The countdown is on to the 2023 Longines Global Champions Tour & GCL season as the full calendar has now been revealed.
With an extraordinary 2022 season wrapping up with the Prague Playoffs just a few short weeks ago, all eyes now turn to the buzzing 16 event 2023 season. With a brand new destination added to the thrilling mix of returning fan favourites, the excitement for the new season is now underway. As the world’s most dynamic showjumping series, next year’s calendar will see the launch of new projects and innovations, including a significant increase in prize money and new weekend class format.
The 2023 season will see the individual LGCT series and the GCL team championship race span continents from the Middle East to The Americas, to Asia and into the heart of Europe, cementing the circuit’s powerful global footprint.
Jan Tops, President and Founder of Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL said:
We are excited to announce our calendar for 2023 with 16 events around the world. We are delighted with the strong momentum LGCT and GCL continues to experience and every year we look forward to being able to bring our passionate fans a mix of exciting new locations and old favourites featuring some of the world’s greatest cities and iconic destinations.
The opening leg will take place in just over three months, from 2 – 4 March at the stunning AL SHAQAB in Qatar’s capital, Doha, where for the first time ever both GCL team rounds will be held on the same day.
From the Middle East, the Tour heads straight to the Americas followed by a fantastic five months across Europe touching down in dynamic capital cities, beautiful Riviera destinations and Riesenbeck International will make an exciting debut on the tour before the grand finale in Riyadh. Shanghai, China will not be part of the 2023 calendar but everyone is looking forward to its return to the series in 2024.
The Full 2023 LGCT and GCL Calendar:
Doha: 2 – 4 March
Miami Beach: 12 – 15 April
Mexico City: 20 – 23 April
Madrid: 12 – 14 May
Ramatuelle/Saint Tropez: 1 – 3 June
Cannes: 8 – 10 June
Stockholm: 16 – 18 June
Paris: 23 – 24 June
Monaco: 29 June – 1 July
Riesenbeck: 21 – 23 July
London: 10 – 13 August
Valkenswaard: 18 – 20 August
Rome: 15 – 17 September
New York: 22 – 24 September
Riyadh: 26 – 28 October (Finals)
Prague: 16 – 19 November (Playoffs)
The race to the season championship will take horses, riders and spectators around the globe to 16 major cities and key locations. Riders will be battling to secure their golden ticket all season for a coveted spot in the ultimate individual showdown, the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs. And motivation will be high among team owners, managers and riders to deliver maximum performance to put them in a strong position for the high-pressure knockout stages of the GCL Super Cup at the O2 Arena in Prague for the final event of the calendar.
Millions of fans followed the LGCT and GCL season throughout 2022 as sporting excellence reached new levels, with the world’s best riders and horses guaranteed at every event. Fans watched live at the venues or on GCTV live streaming and TV, as well as following all the excitement on social media. The series will aim to expand its audience further during 2023 focusing on digital and broadcast coverage around the world.
This year marked an important milestone for Longines as it extended its long-term partnership with the Longines Global Champions Tour to 2027, underscoring the success of this collaboration and the growing popularity of the equestrian sport. As Title Partner and Official Timekeeper, Longines will once again have a strong presence throughout the 2023 season and they will present elegant timepieces to recognise the great performances of every Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix and Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix winner.
On growth of the series, Jan Tops concluded:
We are committed as ever to growing our sport and attracting new audiences to show jumping and next year we can’t wait to show everyone our new plans to keep LGCT & GCL growing at a rapid and exciting pace.”
In the upcoming weeks, the new GCL team line-ups will be revealed for the 2023 GCL championship as fans across the world get ready for the start of another epic season. All the action, including the GCL R1 & R2 and the LGCT Grand Prix, will be streamed live on GCTV at every event.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.