29 December 2025
Your Ticket to the World: The 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour & GCL Season in Review
A season defined by global destinations, championship drama and unforgettable moments, as the 2025 LGCT and GCL crowned champions and shaped history.
he 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) and GCL delivered a season defined by world-class sport, iconic destinations, drama, and championship excellence.
Embracing the ‘Your Ticket to the World’ ethos, this year’s Tour brought elite riders and teams to sprawling global cities and cultural capitals - from the desert arenas of the Middle East to the historic backdrops of Europe and the skyline spectacle of New York - uniting fans around the world with unforgettable moments and unparalleled equestrian drama.
Global Destinations, Global Drama
The 2025 calendar took riders on a truly international journey, spanning 16 championship stops across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and beyond. The full season was unveiled as part of the Tour’s official calendar release.
From the season opener in Doha and early momentum in Mexico City, the elite field raced through Shanghai, Madrid, southern France at Cannes and St. Tropez, and iconic cities including Paris, Monaco and London.
Later stages brought high stakes competition in Valkenswaard, Riesenbeck, New York and debut excitement in Vienna at the stunning Schönbrunn Palace.
As the season reached its peak, Rabat provided African flair and crucial points ahead of the Finals in Riyadh and the climactic GC Prague Playoffs.
🔗 The Ultimate Showdown - 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour Calendar Unveiled
🔗 One of LGCT's most iconic venues yet? Schönbrunn Palace plays host to stage 13
LGCT – Individual Championship Drama
Across the 2025 season, the Longines Global Champions Tour once again proved that the individual championship is a test of far more than single-event brilliance. Consistency, composure and the ability to perform across continents ultimately defined the race for the title.
As the season built momentum from city to city, the championship battle sharpened - with riders delivering decisive performances under vastly different conditions, from historic European arenas to high-pressure Finals environments.
At the LGCT Finals in Riyadh, Belgian star Gilles Thomas etched his name into the history books, securing the 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour Championship and becoming the youngest rider ever to claim the prestigious title. His season was defined by relentless consistency, tactical precision and the ability to deliver at key moments across the globe.
Behind him, the championship fight remained fierce until the final stages. Harrie Smolders, a former LGCT Champion, once again demonstrated his trademark consistency and experience, delivering strong performances throughout the season to remain firmly in championship contention. Andreas Schou also emerged as one of the standout performers of 2025, combining precision and pace to secure crucial points and underline his place among the Tour’s elite.
With the championship decided, the final LGCT Grand Prix of Riyadh provided a fitting conclusion to the individual season - a high-stakes showdown under the lights, showcasing the depth of talent that defined the 2025 campaign.
Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix Glory in Prague
While the championship crown was secured in Riyadh, the most coveted single-class title of the season was decided at the GC Prague Playoffs, where the world’s best returned for the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix.
In a thrilling showdown inside Prague’s O2 Arena, Abdel Saïd and the exceptional Bonne Amie delivered a masterclass in precision and pace to claim the LGCT Super Grand Prix title, rising above an elite field of Grand Prix winners. Their victory marked one of the defining moments of the 2025 season, sealing LGCT Super Grand Prix glory on the sport’s biggest stage.
🔗 Abdel Saïd and Bonne Amie Claim LGCT Super Grand Prix Glory at the GC Prague Playoffs
GCL – Overall Championship: Valkenswaard United Spotlight
The 2025 Global Champions League season culminated in a breathtaking championship battle, and at the end it was Valkenswaard United who stood atop the standings, claiming a historic third GCL Championship title. In a season marked by consistency, depth, and tactical brilliance, the blue-and-gold squad delivered week after week - crossing the finish line with 326 points, just 11 clear of the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames and ahead of a relentless field that included the Shanghai Swans in third. Their campaign was defined by sharp execution from riders such as Gilles Thomas and Hans-Dieter Dreher, whose ice-cool rounds became the backbone of the championship drive.
🔗 Valkenswaard United Make History In Riyadh with Third GCL Championship Title
GCL – GC Prague Playoffs: Rome Gladiators Spotlight
As the season shifted to Prague for the GC Playoffs, the intensity reached its peak in the GCL Super Cup Final inside the iconic O2 Arena. In a night of fierce competition and palpable emotion, Rome Gladiators powered by Cavalleria Toscana delivered one of the standout team performances of the 2025 campaign, storming to victory in the €6.5 million GCL Super Cup. Led by elite horses and riders including Peder Fredricson, Emanuele Gaudiano and Yuri Mansur, the Gladiators executed under pressure with precision and grit to outpace the world’s best over demanding courses and capture the coveted Super Cup title.
🔗 €6.5 million, Unmatched Drama and a Battle to the End: The 2025 GCL Super Cup
GCL – Awards Evening: Standout Winners of the Season
On the eve of the 2025 GC Prague Playoffs, the GCL Season Awards honoured the riders, horses and performances that defined one of the most compelling league campaigns to date. With Valkenswaard United’s championship crowning the season’s narrative, individual excellence was also recognised:
Rider of the Season: Gilles Thomas - a standout performer whose consistency and composure helped anchor his team’s historic title run.
Horse of the Season: Chageorge (Christian Kukuk / Riesenbeck International powered by HorseGym) - celebrated for courage and reliability across the year.
U25 Rider of the Season: Carlos Hank Guerreiro (Mexico Amigos powered by H5 Stables) - a rising star who delivered under pressure through the season.
Must-Watch Moments & Lookbacks
From classic showdowns in New York to unforgettable jump-offs in Prague, the 2025 season offered sporting moments fans won’t forget.
🔗 Must-Watch Moments from Prague: Inside Some of the GC Playoffs’ Most Unforgettable Highlights
A Partnership Renewed – Longines and Global Champions
The 2025 season also marked an important milestone beyond the arena, as Longines renewed its long-standing partnership with the Longines Global Champions Tour, reinforcing one of the most enduring and defining relationships in international sport.
As Title Partner and Official Timekeeper, Longines has played an integral role in shaping the identity of the Tour - united by shared values of precision, performance, elegance and excellence. The renewal signals a continued commitment to the future of elite show jumping, supporting both the individual brilliance of the LGCT and the team-driven innovation of the official timekeeping within the GCL.
In a season that embodied ‘Your Ticket to the World’, the renewed partnership underlined the Tour’s global ambition and stability - ensuring that the world’s finest riders, horses and fans continue to experience show jumping at its very highest level, on the world’s most iconic stages.
🔗 Longines Renews Partnership with the Longines Global Champions Tour
Rising Above: The Art of Time
Alongside the sporting drama of the 2025 season, the Longines Global Champions Tour also told a deeper story through the series, Rising Above: The Art of Time, presented by Longines.
Returning for its second season, the signature content series explored the shared values that unite elite show jumping and fine watchmaking - excellence, precision and endurance. Through eight cinematic portraits, the series shone a light on riders, grooms, farriers, designers and creatives, revealing the dedication and craftsmanship that sit behind every moment of performance.
As the season came to a close, Rising Above: The Art of Time offered a fitting reflection - a reminder that while victories are decided in seconds, true mastery is built patiently, purposefully, and over time.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As the 2025 season draws to a close, attention already turns to 2026 - a landmark year for Global Champions, with a number of key dates and destinations already revealed. With more of the calendar set to be announced in the months ahead, fans can begin planning their journey across the world once again.
Explore the 2026 calendar released so far, and sign up to be the first to receive the full calendar announcement as it unfolds.
The road to 2026 has begun.
My vision is clear. Only the best for the best.