INTRODUCING THE 2023 GCL TEAM - Paris Panthers

The Global Champions League (GCL) is a team competition in show jumping, which takes place over several legs throughout the year at different locations around the world. Here's how it works:

Teams: Each team consists of two to five riders (and once again every team will field a U25 rider as part of GCL’s commitment to the development of talented youth at the top level of show jumping) who represent a particular city or region. There are usually around 16 teams that compete in each leg of the competition.

Format: The competition is held over two rounds, with each rider jumping one round. The team's overall score is the total of the best three scores from the two rounds.

Scoring: Points are awarded for each placing in the round, with the winner getting 30 points, second place getting 28 points, and so on down to 1 point for 30th place. The team with the most points at the end of the competition is the winner.

Prize Money: The prize money is shared between the riders on the winning team. In addition, each rider earns points towards the individual rankings of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT).

Final: At the end of the season, the top 16 teams in the overall standings qualify for the Global Champions League Super Cup, which is a two-round final held at the end of the season. The winning team is crowned the Global Champions League Champion - This year team spirit, team tactics and the strongest combinations are what’s needed to win. Only the top teams will survive the ultimate showdown in the GCL Super Cup at the season-closing GC Prague Playoffs where a stunning €10 million will be up for grabs in just one weekend this November.

Team Paris Panthers

Paris Panthers, owned by Jennifer Gates, finished 5th in the overall GCL Championship last year, and are fired up for a podium glory in the 2023 Championship race and the GCL Super Cup. 

Returning to the fold are Gregory Wathelet, Harrie Smolders, Ioli Mytilineou and multi-individual Championship winning rider Ben Maher. This year they are joined by the ultra consistent Jur Vrieling and eye catching young talent Nataline Dean [U25].

Ben Maher Competing for: United Kingdom Age: 40

Ben first joined the GCL team competition in 2016, when he rode for the Shanghai Swans for one season before joining the London Knights in 2017. Ben was a key member of the team, contributing to consecutive Championship titles for London Knights. 

In 2022, the Olympic Champion moved to Paris Panthers, alongside a host of star names. For 2023 the Panthers are sure to be the ones to watch this season as the Olympic champion joins the line up again.

Harrie Smolders Competing for: Netherlands Age: 42

Harrie Smolders began riding ponies when he was 8 years old in the small village of Lage-Mierde in The Netherlands. At a very young age, he won several national titles in jumping, as well as in dressage and eventing. In 2002, Harrie began working with Axel Verlooy, and has since worked to build an international sporting career, competing in several European and World Championships, Olympic Games, and World Cup Finals. He was the runaway winner of last season’s Longines Global Champions Tour, taking the series title before the final competition even began. In 2021 Smolders, earned individual silver at the Longines FEI European Championships (Sweden) and topped major classes like the FEI World Cup Qualifier of Mechelen (Belgium) and the LGCT Grand Prix of Chantilly (France). 

For more than ten years, Harrie has been ranked among the top 25 riders in the world. He remains with Paris Panthers for the 2023 season, joining a stellar lineup of world-leading riders in this exciting new season.

Jur Vrieling Competing for: Netherlands Age: 53

Jur joined the GCL circuit as part of the Prague Lions team in 2021, Hamburg Giants for 2022, and in 2023 Jur joins a host of established and fresh talent in the ultra-competitive line-up for Paris Panthers for the year ahead. 

Natalie Dean Competing for: United States of America  Age: 24

Ioli Mytilneou Competing for: Greece Age: 24

Ioli Mytilineou was born into an equestrian family - her mother Hannah Mytilineou represented Greece in equestrian jumping at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Despite her young age, she is becoming a firm fixture at the top of the international show jumping circuit, representing Greece at the World Equestrian Games in 2022, and appearances in 5* Grand Prix, World Cups, and European Championships. She heads to the LGCT 2023 season with a strong string of horses

Gregory Wathelet Competing for Belgium: Age: 42

Gregory is one of the top show jumping riders in Belgium and has held positions among the world’s top 30 for over a decade. Gregory competes all over the world throughout the year. He participated in the World Championship in 2006, the Olympic Games in London in 2012, the World Equestrian Games in Caen in 2014, and the European Championship in 2007, 2011 and 2015. Gregory’s most memorable show jumping moments include finishing 4th with his team at the 2006 World Championships in Aachen, and winning the LGCT Grand Prix in Cannes in 2007. In a career full of fantastic horses, he rates Lantinus and Cortes as the finest. 

For 2023, Gregory remains with Paris Panthers, the ever-competitive team who placed fourth in the overall season standings in 2022. Gregory is joined again by some familiar faces on the team - Harrie Smolders and Olympic Champion Ben Maher and U25 Greek talent Ioli Mytilineou.