Release date: 10/08/2011 |    

Above: Laura Kraut and Cedric, winners of the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard sponsored by the VDL Groep,  will be here to contest their title. Photo Credit: photostationonline

The VDL Groep sponsored Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard, The Netherlands is slated to commence at 14h15 on Saturday 13th August.

The event will take place in front of the 500 VIP guests and the thousands of expected spectators who will fit snugly around the newly turfed high-tec arena to take in all the action of the show jumping.

The Valkenswaard venue has been transformed into a magnificent showpiece to cater to the show jumping crowd as VIP Suites and the ‘Place du Concours’ adorn the grassed arenas in anticipation of some of the most exciting show jumping action in the region.

”This year we have record entries with many more horses that will only have spectators watching the very best show jumping,” said Jan Tops, the creator of the Valkenswaard event, “Tracing its history back 18 years the International Concours has grown in strength in terms of what we have to offer to riders and spectators alike to be one of the world’s leading show jumping events.”

The Horse Festival has just concluded this past weekend 5-7th August with riders staying on to compete at the International Concours to be held12-14th August.

With a great pouch of prize money on offer and a mix of classes catering for young horses, special invitational, 2* and 5* classes equestrians have it all. The well-known Dutch company VDLGroep, title sponsors of the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard, enthusiastically support and are synonymous with this event.

The VDL Groep will also be following their team of sponsored riders Leopold van Asten as well as the father and son team of Maikel (below) and Eric van der Vleuten who have also accepted to ride in this prestigious Grand Prix.

Photo credit: Sportfot/www.sportfot.com

For the second year Jaeger-LeCoultre remain a strong partner with the Global Champions Tour and they will present a specially engraved Reverso watch to the winner of the Grand Prix of Valkenswaard, as one of the seven events they support over the year.

Last year attracted over 30,000 spectators to the Valkenswaard event and with added horses numbers the event can expect the reception this year to be every bit as enthusiastic.