Rome Ready for Championship Drama as LGCT Returns to the Eternal City

The stage is set in the Eternal City.

The Longines Global Champions Tour of Rome 2026 was officially launched today at the historic “Pietro Giannattasio” Military Racecourse at Tor di Quinto, as riders, officials and institutional representatives gathered ahead of three days of world-class show jumping from 9–11 October.

Now entering its eleventh edition, LGCT Rome returns with a new setting steeped in equestrian history, bringing the world’s best riders and horses to the home of the historic 8th Regiment “Lancieri di Montebello” as the 2026 Championship battle reaches a decisive point.

With just three stages remaining before the individual Championship is crowned in Rabat, and the GCL title race also intensifying, Rome arrives at a crucial moment in the season.

Speaking at the opening press conference, LGCT Sport Director Marco Danese highlighted both the sporting significance of the weekend ahead and the unique character of the new venue.

“We are approaching the end of the season, and the battle for the top positions is wide open, both in the team competition of the GCL and in the individual Global Champions Tour championship,” he said.

“After Rome, we will have a stage in Cairo in two weeks’ time for the first time, followed by Rabat, before the Playoffs, which we hope to be able to hold in Riyadh.

“Once again, there will be an opportunity to see the world’s best horse-and-rider combinations compete in a completely different setting. This is a much more ‘horse-oriented’ venue compared with those we have experienced previously.”

Where Italian Equestrian History Meets Global Sport

The move to Tor di Quinto provides a fitting new chapter for LGCT Rome, combining one of the most international competitions in show jumping with a location deeply connected to Italy’s equestrian and military heritage.

Colonel Giuseppe Marzo, Commander of the 8th Regiment “Lancieri di Montebello”, welcomed the Tour to the Pietro Giannattasio Military Racecourse.

“Good morning everyone and welcome to the Pietro Giannattasio Military Racecourse, a historic venue made even more special by the event that will take place here shortly: an important stage of the Longines Global Champions Tour,” he said.

“I would like to thank the Ministry of Defence for putting both myself and the Lancieri di Montebello Regiment in the best possible conditions to deliver this event.”

The venue’s history was a recurring theme throughout the presentation, with particular focus on the legacy of Captain Federico Caprilli, whose revolutionary approach to riding transformed the sport and established an Italian system that would influence equestrianism around the world.

Senator Isabella Rauti, Undersecretary of State for Defence, described Tor di Quinto as an ideal home for world-class show jumping.

“I cannot imagine a better place to host a world-class show jumping competition,” she said. “Rome certainly has no shortage of unique historic venues, but honestly, I cannot imagine a location that is more functional or more appropriate than this one.”

She added: “Caprilli’s legacy is an Italian legacy that has become international, just like the competition we are hosting here.”

Hon. Federico Mollicone, President of the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Culture, Sport and Entertainment, also reflected on the significance of Caprilli’s legacy and the values at the heart of equestrian sport.

“I have been following this great event for many years,” he said. “I believe that the equestrian world embodies great values, and the tribute to Caprilli is an even stronger demonstration of this.”

A Celebration of Italian Equestrian Sport

There is plenty for the home crowd to celebrate as the world's best return to Rome.

Marco Di Paola, President of the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE) and Vice President of CONI, spoke of his emotion at seeing the Longines Global Champions Tour arrive at Tor di Quinto during an important year for Italian show jumping.

“I am very emotional because being here at this venue gives me enormous pleasure. This really is the home of equestrian sport,” he said.

“It is the perfect place to host this event and to welcome the equine athlete, which has now been recognised within the Italian legal framework as an athlete whose wellbeing and appropriate living conditions must be guaranteed.”

He also celebrated Italy’s return to the Olympic stage in show jumping, adding: “This is an important year for us: after 24 years, we have secured Olympic qualification for show jumping at Los Angeles 2028, and we are extremely pleased.”

That celebration of Italian equestrianism will extend beyond the five-star sport, with Remo Chiodi, Director General for Horse Racing at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF), announcing a new initiative showcasing Italian breeding.

As part of LGCT Rome, the new MASAF Master will provide a platform for the best seven-year-old Italian Warmblood horses.

“This is an incredible platform for promoting the finest products of Italian breeding,” Chiodi explained.

Home Riders Ready to Take Centre Stage

For the Italian riders themselves, competing at Tor di Quinto will carry an added significance.

Italian CSI5* rider Alberto Zorzi said: “I am genuinely very excited. It will be a fantastic stage, and as military riders, we are practically competing at home.”

Zorzi will arrive with two new horses, including one relatively new partnership that he intends to make his leading ride for the weekend.

Italian CSI2* rider Gianluca Apolloni also praised the new venue and its horse-focused facilities.

“This event is exceptional when it comes to the horses’ wellbeing, and the atmosphere is incredible,” he said. “This year, the arena is also much larger, so everything will be much more conducive to the horses’ wellbeing.”

The wider significance of bringing international sport to Rome was also highlighted by Luciano Crea, President of the Lazio Regional Council’s Committee for Culture, Tourism and Entertainment, who pointed to the role major sporting events can play in promoting the region, developing sports tourism and strengthening connections between communities, institutions and sport.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Ferdinando Paglialunga of the Italian Army General Staff emphasised the importance of cooperation between the military, sporting federations and institutions, describing the Army as proud to make the historic venue available for the event.

The Championship Arrives in Rome

With the official presentation complete, attention now turns firmly towards the arena.

A stellar international field is preparing to descend on Tor di Quinto at a pivotal moment in the 2026 season, with the battle for the Longines Global Champions Tour Championship intensifying and valuable points on offer before the final stages in Cairo and Rabat.

For three days, one of Rome’s great equestrian venues will become the centre of the show jumping world — bringing together Italian heritage, global sport and some of the greatest horse-and-rider combinations on the planet.

Rome is ready. The Championship battle is wide open. And the countdown to LGCT Rome 2026 is officially on.