Back it is! This week, from March 2 through March 4, the magnificent Longines Arena at AL SHAQA in Doha will host the start of the 2023 LGCT Doha Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL season. With some of the biggest stars in the business travelling to Qatar, the legendary horse and rider lineup for the first competition of the year was unveiled today. This year, there are more than 36 million euros in reward money up for grabs.

On Saturday at the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha, the rivalry will heat up under the lights, and Ludger Beerbaum will exert every effort to ride Mila to back-to-back victories. In pursuit of his first-ever LGCT season Championship, world number one Henrik von Eckermann will be right behind him.

Pieter Devos, last year’s LGCT championship runner-up, is leading the charge in what promises to be an electrifying fight of the best during a stunning sporting and lifestyle experience in the breathtaking equestrian arena established by The Father Emir. Devos, who chose smart strategies to participate in the first event of the season unlike his closest opponent from last year and 2023 Champion Ben Maher who is out due to injury, may gain a crucial advantage over his competitors.

How to watch live free LGCT Doha 2023:

Viewers around the world can watch the action live on the following channels and here for free:

• Live Broadcast: LGCT Doha 2023 Live

LGCT Doha 2023 Preview:

The LGCT and GCT’s imposing opening stage will take place in Doha, Qatar’s vivacious capital city, this week, and the Shanghai Swans’ fearless pair of Max Kühner and Christian Ahlmann will be there in full force, putting their epic horsepower on display to thousands of spectators and the Royal Family.

In exceptional form last week, Marcus Ehning and Stargold have their eyes on the prize in the €375,000 LGCT Grand Prix of Doha while previous LGCT Champions heading to Doha also include Harrie Smolders and Edwina Tops-Alexander making it one of the most competitive line-ups in the history of LGCT Doha.

The 2023 Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) and GCL season, which will begin at Al Shaqab’s Longines Arena tomorrow, will be kicked off by the finest combinations of riders and horses in the world in Doha.

The Longines Global Champions Tour Doha 2023 is the first stop on the 16-stop premier circuit, which spans three continents, 13 countries, and 16 locations. Riders are hoping for a strong performance there to kick off the season successfully.

Doha is kicking off the illustrious season for the fifth time in a row.

In a press conference yesterday at Al Shaqab, Event Director Omar Al Mannai said, “The Longines Global Champions Tour is the best tour presently being organized, so this is an added value for every country, who may get the chance to host it.

“I extend my gratitude to all of our partners and express my deep appreciation for placing your faith in our infrastructure to host one of the finest international tours. We are working hard to grow the equestrian activity, he continued.

While 16 teams will begin their campaigns in Doha in search of the overall GCL championship, the LGCT will once again feature the best in the individual challenge.

The 2023 season will feature two championships with a total prize pool of over €36 million, and the Doha portion has drawn a stellar cast of competitors.

The German team of Ludger Beerbaum and Mila, who triumphed at the Doha leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix last year, will return to action at the magnificent arena.

Beerbaum’s title defense on Saturday will be difficult because the field also features Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, who is ranked first in the world.

Pieter Devos, Max Kuhner, and Christian Ahlmann are leading the assault in place of overall champion Ben Maher, who is out of the competition due to injury.

Germany’s Marcus Ehning and Stargold, who retained the CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix title last weekend, will have their eyes on the second major title in eight days as the pair will also compete in the €375,000 LGCT Grand Prix of Doha along with several other top contenders including the young talent like John Whitaker, Jodie Hall McAteer, Lily Attwood and Khaled Almobty.

The 2023 competition is sure to get off to a fast start as the biggest names in show jumping, including John Whitaker, Malin Baryard-Johnsson, Niels Bruynseels, Denis Lynch, and Maikel van der Vleuten, all descend to one of the most incredible venues.

Young talent will bid to make their mark as Jack Whitaker, Jodie Hall McAteer, Lily Attwood and Khaled Almobty all look for their first podium of the year alongside show jumping heavyweights Shane Breen, Olivier Philippaerts, Marlon Zanotelli, Yuri Mansur, Jur Vrieling, Ioli Mytilineou, Omer Karaevli, Philipp Weishaupt, Christian Kukuk and Mark McAuley.

The Longines Global Champions Tour show schedules will feature a brand-new weekend structure beginning in 2023, which will make its debut this week in Doha. The largest adjustment is that Rounds 1 and 2 of the GCL team series will no longer take place over two days but rather on the same day. Additionally, the top 40 riders in the 2023 series will qualify for the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix on each weekend, giving more elite riders an opportunity to compete in the major competition.

It’s time to find out who will win in the GCL after team owners and managers spent the off-season engaged in intense strategic planning and recruiting the finest riders to build winning teams.

In addition to three days of exciting action, spectators will be treated to luxurious hospitality and enjoyable family activities beneath the towering architecture of Al Shaqab. Activities for kids will include pony rides, chic cafes with breathtaking views of the competition stadium, and much more.