Relive 2023's History Making Moments from LGCT Doha

With the first stage of the 2024 Longines Global Champions Tour just around the corner, we can't help but reminisce on some of the history making moments from last year's curtain raiser. 

With the first Golden Ticket to 2023's Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs in 2023 awarded, Philipp Weishaupt and Just Be Gentle secured an impressive victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha after stealing the show with Riesenbeck International in the GCL competition just 24 hours prior

In a fairytale ending to a week rocked with emotion, it had been a spell of 11 years since his last LGCT Grand Prix win,  all came together for Weishaupt on a mare that had never jumped even jumped a 2* Grand Prix in her life. “This is a very very special moment. Winning a Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix is special but even more so with this young mare. We always put our best horses in the league and we won that which was already incredible so to put this one in the Grand Prix I was never expecting to jump clear let alone win. These unexpected wins are the nicest ones so I am over the moon right now."

He went on to add:  " It is a very special moment, the nicest story in this whole situation is when we have one down like what happened with Ludger's accident it could not have happened in a better place. We felt like the whole country of Qatar was helping us, the hospital was amazing and he almost felt like he was at home."

Omar Al Mannai, Event Director spoke of the competitive nature of the Longines Global Champions Tour, particularly at the season opener in Doha: “Always the Longines Global Champions Tour expectation is really high you never know who can win. We are very glad to host this event for the past 16 years. It has been a tough Grand Prix but the three winners did a great job and it has once again been an exciting competition.”

A delighted Christian Kukuk explained in the post-event press conference: "It is quite an emotional second place today. I am definitely more smiling than crying today about coming second. I was last to go and I had to give everything. I am so happy for our team."

While third place Simon Delestre praised the next-level show: "This is always one of my favourite shows of the season. Thank you to everyone for making this possible as all the facilities here, especially for the horses are fantastic."