Press release from Longines Global Champions Tour

The 2022 Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL will kick-off at the spectacular Longines Arena at AL SHAQAB in Doha, Qatar in just two weeks time from 3 - 5 March. The official rider list for one of the first five-star events of 2022 is revealed today, with show jumping’s top riders and horses named for this opening leg.

With last year's overall season champion and current world number one, Peder Fredricson leading the charge, the first event of the season promises to be an electrifying battle of the best. Fredricson could get a crucial head start on his rivals as he chooses wise tactics to compete in the first event of the season unlike one of his closest rivals last year, Ben Maher.  

As the biggest names in show jumping including John Whitaker, Henrik von Eckermann, Christian Ahlmann, Gregory Wathelet and Niels Bruynseels all descend on the stunning Longines Arena at AL SHAQAB - the 2022 race is guaranteed to start with a bang. 

Previous LGCT Doha winners Edwina Tops-Alexander and Scott Brash, who both ultimately went on to win the LGCT series twice, will be pulling out all the stops again to get a head start on the stiff competition. With a total of five previous LGCT Champions heading to Doha including, Harrie Smolders and Marcus Ehning it is one of the most competitive line-ups in the history of LGCT Doha. 

Young talent will bid to make their mark as Jack Whitaker, Jodie Hall McAteer, Michael Pender, Jeanne Sadran and Mike Kawai all look for their first podium of the year alongside show jumping heavyweights Shane Breen, Max Kühner, Maikel van der Vleuten, Simone Delestre, Olivier Robert, Pieter Devos, Malin Baryard-Johnsson, Olivier Philippaerts, and Martin Fuchs.