Coming Home: Jan Tops Reflects on 20 Years of the Longines Global Champions Tour as the Championship Returns to Valkenswaard

Twenty years after a vision to transform show jumping became a reality, the Longines Global Champions Tour returns home to Valkenswaard this week. Founder and President Jan Tops reflects on an extraordinary two decades of innovation, global expansion and the relentless pursuit of a stronger future for the sport.

This week, the Longines Global Champions Tour returns to Valkenswaard for a particularly significant chapter in its 20th anniversary season. From spectacular competition beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris and alongside the Mediterranean in Monaco, to the heart of Shanghai and, most recently, new destinations in front of the Pyramids of Giza, the Championship has spent two decades taking show jumping to some of the most extraordinary locations in world sport.

But Valkenswaard is different. It is home.

At the heart of the Longines Global Champions Tour story is its Founder and President, Jan Tops. A former Olympic gold medallist whose life in equestrian sport spans more than five decades, Tops’ experience as a rider provided the foundations for an idea that would ultimately reshape the landscape of international show jumping.

“Over the past 50 years, my time as a rider has shaped everything,” Tops explains. “It gave me a deep understanding of what the sport needed - not just from a competitive point of view, but also in terms of presentation, media and sponsorship opportunities, and long-term sustainability.”

That understanding became the driving force behind the launch of the Global Champions Tour in 2006. “Our values have always been about innovating and working hard to do the maximum for everyone involved in the sport. That mindset naturally led to building something that could take the sport to a new level - bringing show jumping to new countries and new audiences, and developing the sport in different areas around the world to ensure a strong future for the sport we love in this fast-changing modern era.”

This week’s anniversary celebrations will be matched by a world-class line-up in the arena, with Harrie Smolders, Maikel van der Vleuten, Scott Brash, Edwina Tops-Alexander, Daniel Deusser, Christian Ahlmann, Simon Delestre, Max Kühner, Pieter Devos, Katrin Eckermann, Victor Bettendorf, Denis Lynch, Olivier Philippaerts, Gregory Wathelet and Sanne Thijssen among the international stars heading to Valkenswaard for a spectacular weekend of top-level sport.

From Valkenswaard to the World

The original concept was ambitious: create a truly international Championship capable of bringing together the world’s greatest riders and horses, showcase show jumping in exceptional destinations and present the sport to audiences far beyond its traditional boundaries.

“The idea behind LGCT was to create a truly global circuit - taking the best riders in the world to iconic locations and presenting the sport at the highest level, while also giving young talent the opportunity to become the stars of the future,” Tops says.

Two decades later, the scale of that vision can be seen across the Championship calendar.

“Seeing the sport reach places like Shanghai, the Formula 1 pit lane in Monaco, under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, in downtown London, in front of the Pyramids in Cairo, and across multiple locations in the Middle East like Doha and Riyadh - alongside traditional equestrian hubs like Valkenswaard and Riesenbeck - has been a major highlight.”

For Tops, however, expansion has never simply been about adding destinations. It has been about building a sustainable global platform for show jumping. “It has always been about continuing to push forward, and that persistence is what has allowed the circuit to evolve into what it is today.”

Creating the Champions of Tomorrow

While LGCT has become synonymous with the biggest names in show jumping, its commitment to developing the next generation has remained central to its philosophy. The arenas of the Tour have provided a pathway for young riders to compete alongside the very best, gain experience on the international stage and ultimately become champions themselves. The GCL U25 policy has further strengthened that pathway, ensuring that teams actively support and provide opportunities for emerging riders as they develop towards the highest level of the sport.

“Watching riders like the Philippaerts brothers, Gilles Thomas, Anastasia Nielsen and many more start on the Tour as U25 riders and now win LGCT Grand Prix classes and overall Championships is exactly what we are all about,” Tops says.

It is perhaps one of the clearest examples of the Tour’s long-term impact: riders who once arrived as emerging talent are now among those defining the modern era of the sport.

Ten Years of GCL and a New Era for Show Jumping

A decade after the launch of LGCT came another major step. In 2016, the Global Champions League introduced a team competition unlike anything previously seen at the highest level of show jumping, bringing riders of different nationalities together under team colours and creating a new sporting narrative across the season.

