Release date: 23/06/2011 |    

Professional and amateur riders will team up for an extra thrilling Pro-Am Cup in Monte-Carlo tomorrow evening.

This year’s event will raise the temperature in the Port Hercule arena as its creators, Charlotte Casiraghi and Global Champions Tour president Jan Tops, have added a new twist to the rules.

Set against the backdrop of gleaming superyachts and overlooked by the Prince’s Palace, spectators will be treated to a dazzling display of technical skill and courage by the teams as they compete for the €50,000 first prize.

Each pair will be in the ring together and if an amateur rider knocks down a fence, or has a refusal, the professional will have to jump a much more difficult fence to try and rescue their overall score.

And at the end of the course a special, higher “Pro-Am” jump will also have to be cleared by both professional and amateur riders side by side! The teams will be sporting their sponsor’s logo on specially designed polo shirts and the sponsors will be able to join in the fun and walk the course with their riders.

And just to add to the exciting atmosphere, each time will have signature music playing as they compete, including Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson and Queen.

Speaking before the event Charlotte Casiraghi said: “This is a unique concept in the world of show jumping. There is a great atmosphere and I hope we all have a fantastic time like we did last year.”

The Pro-Am Cup will take place at 21h15 tomorrow (Friday) and live streaming can be viewed on the GCT website www.globalchampionstour.com.

The Teams are as follows:

Team Gucci -  Edwina Alexander and Charlotte Casiraghi

Team Ery Management - Daniel Deusser and Katia Rybolovleva

Team Grand Hotel les 3 rois/Grand Hotel Bellevue - Denis Lynch and Flaminia Straumann

Team Knight Vinke - Sheikh Ali Al Thani and Sheikh Mohammad Al Thani

Team Sucres & Denrees - Judy Ann Melchior and Dimitri Varsano

Team MV Shipping - Mark McAuley and Maddalena Valenzano Menada

Team Federation Equestre de la Principaute de Monaco - Steve Guerdat and Diane Dupont

Team Fares Farm - Jonella Ligresti and Ludovica Francesconi

Team Amade Charity - Lauren Hough and Wensceslas Thomel

Team John Taylor - Marcus Ehning and Mathilda Karlsson

Team Groupe Marzocco - Roger-Yves Bost and Ilaria Sutera

Team Eurdocument - Phillipe Rozier and Aurelie Besins

Team Olympe Capital - Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Audrey Coultre

Team Monacair - Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan and Lauley Squibb

Team Wally - Julien Epaillard and Marcello Carraro

Team Masoni - Pius Schwizer and Matteo Giunti

Team KBL - Laura Kraut and Danny van den Bosch