Riders Confirmed as the World’s Best Prepare for the Ultimate Show Jumping Showdown in Italy

The countdown is on. With just one week to go until the 2026 GC Playoffs, the highly anticipated rider line-up has officially been revealed, setting the stage for four days of extraordinary sport, fierce rivalries and unforgettable moments in Verona, Italy, from 19–22 November.

For the first time, the prestigious GC Playoffs will take centre stage at Veronafiere, bringing together 68 of the world's leading show jumping athletes for the spectacular conclusion to the 2026 Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) and the GCL season.

With over €11 million in prize money on offer, the stakes could not be higher. Established legends and the sport's most exciting rising stars will descend on Verona, all with one ambition: to claim glory on one of show jumping's biggest stages.

The GC Playoffs represent the ultimate test of championship sport, featuring two of the most prestigious competitions on the international calendar: the GCL Super Cup and the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix.

The action begins on Thursday with the GCL Super Cup Quarter-Finals, followed by Friday's high-pressure Semi-Finals, before Saturday evening sees the spotlight turn to the individual stars in the LGCT Super Grand Prix. The four-day spectacle reaches its dramatic conclusion on Sunday with the GCL Super Cup Final, where one team will emerge victorious.

GCL Super Cup: The World's Best Teams Go Head-to-Head

Following a fiercely contested 2026 season spanning some of the world's most iconic destinations, the GCL Super Cup will bring together the leading teams for one final battle where all scores start from scratch. 

With three riders competing in each round, the unique knockout format leaves no room for error. Every rail, every second and every performance can determine whether a team's championship ambitions remain alive.

Leading the charge are 2026 GCL Champions Riesenbeck International powered by HorseGym, who arrive in Verona following another dominant season. Their formidable line-up features an all German squad of Christian Kukuk, Marco Kutscher, Maximilian Weishaupt and Philipp Weishaupt, a quartet combining championship-winning experience with the consistency required to deliver under the greatest pressure.

Istanbul Warriors powered by Carpe Diem Equestrian Team, runners-up in the 2026 GCL Championship, will be among the strongest challengers. Their star-studded trio features newly crowned 2026 LGCT Champion Abdel Saïd, French Olympian Simon Delestre and former world number one Henrik von Eckermann. With three of the sport's most accomplished riders in their ranks, Istanbul Warriors will be determined to finish their season on the highest possible note.

New York Empire powered by Lugano, who secured third place in the overall championship standings, arrive with an equally impressive squad. Two time LGCT Champion Scott Brash joins Denis Lynch, Mark McAuley and Michael Pender as the team looks to convert its season-long consistency into Super Cup success.

Completing the four teams already qualified directly for the Semi-Finals are Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team, represented by Fernando Martinez Sommer, Thibeau Spits, Niels Bruynseels and Pieter Devos. Having secured their place among the championship's top four, the Lions will be looking to capitalise on their advantage and make a decisive charge towards Sunday's Final.

Among the other formidable contenders are Shanghai Swans, fielding one of the most experienced and decorated combinations in the competition. Three time LGCT Champion Ben Maher joins German stars Christian Ahlmann and Daniel Deusser, alongside Austria's Max Kühner, creating a powerhouse quartet capable of challenging for the title.

Valkenswaard United, one of the most established teams in GCL history, will be represented by Marcus Ehning, Hans-Dieter Dreher, Sandra Auffarth and Thibault Philippaerts. With an exceptional blend of experience and talent, the team will be looking to add another chapter to its impressive GCL history.

Fresh from their spectacular victory at the GCL Finals in Rabat, Monaco Aces arrive with momentum firmly on their side. Yuri Mansur and Ioli Mytilineou, who delivered the winning double-clear performance in Morocco, are joined by two time GCL Super Cup winner Peder Fredricson and Duarte Seabra as Monaco looks to carry its winning form into the GC Playoffs.

