Show Jumping A-List Head To Longines Global Champions Tour of New York

An A-List of the world’s show jumping stars is heading for the Longines Global Champions Tour of New York from 23 - 25 September this week.

With anticipation mounting for the penultimate stage of the season, today it is revealed among the US riders competing at the spectacular venue of Governors Island will be McLain Ward, Kent Farrington, Georgina Bloomberg, Margie Goldstein-Engle, Lillie Keenan and Spencer Smith.

They will be up against a star-studded International field including Pieter Devos, Marcus Ehning, Ben Maher, Daniel Deusser, Peder Fredricson, Edwina Tops-Alexander, Darragh Kenny, John Whitaker and current world number one Henrik von Eckermann.

Georgina Bloomberg, who was born and raised in New York and is the owner of the home city GCL team New York Empire, said: "We will have the best showjumping riders in the world [in New York] - not just in the country, in the world - come and jump in the highest level of competition."

“This is really the best of the best in the world and I think that anybody who comes will really see the excitement of the sport.”

Another top American rider who will compete is Margie Goldstein-Engle: “It’s very exciting for us, being from America, to have another Global Tour show here.”

Every afternoon from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 September, the top athletes in show jumping will face off in the purpose-built sand arena and there is FREE ADMISSION for spectators who will be able to watch the competitions. Tickets for the GC Lounge are sold out for Saturday but limited tickets are still available for Friday and Sunday.

 With the Longines Global Champions Tour reaching its climax, the stage is set for one of the best showdowns in sporting history. The current leader of the tour, Christian Ahlmann, has the best of British, Ben Maher, breathing down his neck in what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ends to a Longines Global Champions Tour series.

Crucially Ahlmann of Germany will not be taking to the arena in New York so he will stay with 238 points to his name in the championship standings, just six points ahead of Maher who currently lies in second on 232 points. A win from Maher in the LGCT Grand Prix of New York will see the current world number 6 soar into the lead on 259 points ahead of the much-anticipated final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next month.

With the best 8 scores from the season counting, Maher has to improve on his worst score of 13 points in New York to increase his points while Ahlmann will have to get more than 22 points in Riyadh if he wants to change his tally.

The popular New York retreat of Governors Island has an average of 24,000 visitors during September weekends and spectators will be able to access the public grandstand to get up close to the high calibre sporting action on a first come, first served, basis. And in the lively Exhibitors Village next to the main arena visitors will also be able to enjoy great views of the competitions or watch on the big screen while soaking up the atmosphere.

The show ground is only around 800 yards from the tip of Lower Manhattan with an eight minute ferry ride across the harbour with boats leaving from either Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan to Soissons Landing. Ferries will also bring visitors to Governors Island from Brooklyn’s Pier 6 on Saturdays and Sundays. The ferry over to the Island is $3 and return ferries are not ticketed back to the city. During the three day event visitors can simply walk in and enjoy what will be world class equestrian sporting action every afternoon. Ferries are free for children under 12 years of age and senior citizens, as well as IDNYC holders and current and former military service members.

Stay tuned for an epic showdown in the Big Apple!