{"id":1222,"date":"2025-09-26T19:09:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T17:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lgct-vienna.com\/?p=1222"},"modified":"2026-07-01T14:07:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T12:07:56","slug":"longines-global-champions-tour-vienna-successful-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lgct-vienna.com\/en\/2025\/09\/26\/longines-global-champions-tour-vienna-erfolgreicher-auftakt\/","title":{"rendered":"Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna: Successful Start\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Klaus<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Vienna as a new fixture on the global tournament calendar<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Vienna, September 26, 2025.<\/em> The Tour's return to the city is no coincidence, as Sonja Klima<\/strong>, initiator and co-organizer of LGCT Vienna, emphasizes: \u201eWith this event, we not only want to set new standards in sports, but also send a signal: Vienna has a special appeal as a venue for international equestrian sports. The interplay of top performance, hospitality, and culture makes this location unique.<\/em>\u201cAlso Fred van Liero<\/strong>p, Managing Director of the Longines Global Champions Tour, and Jan Tops<\/strong>, founder and president of the Longines Global Champions Tour, see enormous potential in Vienna and agree: \u201eThe tour stands for excellence, emotion, and innovation \u2013 and that's exactly what we find here in Vienna. The backdrop of Sch\u00f6nbrunn Palace offers a unique setting for an unforgettable equestrian experience \u2013 for the riders as well as for the spectators.\u201c <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zwei Series, one concept: LGCT and GCL<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Together, the LGCT and GCL form one of the most spectacular series of competitions in modern show jumping. The LGCT is the prestigious individual ranking: In 16 events on four continents, the world's best riders compete in Grand Prix competitions with obstacles up to 1.60 m high for ranking points and prize money. Anyone who wins a Grand Prix automatically qualifies for the Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs, the grand finale of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parallel to the LGCT, the Global Champions League (GCL)<\/strong> \u2013 A team competition with 17 international teams, consisting of experienced professionals and at least one U25 talent per team. This also involves points for the year-end standings and qualification for the GCL Super Cup<\/strong> in Prague. Both series take place at the same time and location for every event \u2013 so the same riders can compete in both individual and team classifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A weekend full of highlights \u2013 Sports & Culture for the whole family<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Over the three tournament days, guests can look forward to a varied program. In addition to the highly endowed competitions at the 5* level, the event offers an environment that combines equestrian sports with lifestyle, entertainment, and international flair. The location \u2013 one of Vienna's most historic sites \u2013 ensures an unparalleled atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Magic of Horses for the Whole Family<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The Longines Global Champions Tour in Vienna impresses not only equestrian sports fans but the whole family: In Kids Corner<\/strong> The youngest visitors can expect ponies and magic shows. Magic World Vienna<\/strong>, Face painting, craft activities, a spinning wheel, and a meet & greet with the national Working Equitation team. A highlight is the lead rein class for young riders: Working Equitation Austria<\/strong> with four ponies \u2013 including the rescue pony \u201eBalu\u201c and the therapy ponies \u201eDaisy,\u201c \u201eMaya,\u201c and \u201ePhoebe\u201c from the association Alisequus<\/strong>, accompanied by the mascot \u201ePauli.\u201c Accompanying them are the Children's and Youth Medical Center Malacht<\/strong> as well as the Children's hospice Lichtblickhof<\/strong> your work with therapy horses. \u201eHorses fascinate young and old alike \u2013 they foster a sense of responsibility, empathy, and bring joy. Children in particular benefit from interacting with them, and therapy horses make an invaluable contribution to society,\u201c says initiator and co-organizer Sonja Klima<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artistic staging of the theme \u201eHorse\u201c<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Artistically, too, guests at the event are to be surprised. Andj\u00e9 Pietrzyk, an Austrian artist of Polish origin, will be exhibiting extraordinary gilt bronze works in horse form. Out of love for horses, the sculptor transforms unrestrained archaism into graceful beauty, presenting \u2013 in addition to the gilt horse figures \u2013 an oversized horse sculpture at the entrance to the event center, which welcomes visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a good cause \u2013 LGCT Vienna partners with Ronald McDonald Children's Charity<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the tournament weekend, donations will be collected for Ronald McDonald Children's Aid<\/strong> collected. The organization provides \u201etemporary homes\u201c close to the hospital for families with seriously ill children, allowing parents and children to stay together during this difficult time. With an accompanying fundraising campaign at the tournament, visitors can directly support the valuable work of the children's aid organization and thus contribute to families finding strength together in challenging moments.\u201eIt is our heartfelt concern to make the Longines Global Champions Tour in Vienna not only a sporting highlight but also an expression of responsibility and community. Therefore, together with our guests, we support the Ronald McDonald Children's Charity, which offers families closeness, security, and trust during a time of concern \u2013 values that are also of great importance in equestrian sport.<\/em>\u201c,\u201d so Sonja Klima<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start of LGCT 2026 presale<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

More than 3,000 guests are expected daily to experience top-class equestrian sport against the impressive backdrop of Sch\u00f6nbrunn Palace. And they can already look forward to next year's event: tickets for the Longines Global Champions Tour 2026, which will take place from September 25 to 27, 2026, on the Ehrenhof of Sch\u00f6nbrunn Palace, will be available starting September 26, 2025 \u2013 as day tickets or for all three days \u2013 in different categories at oeticket<\/a> available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Download press release as PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From September 26 to 28, 2025, Vienna will become the center of international equestrian sports. The field of participants is strongly represented at the premiere: 15 of the current top-30 riders will compete in Vienna. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":263812421,"featured_media":1231,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"Wien als neuer Fixpunkt im globalen Turnierkalender.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna: Erfolgreicher Auftakt","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2714],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lgct-presseaussendung","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":null,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgrgpn-jI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7,"url":"https:\/\/lgct-vienna.com\/en\/2025\/04\/14\/lgct-kehrt-nach-wien-zurueck\/","url_meta":{"origin":1222,"position":0},"title":"Longines Global Champions Tour returns to Vienna","author":"LGCT Vienna","date":"14. 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