© Petra Kerschbaum
Vienna, August 31, 2026 – From September 24 to 27, the Ehrenhof of Schönbrunn Palace will become the venue for top-tier international equestrian sports. Like hardly any other tournament, the Vienna leg stands for the combination of world-class sport and Austrian tradition. The Spanish Riding School will kick things off on Thursday.
17 destinations, some of the most spectacular backdrops in the world: The Longines Global Champions Tour stops in Shanghai, Cairo in front of the pyramids, Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower, London in the heart of the British metropolis, and Monaco in front of the famous harbor scenery, among others. Vienna sets a very distinct, unmistakable tone with Schönbrunn Palace.
From September 24 to 27, the international show jumping series will be a guest in the Ehrenhof of the UNESCO World Heritage site—a place that brings together much of what Vienna has been internationally known for centuries: history, culture, imperial heritage, and living tradition.
This is already evident on the first day of the event. The Spanish Riding School opens the four-day tournament with its riders and the magnificent Lipizzers. Where the Habsburgs resided in the summer for centuries, one of Austria's most significant cultural traditions thus meets contemporary international show jumping. A little later, the same venue belongs to the best show jumpers and horses in the world.
„Vienna presents itself as Vienna“
The Spanish Riding School is the oldest riding school in the world. For over 460 years, it has been one of the country's most famous cultural institutions and stands worldwide for classical horsemanship. Its performance in Schönbrunn gives the start of the Vienna tour stop an unmistakably Austrian touch. No other stop on the tour takes place against the historical backdrop of a former imperial summer residence, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The association with the Spanish Riding School further underscores this special character.
„Vienna is associated worldwide with culture, history, and tradition. Exactly this is also to be made visible at the Longines Global Champions Tour: The Spanish Riding School stands for this tradition like hardly any other institution. We are particularly pleased that the Lipizzans bred in Piber are part of the tournament. In Schönbrunn, international top-level sport and a piece of Austrian cultural history thus meet directly, says Sonja Klima, co-organizer of the Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna | Schloss Schönbrunn.
A bridge between equestrian tradition and high-performance sport
„We are thrilled to be part of the Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna this year. For us, it is something very special to present the classical art of equitation of the Spanish Riding School in this top-tier international sports environment, thereby building a bridge between centuries-old tradition and modern athletic excellence.“, says Alexandra Kaszay, Managing Director of the Spanish Riding School and the Piber Lipizzaner Stud.
After the grand opening, top-tier sport takes center stage. For four days, Olympic champions, world champions, and other top international riders will compete compete for important points towards the overall standings in the classes of the Longines Global Champions Tour and the Longines Global Champions League. In addition, an international 4* dressage tournament will be held in Vienna for the first time in 2026. With Isabell Werth, one of the most successful dressage riders in the world will compete in the Ehrenhof of Schönbrunn Palace.
Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna | Schönbrunn Palace
September 24-27, 2026
www.lgct-vienna.com
For enquiries, please contact:
Julia Kent +43 664 246 90 55 | julia@komma4.at
Image index
Image 1 and Image 2: Lipizzaner horses in front of Schönbrunn
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