@Tomas Holcbecher
How do you bring the character of a UNESCO World Heritage site into a show jumping course? With great attention to detail – and an extraordinary idea.
For the Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna 2026 | Schönbrunn Palace, a new obstacle has been created, unmistakably inspired by the famous palace facade. The imposing wall will be part of the show jumping course in the Heldenhof starting in September and will present riders and horses with a very special challenge.
The obstacle was developed by Benno Hinteregger, who combined his many years of experience in equestrian sports with the unique architecture of Schönbrunn Palace. Around 460 man-hours were invested in the planning and implementation of this impressive obstacle. The result is a one-of-a-kind creation that will not only be a sporting challenge but will also be among the visual highlights of the event.
The new „Schönbrunn Wall“ in Graz is being presented as part of a photoshoot. Also present is the reigning national dressage champion Timna Zach. The Styrian rider is already setting her sights on the Austrian National Dressage Championships at the beginning of September in Fernitz. The championship is an important step for her on the way to the big season highlight at the end of September – the Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna | Schönbrunn Palace.
„Riding in front of Schönbrunn Palace would be an absolute dream,“ Zach recently said in an interview. For the first time, the Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna 2026 will host an international dressage competition alongside international show jumping, thus uniting both Olympic equestrian disciplines in one location. In dressage, only the ten best riders in the world will compete – a field that guarantees the highest level of international sport.
While Timna Zach dreams of dancing in the arena against the impressive castle backdrop, show jumpers will in future jump over an obstacle modeled after the most impressive landmark of the Global Champions Tour.
Meanwhile, the „Schönbrunn Wall“ has also had its international premiere. The new obstacle was presented for the first time at an international tournament as part of the Nations Cup in Šamorín. The weekend was extremely successful for the Austrian team: with a second-place finish, the red-white-red show jumpers had a strong dress rehearsal for the upcoming World Championships in Aachen. Katharina Rhomberg, the reigning Austrian national champion in show jumping, provided the crowning finale by winning the Grand Prix on Sunday with her horse Colestus Cambridge.
This way, Schönbrunn Palace will not only become a unique stage for international equestrian sports – but will itself become part of the course for the first time.
Copyright: © Benno Hinteregger