Doha: Nine out of the top 11 ranked riders on the Global Champions Tour are in with a chance to be crowned 2013 Champion in what promises to be an end of season cliffhanger in Qatar.
The scramble for maximum points at the 12th and final leg of this year’s series will be intense.
Expect ruthless determination from riders at the top of the ranking who are still eligible for the most prestigious prize in show jumping.
After 11 events around the world the stage for the great climax of 2013 will be the unparalleled Al Shaqab Equestrian Centre in Doha from November 21 to 23.
An extra €1m will be on offer for the overall championship on November 23 - with the champion winning a spectacular €300,000 purse.
Under the rules, a rider’s best six results count towards his or her final championship score. Consistency is crucial as riders need to perform to an exceptional level all year on sand and grass, by day and by night and in big and small arenas.
The extraordinary Al Shaqab arena will provide the final test of the season with master course designer Uliano Vezzani setting the challenge on Grand Prix day.
Currently Laura Kraut with 187 points leads the table followed by Christian Ahlmann (185).
Two-time winner Edwina Tops-Alexander in 2011 and 2012 is in thrid place and is followed by Luciana Diniz (178), Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (175), Scott Brash (163), Alvaro de Miranda (162), William Funnell (159), Harrie Smolders (150).
All the above riders are in the running for the coveted Championship title
Dutchman Smolders may be at No. 11 on the ranking board going into Doha, but if he wins the Grand Prix he can add 40 points to his tally making a total of 190 points. If the riders above him do not score big points then Smolders will be Champion.
The same scenario applies to Brash, Miranda and Funnell. All currently have five scores counting and can add their Doha points to their final total.
But there is a different scenario for the top 5 riders who already have six scores on the board so far this season. This means that whatever points they win in Doha, their lowest score will have to be deducted. So if Kraut wins 40 points her lowest score of 26 points in Valkenswaard will have to be deducted leaving her with 14 points in Doha and a final score of 201. The same applies to Ahlmann, Tops-Alexander, Diniz and Rolf-Bengtsson who all already have six scores on the ranking.
Although German and British show jumping legends Ludger Beerbaum and Nick Skelton are in the top 10, they already have six scores counting.
This means that if they scored points in Doha and their lowest scored was deducted, they cannot collect enough points to win the overall championship. The battle for the championship has never been so closely fought among so many of the world’s top riders.
Fans of show jumping from United States of America, Brazil, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Portugal and Sweden will be cheering on their home riders, highlighting the truly global nature of the Tour.
Millions of fans around the world are alos expected to follow the progress of their favourite stars as the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha gets underway. To witness Show Jumping in Qatar and for information on tickets visit www.globalchampionstour.com/events/2013/doha.
The peninsula
