also among the entries.
GCT Rankings Leader Marco Kutscher will be hoping to consolidate his position at the top of the table but his nearest pursuers, Jessica Kurten and World Champions Jos Lansink will be there trying hard to take that lead from him. Other riders from nations such as the USA, Great Britain, Holland, Italy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Finland, and Portugal will make this a truly world class field fitting for the glorious surroundings at Chantilly. Details of the rider list and the show in general may be found on the show website at www.jumping-chantilly.com or the Global Champions Tour site at www.globalchampionstour.com.
