Ben Maher and Daniel Deusser Storm to victory for Shanghai Swans in dramatic GCL London

In the shadow of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in the heart of London, Daniel Deusser and Ben Maher led the Shanghai Swans to their third victory of the 2025 season.

It was an afternoon filled with surprising twists, high-stakes drama, and world class  talent - all of which took center stage in the heart of the capital city on Friday at GCL London. There, the Shanghai Swans rose to the top of the leaderboard in thrilling fashion, earning coveted points during Stage 9 of the 2025 Championship.

An idyllic summer afternoon, set against the 17th-century brick facade of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, provided both seasonal atmosphere and a nod to the city of London’s storied heritage. To the delight of the crowds, hometown heroes and international superstars graced the arena, including no strangers to the LGCT London podium, Ben Maher and Scott Brash, the latter of whom provided one of the first clear rounds of the day aboard Hello Valentino.

The GCL calendar’s month-long, mid-summer break meant than many riders came in with fresh horses, while multiple teams debuted new combinations following this year’s mid-season transfer window.

Earning their third win of the season, the Shanghai Swans sealed victory with their trademark, icy-cool-under-pressure performances from Daniel Deusser on Gangster v/h Noddevelt and Ben Maher with Point Break, finishing on a score of 8 faults.

Speaking of his hometown advantage, Maher said he was relishing every minute at GCL London “We don’t get too many chances, here, to ride at home, so it’s always great for me [and] to have all my family here this week. This is very close to home, a great city, and a great start to the week - thank you to Daniel [Deusser]!”

Deusser, for his part, echoed his teammate’s sentiments. “Of course, in the situation today, when we are last to go in, I’m first to jump, and there’s only one rider left, then it’s very good to have someone like Ben behind us. The pressure is high, you have to jump clear or four, and to have Point Break and Ben as the last rider to go is for sure an advantage.”

Earning the competition’s second-lowest score of 12, the Basel Cosmopolitans became the story of the day when they made one of the biggest moves in GCL history, jumping from 16th place after Round 1, to second place on the podium. This was thanks to clear jumping efforts from Zascha Nygaard Lill and Partner in Crime and Jana Wargers and Like Arpeggio. It turns out, no one was more surprised by drastic change in their results than the Basel Cosmopolitans, themselves.

“That was really unexpected, to be honest,” said Wargers, laughing. “We were both in the VIP without boots, and the horses were in their boxes, and we had no idea [we had] to come back for the prize giving! But we are very happy, and that’s how the sport sometimes goes. We are lucky to be second today.”

Rounding out the podium, the Mexican Amigos powered by H5 Stables also climbed the ranks significantly, jumping from 11th place on a score 12 into third after the second round. They, too, earned back-to-back clear rounds in Round 2 from Petronella Andersson and Opaline De W&s and Emilie Conter, who put in a valiant clear round with Portobella Van De Fruitkorf.

Conter, who was making her GCL debut in London, took over the spot from her sister, Zoe Conter, in Round 2, and was thrilled that her first performance was a strong one. “For sure it’s my first time, and to be able to deliver a clear and the podium, for the rest of the season, it’s a bit less stress, so it’s nice,” she reflected.

Double-clear efforts proved to be elusive for all 17 teams during the first round of the day on Course Designer Uliano Vezzani’s deceptively technical, 15-obstacle, 1.55m track. Poles fell in equal measure from the first jump of the day the to last, with only seven combinations on the startlist managing to finish Round 1 on a zero score.

Among a number of shake-ups taking place during the afternoon were championship leaders Valkenswaard United, who moved from first place into last in Round 1 after an uncharacteristically tough day at the office for Marcus Ehning and Coolio 42 and Gilles Thomas and Luna van het Dennehof. Fortunately, the pair were able to claw their way back thanks to a speedy, double-clear effort in Round 2, helping them to maintain their hold on the leaderboard.

With only seven stops remaining on the calendar, vital points are on the line toward not only the series championship, but key qualification berths for the GCL Super Cup in November.

Championship Standings After Stage 9

1.    Valkenswaard United – 193 pts

2.    Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames - 187 pts

3.    Shanghai Swans - 186 pts

4.    Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team - 142 pts

A Challenging Second Round Shakes Up the Standings

As the second class of the day approached, the shadows grew long inside the 300-year-old Royal Hospital Chelsea, but the pressure for clear rounds in GCL London’s purpose-built arena was more palpable than ever.

Maestro Vezzani once again did what he does best, with a Round 2 course that preserved much of the precision and delicacy demanded by his first test of the day. This time, however, the difficulty level was raised to 1.60m, with 16 efforts including the addition of a triple combination and a series of related distances that followed in quick succession, one after another.

Riesenback International, powered by Horse Gym brought top rider power in the form Christian Kukuk with Chagorge, and the pair added nothing to the team’s score of 8 in the second round. Unfortunately, after attempting a careful clear with Zuccero HV, Maximilian Weishaupt dropped the back rail of the penultimate oxer, dropping the team down to 6th place.  

While looking to improve on a difficult season so far in 2025, the Paris Panthers hoped to lean on Guido Grimaldi and Gentleman for a second clear in Round 2. Unfortunately, it was not to be, with Grimaldi as well as Celine Schoonbroodt-De Azevedo and Sierra Du Piedroux Z accruing further faults to finish in 9th place.

With just five teams remaining on the startlist, the intensity in the arena rose. Though the St. Tropez Pirates were one of seven teams on a score of 8 in the standings, both Max Wachman and Fancy de Kergane added additional rails to their total, dropping them down the leaderboard.

The drama reached a fevered pitch when the winners of this year’s Paris GCL and last year’s London GCL, the Istanbul Warriors powered by Carpe Diem Equestrian Team, entered the arena, hoping to reclaim their former glory and maintain their score of 8. Sadly it was not to be after Simon Delestre’s mount, Dexter Fontenis Z, jumping for the first time in Round 2, suffered an uncharacteristic refusal, resulting in the team’s elimination from the competition.  

As the only horse-and-rider combination in the competition to log two decisive clears, Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames Combella were on fire for the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames. Despite this, two rails from Katrin Eckermann and Iron Dames Dialou Blue Ps in Round 2 edged the team off the podium, landing them in fourth place in the final results.

A third place at GCL Shanghai was the best result so far in the season for the New York Empire powered by Lugano, who hoped to rally their hometown support for two British riders - Robert Murphy and Eagle vd Wolfsakker Z and Scott Brash and Hello Chadora Lady - to end the day on the podium. It wasn’t to be. Both riders dropped rails in Round 2, finishing in 7th place.

Finally, all eyes were on the Shanghai Swans, Daniel Deusser and Ben Maher, who trotted into the arena on fresh horses with two rails in hand as the sun dropped low on the London horizon. After a clear round from Deusser, even a single pole down from Maher could not prevent the Swans from victory, shoring up their third place in the overall standings as the action looks ahead to GCL Valkenswaard in just two weeks’ time.