Longines Global Champions Tour Riesenbeck

A World-Class Show Jumping Event in Münsterland

The Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) is the world's most prestigious show jumping series, comparable to Formula 1 in motorsport. 15 to 17 legs per season in metropolises like London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, New York, Doha, and Shanghai – and for several years now, also Riesenbeck, a small community in the Steinfurt district of Münsterland. In 2026, Riesenbeck is the only German stop on the calendar.

2026 Date: July 16–19

The 2026 LGCT leg runs from Thursday, July 16, to Sunday, July 19, 2026. Additional CSI3* competitions will take place concurrently from July 15 to 19. The event thus offers five days of top-level equestrian sport.

Riesenbeck International – The Beerbaum Legacy

The venue is Riesenbeck International, an equestrian estate owned by the family of Ludger Beerbaum – one of the most successful show jumpers of all time (four-time Olympic champion). The grounds at Surenburg, a historic moated castle in the Riesenbeck district of Hörstel, are among the most modern equestrian facilities in Europe:

• Immaculate grass arena as the main stadium
• Sand arena for warm-ups and CSI3* competitions
• Stables for several hundred horses
• VIP lounges, grandstands, restaurants, sponsor areas

Jan Tops, founder and president of the GCT, sums up the ambition: “Only the best for the best.”

2026 Programme Highlights

Four days with a clearly structured programme:

• Thursday, July 16: CSI5* opening competitions, CSI3* programme
• Friday, July 17: CSI5* competitions, GCL Teams preliminary round
• Saturday, July 18: GCL Teams (Global Champions League team competition)
• Sunday, July 19: Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix (1.60 m, main prize), German U25 Championship final

The Competitors – World Elite

The LGCT regularly brings the world's best show jumpers to Riesenbeck:

• Steve Guerdat (Switzerland) – 2012 Olympic Champion
• Kent Farrington (USA) – former World No. 1
• Daniel Deusser (Germany) – World Cup winner
• Jana Wargers (Germany) – top rider of the young generation
• Ben Maher (UK) – 2020 Olympic Champion
• Christian Ahlmann (Germany) – Riesenbeck regular
• Ludger Beerbaum himself at his home event

Global Champions League

Running parallel to the LGCT is the Global Champions League (GCL) – the team format featuring teams like London Knights, Riesenbeck International, Berlin Eagles, and Madrid in Motion. Four-rider teams compete for the team championship. Saturday in Riesenbeck is traditionally GCL day, attracting significant spectator interest.

Riesenbeck and the Münsterland Region

Riesenbeck is a district of the municipality of Hörstel in the Steinfurt district – a rural area with extensive horse breeding and equestrian facilities. The Münsterland region is one of Europe's most horse-dense areas, and Riesenbeck has been a top address for decades. Ludger Beerbaum decided to build his new equestrian estate here in 2003 – now one of the best facilities in the world.