Rankings leader Pieter Devos will be hoping to keep German favorite Daniel Deusser at bay when the sixth round of the Longines Global Champions Tour takes place in Hamburg this weekend.
Belgium’s Devos leads Deusser by five points after missing the Madrid leg of show jumping’s premier circuit, but with two of his top horses Claire Z and Apart in action, Devos will be looking to build on last year’s Global Champions League team victory with St Tropez Pirates in Hamburg.
Past winners Ludger Beerbaum and defending champion Harrie Smolders will also be competing as the circuit enters the second quarter of the series and the second of 13 European stops.
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Hamburg’s Derby-Park Klein Flottbeck welcomed about 90,000 spectators to the prestigious event last year, and with other home-grown riders in action such Christian Ahlmann, Marcus Ehning, Marco Kutscher and Philipp Weishaupt there will be plenty for them to cheer for.
Among the international contingent will be Britons Scott Brash, Ben Maher, and Michael Whitaker, Belgians Olivier Philippaerts and Jerome Guery and American Margie Goldstein-Engle.
In the GCL, Shanghai Swans head the standings by 20 points from St Tropez Pirates with the Monaco Aces and Miami Celtics tied in third, two points further adrift.
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The Global Champions Tour features 20 worldwide stops and culminates in the Prague Playoffs from November 21-24.