Valkenswaard, NED – The Global Champions Tour (“GCT”), the most prestigious championship in show jumping today, will commence the 2009 season with the Global Champions Tour of Italy, hosted by the Arezzo Equestrian Centre from 2 to 5 April 2009. The championship is presented by CN and CN WorldWide, Rolex is the official timepiece and Eurosport is the official media partner of this exciting series.
The GCT invites the world’s top 30 riders from the Rolex Rankings to compete and ensures an exciting grand prix for all horse and sport lovers alike. The first stage will be watched with particular interest by the local Italian fans, as it is the first time an Italian, Gianni Govoni, has qualified in the top 30 and will join four other local riders invited by the host nation’s federation in their conquest for the total prize money of €380,000. Gianni Govoni, recent winner of the CSI3* Grand Prix at Toscana Tour, well-known for his speed and tenacious determination to win, will no doubt thrill the local and international spectators as he battles it out with the world’s best.
Top riders and their horses participating in the season’s opening event include the GCT Final 2008 winners Jessica Kurten and Castle Forbes Libertina, three times GCT grand prix winner in 2008 Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and the top Australian rider and current world number 4 Edwina Alexander to name just a few.