A total of 83 horses were divided onto the two planes, flying in from Liege Airport to arrive in the cool hours of early morning. The horses fly the equestrian equivalent of ‘Business Class’ and are given extra space on the flight. The Qatar Airways plane is carefully piloted to ensure the smoothest of riders for the travelling athletes, with experienced grooms on hand throughout the flight to cater for the horses’ every need. Once landed, a slick operation is in place, with the horses loaded into spacious air conditioned trucks to travel from the airport to the venue, and are escorted to AL SHAQAB where they are given a final check over by the supervising vets before settling into their air-conditioned stables.
As can be expected for the final round of action on the Longines Global Champions Tour, top Olympic and Championship contenders will be competing on their best horses this weekend. LGCT Ranking leader Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE) will team up with his formidable stallion Casall ASK, as well as compete his second horse Clarimo ASK during events this weekend. Rival to the crown, Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) will compete with her top mare, Lintea Tequila, the horse with whom she rode at the Olympics and also secured the LGCT Miami Beach win earlier this year.
Third place man and former long-time LGCT Ranking leader Christian Ahlmann (GER) brings top stallion Taloubet Z, as well as the eye-catching grey Caribis Z, and will be looking to cement his third place in the overall rankings. Nearest competitor Bertram Allen (IRL) has with him experienced stallion Romanov, as well as rising star Hector van d’Abdijoeve.
Other Olympic show jumping stars in action this weekend will be home hero, Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani’s (QAT) First Division, as well as Imperio Egipcio Milton. Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) will compete with H&M Zilverstar T, and Luger Beerabum (GER) will rider Chiara 222 and Casello. Meredith Michaels Beerbaum (GER) will rider Olympic horse, the impressive grey Fibonacci, and Harrie Smolders (NED) will bring both Emerald NOP and Grand Prix winning Don VHP Z, both of whom are his top stallions. Compatriot and Olympic teammate Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) will ride both top horses VDL Groep Quatro and VDL Groep Arera C. John Whitaker (GBR) will ride his Olympic mount Ornellaia, as well as compete with top stallion, the mighty Argento, and two time Grand Prix winner Marcus Ehning (GER) will ride Funky Fred and Cordynox.
Further big names include Scott Brash’s (GBR) Grand Prix winning Hello Forever, as well as top mare Hello M’Lady, Laura Kraut (USA) will compete with Cavalia and Zeremonie and Roger-Yves Bost (FRA) will ride his Mexican Grand Prix winning horse Qoud’coeur De La Loge. Daniel Deusser (GER) will compete with two podium winning horses, First Class van Eeckelghem and also Happiness van T Paradijs, and Lauren Hough will compete with Waterford and Cornet 39.