Doha, Qatar: The prestigious Longines Global Champions Tour 2025 and Global Champions League launched on Wednesday at Al Shaqab, bringing four days of elite show jumping competition to the renowned Longines outdoor and indoor arenas.
Featuring 271 riders from 35 countries and 411 horses, the event boasts a prize pool exceeding €1.1 million.
The opening day saw six intense rounds, including four-star and three-star competitions with jump heights reaching 145 cm, alongside junior and future rider categories.
In the three-star 135 cm event, Spain’s Mariano Martinez Bastida topped the podium aboard Quark with a time of 32.64 seconds, followed by Qatar’s Ibrahim Yousef Al Mahmoud (33.19s on Cataro) and Sultan Salem Al Nuaimi (33.77s on Sethes). Mr. Abdulrahman Al Kaabi, a member of the organizing committee, crowned the winners.
The 145 cm counterclockwise round saw South African Oliver Lazarus clinch victory with 58.53s on Butterfly, edging out Kuwait’s Ali Al Kharafi (58.9s on Karat) and Spain’s Mariano Martinez Bastida (58.91s on Bellano). The winners were honored by Eng. Nasser Al-Hajri, the tournament’s sports director.
In the 1.2m star competition, Kuwaiti Hussein Al-Kharafi secured first place with 62.09s on Miss Blue, ahead of Saudi Khalid Al-Hadi (62.69s on Doremi) and Qatar’s Hussein Ali Al-Kaabi (63.39s on Conteta). Mr. Omar Al-Bouainain, the tournament’s deputy director, presented the awards.
The 1.1m category saw Yaqoub Nasser Al-Mas claim victory with 29.16s on Aphrodite, followed by Kuwaiti Misak Al-Marshood (29.98s on Eddy) and Saudi Abdullah Al-Farai (30.03s on Hascal). Mr. Hamza Al Kuwari, a tournament official, crowned the winners.
In the 1.2m junior riders’ competition, Qatari Abdullah Khalid Al Jalandani triumphed with 24.66s on Archie, ahead of Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani (25.08s on Cattleya) and Ahmed Jassim Al Suwaidi (25.34s on Mona Lancia). Dr. Buthaina Al Janahi, Senior Manager of Media and Communications at Visit Qatar, presented the trophies.
The Future Knights competition featured a battle for precision, with Khalifa Abdullah Al Sulaiti winning by a margin of 0.44 seconds from the ideal time, followed by Ahmed Fahad Hamad Al Thani (0.6s) and Salman Faisal Al Marri (0.71s).
With top-tier riders and fierce competition, the excitement at Al Shaqab is set to continue in the coming days as the world’s best battle for championship glory.