The competition will also feature Cannes Stars, with Sophie Hinners, Anastasia Nielsen, Jorne Sprehe and Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli forming an exciting all-female line-up. Meanwhile, Madrid in Motion, the inaugural GCL Super Cup Champions in 2018, return in pursuit of another title with Maikel van der Vleuten, Sergio Álvarez Moya and Victor Bettendorf.

Basel Cosmopolitans powered by Les Trois Rois will field Emanuele Camilli, Harry Allen, Andreas Schou and Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, while St Tropez Pirates bring together Piergiorgio Bucci, Jeanne Sadran, Antoine Ermann and Jérôme Guéry.

Adding further depth to the international field, Doha Falcons will be represented by Caroline Rehoff Pedersen, Sanne Thijssen, Bassem Mohammed and Nathan Budd, while Mexico Amigos arrive with Eduardo Menezes, Carlos Hank and Zoe Hank Conter.

Cairo Pharaohs will count on Nayel Nassar, Sameh El Dahan and Annelies Vorsselmans, while Scandinavian Vikings field Jur Vrieling, Sara Vingralkova, Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen and Lara Tryba. Completing the team line-up are Riyadh Knights, represented by Gudrun Patteet, Olivier Perreau and Emanuele Gaudiano, ensuring an exceptional depth of talent across the GCL Super Cup field.

With the championship standings reset and everything to play for, Verona promises a fierce battle between established champions, ambitious challengers and teams determined to deliver when it matters most.

Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix: The Ultimate Individual Showdown

While the GCL Super Cup will determine the ultimate team champions, Saturday evening belongs to the individual stars as the prestigious €1.25m Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix takes centre stage.

Throughout the 2026 season, riders have battled across the globe to secure their coveted golden tickets to the LGCT Super Grand Prix, earning their place in one of the most exclusive competitions in international show jumping.

2026 LGCT Super Grand Prix – Riders in Qualification Order

1. Katrin Eckermann – Miami Beach
2. Piergiorgio Bucci – Mexico City
3. Nicola Philippaerts – Shanghai
4. Simon Delestre – Madrid
5. Abdel Saïd – Cannes
6. Anastasia Nielsen – St. Tropez
7. Max Kühner – Paris
8. Stephan de Freitas Barcha – Monaco
9. Victor Bettendorf – Riesenbeck
10. Christian Kukuk – London
11. Yuri Mansur – Valkenswaard
12. Sophie Hinners – Vienna
13. Pieter Devos – Rome
14. Olivier Philippaerts – Cairo
15. Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli – Rabat

With two demanding rounds over courses reaching 1.65m, the LGCT Super Grand Prix is a true test of partnership. There is no room for compromise as the world's elite horse-and-rider combinations battle for one of the sport's most coveted titles.

Italian Stars Ready to Shine on Home Soil

As the GC Playoffs make their highly anticipated debut in Verona, Italian fans will have plenty to celebrate, with a strong contingent of homegrown talent preparing to compete in front of a passionate home crowd. Five Italian national federation riders have been confirmed, including Fabio Brotto, Giacomo Casadei, Luca Coata, Guido Grimaldi and Riccardo Pisani.

They will join an international field that also features Italian stars Emanuele Gaudiano, Emanuele Camilli and Piergiorgio Bucci, bringing an added dimension of national pride to the four-day spectacle. For the Italian riders, the opportunity to compete at one of the biggest events in the sport on home soil promises to be a special occasion, with the atmosphere inside Veronafiere set to provide an unforgettable backdrop.

Four Days. Two Prestigious Titles. One Ultimate Finale.

After a year of extraordinary competition across the globe, the championship's biggest names now face one final test. Strategies will be put to the ultimate challenge, rivalries will reach their climax and new champions will be crowned.

The stage is set. The riders are ready. Verona awaits.

The 2026 GC Playoffs take place at Veronafiere, Verona, Italy, from 19–22 November.

Tickets and further information: www.gcglobalchampions.com