There are show jumping arenas - and then there is Schönbrunn Palace. Against one of the most extraordinary backdrops in world sport, the GCL of Vienna delivered a night of high-speed, high-pressure team drama as the 2026 Championship entered its decisive final stretch. Riders and horses made their way through the inside of the historic Schönbrunn Palace before emerging into the arena, where centuries of imperial history collided with the unmistakably modern intensity of GCL
For Scandinavian Vikings, Lara Tryba said: “I’ve said it before, this is my favourite LGCT of the whole year. Just riding into the palace feels like a dream. This venue, the audience, the atmosphere - everything is so beautiful. To come here and be the winners is truly the cherry on the cake.”
Her teammate Jur Vrieling added: “I’m really proud of both my stallions today, and to come back here in Austria and perform well is very special. But I think the most special thing today was Lara’s performance. There was so much pressure on her going into that final round and she did an incredible job performing here.”
Smiling Maximilian Weishaupt said: “We are so pleased to keep first place overall. The Championship is a huge focus for us, so to finish second here today and take another strong haul of points means a lot.”
Hi brother Philipp Weishaupt added: “I wasn’t happy with my second round, but as a team we were fully focused this evening on getting as many Championship points as possible.”
Team owner and rider Efe Siyahi who won the 5* 1.60m individual class earlier in the day said: “From tenth to the podium, we are so happy! We almost didn’t qualify for Round 2, but we couldn’t be happier with the result and to now move into second place in the Championship. It means a lot.”
Abdel Saïd smiled: “We have a great team, with Efe and Tolga behind us, and having such a strong team alongside me is such a pleasure.”
Following on Henrik von Eckermann added: “We walked the course and knew it was tricky enough, so we expected there would be faults. We knew that if we could deliver clear rounds, we would keep the team in a strong position.”
Championship Standings: Riesenbeck Keep Control, But the Chase Is On
Vienna may have belonged to the Scandinavian Vikings, but the bigger Championship battle continues to tighten.
GCL Championship standings after Vienna:
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Riesenbeck International powered by Horse Gym - 242 points
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Istanbul Warriors powered by Carpe Diem Equestrian Team - 201 points
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New York Empire powered by Lugano - 185 points
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Basel Cosmopolitans powered by Les Trois Rois - 184 points
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Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team - 181 points
