Release date: 30/06/2011 |    

The Global Champions Tour season turns to Portugal to the city of Estoril with the top international show jumping being held on July 1-2, 2011 and you can tune in on the tour’s designated website to watch the live streaming action, and catch the latest news and results.

Portugal is everything that tourists are looking for in Europe. The historical heritage is one of the oldest and most important empires in the western world and Estoril, nestled in the southern zone of the country, shares its own significance.  Fantastic beaches, which are still wild and well preserved, great food and wine, the generous spirit of the Portugese people and a leader in the provision of international sporting events.

For hundreds of years, since King Pedro I (1364) raised the station of Estoril as one of the world’s most desired playgrounds for high society, the city has been showcasing grand sporting events such as sailing, adventure sports, motor sports (GP), golf, tennis and show jumping.

In fact, the showjumping venue is located in the coastal town of Cascais, an exclusive seaside township that came to prominence as a destination for high society, diplomats and nobility as early as the 1300’s. (pictured above)

Boasting two international sporting events this year including the Global Champions Tour, Cascais will also host the America’s Cup World Cup Sailing series in August this year.

Duarte Guedes, President of the organising committee for the Global Champions Tour in Estoril, has been committed to the event since the leading show jumping tour commenced in 2006. “It is very good to see the Global Champions Tour progressing so well since the first competitions in 2006 when we first became a partner for the series. Over time the Estoril public have developed good knowledge about the sport of show jumping. They love the horses, the jumping and are always supportive.”

“Of course having the top riders in the world coming here to compete is exceptional,” Duarte also commented. “We are honoured to have the world’s best show jumping circuit here and to continue our country’s history of attracting top equestrian sporting events to our region.”

There are many expectations for the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Portugal and with Australian Edwina Alexander already building a healthy lead at the top with 155 points it will be interesting to see who can challenge her for the ranking leader title.

‘I'm really happy that I have been the first rider to reach the milestone mark,” remarked

Edwina. “The ranking can change from show to show so it’s a matter of being consistent.  I have been placed in every GCT event this year and I hope I can keep it up.”

Behind Edwina on the GCT ranking, there is German Ludger Beerbaum, on 151.50 points, who is also a strong contender for the Global Champions Tour 2011 title. He placed second at each of the tour’s Grand Prix in Valencia, Germany and Cannes and led the rankings after Cannes.

Pictured right: Ludger Beerbaum and Chaman jumping in the Global Champions Tour of Germany.

Although placing 14^th in the Grand Prix in Monaco with Chaman after jumping clean in the first round and having three rails in the second round, he will be out to avenge his relegation to second on the GCT scorecard.

Alvaro de Miranda Neto (BRA) sits with 123 points and Denis Lynch (IRL) has 120 points, placing 3^rd and 4^th respectively.

Last year’s winner in Estoril, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum has nominated to start.  She returned to the saddle for the GCT Monaco event after missing the Cannes leg of the tour due to a back problem.

But it is Rolf-Goran Bengtsson from Sweden who is ‘on fire’ at present having won both the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix’s in Germany and Monaco with the stallion Casall La Silla.(pictured above in Monaco and below in Hamburg)

All of these riders will compete in Estoril this coming weekend with Bengtsson set to start Casall La Silla once again in the Grand Prix which has 285,000 Euros total prize money on offer.

At the conclusion of Estoril there are just four Global Champions Tour events remaining: Chantilly, Valkenswaard, and Rio de Janeiro, with the season culmination at the Al Forsan International Sports arena in Abu Dhabi 24-26 November.

The race is on between the top professional riders to win the 300,000-euro bonus cheque for the overall highest ranked rider of the season.

Major tour sponsors Jaeger-LeCoultre will take a great presence at the Estoril event offering a beautifully crafted Reverso watch for the winner.   The Reverso watch celebrating its 80th year in existence has been especially engraved for the Global Champions Tour series.

The ranking scores are tight and the competition is hotting up in Estoril!

The Reverso Timepiece (Left)

Photo credits: Sport images- Stefano Grasso/GCT, Tourism image; Estoril Tourism