“GCL was a natural next step, introducing a team format that added a completely new and exciting dimension,” Tops explains. “Innovation has always been at the heart of what we do. The extraordinary journey of LGCT over 20 years and GCL over 10 years is built on solid foundations, based on decades of experience in equestrian sport, and we will continue to innovate for the next 20+ years.”

That philosophy continued with the introduction of the GC Playoffs in 2018, creating a dramatic season finale combining elite sport with a new level of production and entertainment. “Another breakthrough came in 2018 with the launch of the unique GC Playoffs with entertainment and special effects never before witnessed in show jumping and over €10 million in prize money in one weekend.”

A 360-Degree Vision for the Sport

Behind the sporting spectacle has always been a broader ambition. “The vision for a strong future for show jumping, in which all stakeholders benefit, is at the centre of everything we do,” Tops says. “Our concept is truly 360 degrees.”

That has meant investing not only in competition, but in the complete environment surrounding international show jumping. “That vision became reality through exceptional levels of facilities, superb hospitality, the highest level of competition, transformational prize money benefiting riders and owners, and world-class venues.”

At the same time, the Championship has worked to dramatically expand the visibility of the sport beyond the arena. “We have also achieved new levels of global visibility through partnerships with Eurosport since year one, CBS, DAZN, CCTV, Fox Sports Australia, beIN Sport, national and regional TV channels, and the GCTV streaming platform.”

Today, audiences around the world can follow the Championship across television, streaming, digital and social platforms, creating a global stage for riders, horses, teams and partners.

The People Behind the Tour

While the locations and sporting moments have provided some of the most memorable images of the past 20 years, Tops is clear that the Championship’s longevity has only been possible because of the people behind it. “LGCT has always been a collective team effort,” he says. “We have a fantastic operation all around the world and have a brilliant dedicated team that makes it work from their years of experience.”

Delivering a global circuit of this scale requires exceptional expertise in operations and logistics, from transporting horses and equipment across continents to coordinating venues, arenas, stabling, veterinary services, production, hospitality and broadcast infrastructure. That depth of knowledge, built over decades, is fundamental to ensuring that every event operates to the same exacting standards wherever it takes place.

“From our internal team to our long term partner Longines, sponsors, organisers, riders and owners - everyone plays a role. We truly appreciate the loyalty and commitment of all our supporters, owners, riders and partners over many years.” That recognition extends particularly to those working behind the scenes with the horses every day.

Back Where It All Began

This week, that global journey comes back to Valkenswaard. The Longines Tops International Arena represents both the roots of the Championship and the standards it has spent two decades developing around the world. Developed by Tops with a relentless focus on excellence, the world-class facility has set new standards for equestrian sport through its exceptional arenas, infrastructure, hospitality and attention to detail. Every element has been carefully considered to create the best possible environment for horses, riders, owners, teams, partners and spectators.

As the world's leading riders and horses arrive once again for LGCT Valkenswaard, the occasion offers a moment to celebrate how far the sport has travelled - while looking firmly towards its future.

For Tops, the milestone carries particular significance. “I always believed in the vision and the plan. What we set out to do was create something that could transform the sport - and today, seeing the global reach, fans we have and impact is incredibly rewarding. It has been an extraordinary journey.”

The roots of Longines Tops International Arena stretch back more than three decades, with its first international 5* competition taking place in 1994. The venue has evolved from those early beginnings into one of the world’s leading show jumping destinations and, today, the spiritual home of the Longines Global Champions Tour.

Perhaps the scale of that impact can be measured not only by what Global Champions has built itself, but by the influence its model has had elsewhere. “We are proud that many countries around the world - including Brazil, Africa, Australia, Qatar, the United States and Italy - have taken inspiration from us in the team GCL formatt. We take that as a great compliment.”

Twenty years ago, the ambition was to take show jumping somewhere new. Since then, the Longines Global Champions Tour has crossed continents, introduced new formats, created new champions and brought the sport to audiences and destinations around the world.

This week, it comes home.

And, as the world’s best riders return to Valkenswaard for another chapter of top-level competition, the message from the man who started it all remains characteristically focused on what lies ahead. The first 20 years transformed the landscape of international show jumping.

Now, the next chapter begins.