THE GCL EXPLAINED – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON!
2023 is set to be an exciting season, once again in 16 spectacular locations around the world.
From the Eiffel Tower in Paris, to the majestic Middle Eastern nights in Riyadh, fans, spectators and athletes will be treated to the exceptional hospitality and sporting prowess that has become the norm with Global Champions.
During the winter break, team owners and managers fine-tuned their strategies to kick off the 2023 season, which promises to be very competitive with the GCL teams preparing to fight for the title. the coming year, which will be announced in the coming weeks.
This year sees a change to the GCL series with the introduction of a new weekend format, designed to benefit both horse, rider and team strategy.
The biggest change is that the first and second rounds of the team GCL will take place on the same day and not over two days like before.
A BRIEF GUIDE TO SCM
Launched in 2016, the GCL brings together the best horse-rider combinations from around the world, of different nationalities, who ride on the same teams, rather than being decided by country. Additionally, each team must feature a U25 rider, providing today's young talent, and tomorrow's future world champions, a launching pad of opportunities to ride, strategize and build camaraderie among their idols and the best in the business.
At each stage of the circuit, each team will participate in two roundses, with the combined scores from the first round being taken into account for the second round, in true championship style. The simple format, without negative scores, allows new audiences in each city to follow the team competition.
In the first round of the GCL, riders will face a CSI 5* 1.55m test, and team leaders will develop their best approach for an intense day of competition.
A break between the first and second rounds could result in strategic changes by the team leaders, who may change horses and/or riders between the two rounds, resulting in a highly competitive second round.
The second round of the GCL takes place directly after the first, in a CSI 5* 1.60m event. During this second round, the teams will be represented by two riders from their team. Scores and points earned at the end of the competition will count toward the team's overall score and series standings.
As the series progresses throughout the year, teams earn points towards the overall total and standings for the series, which concludes at the final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The teams ranked in the top four at the conclusion of the final will be granted an early berth into the GC Prague Playoffs for the GCL Super Cup Semi Finals, the ultimate final showdown.
