Recentely Jan Tops has announced his new initiative, the Global Champions League (GCL). Basically a new show jumping league and team competition. This latter one is the most important key to the succes of this project, as it are the teams that dominate the sport... except - so far - in the equestrian world. The new format would increase interest in top-level show jumping and attract new sponsors. It is foreseen the new revenues and heightened profile would dramatically benefit riders, horse owners, spectators, and the broader equestrian community. It would also create new opportunities for developing young riders into tomorrow’s professional show jumping athletes. But why is this GCL important for the equestrian sport? Three years ago Equnews founded the equestrian Equteam. At that moment there was already an Audi or Zangersheide show jumping team. Today more and more people see the advantage of having an equestrian team. Why? As a team you have more opportunities as an individual. By definition the equestrian world has Always existed out of inidividual and teamed-up professionals. Or they rode for themselves or for a stable. The introduction of the Equ-, Audi, Zangersheide, etc. team made sure that the advantages of having a team were clarified. Not only the material sponsorship or financial aid, but certainly the intense sharing of knowledge, experience and ambition makes a team work. Look at the soccer (football), basketbal, cycling, etc. -sports. Most athletes will function within a team. The team becomes a pion playing the 'chess game' of that sport. It is Obvious that the more interesting the pion, the more attraction that sport (discipline) will get. That is why the introduction of the GCL-concept is more than welcome to lower the difference between the non-equestrian and equestrian community. Is this all necessary? Believe it or not but living in a niche market has more negative as positive consequences. Every sport, market, etc. needs to run on two main believes; money and passion. The passion is without a doubt the running engine of the horse community. Although it is a wealthy market and money is no issue (if we may generalize this)... the economics behind the market is poorly excecuted. Therefor a broader and more open image should be created for the horse world. The introduction of teams - sponsored or not - might help with this, it will even more increase the ambition and passion of the individuals, now working together. Further it will boost economic motives. Having a regular reference to a team, will help in the marketing and promotion of stables. Example given, it won't be Daniel Deusser who takes the start but, Daniel Deusser, riding for Stephex. Indirectly this will market the sector and the sport. -- currently we are renewing the equteam to an international team ... soon more about the release.
