The same regulations, but many new features at the first stage of the Longines Global Champions Tour and the Global Champions League in Doha (Qatar): 17 teams, including two all-women's teams, will determine their champion - or, as last year with the Iron Dames Cannes Stars, their champions - at 15 stages worldwide over the coming months until the end of October. 

There was a fresh breeze in the ultra-modern Al Shaqab riding arena. The riders and their horses also had to “dress warmly” in order to complete the difficult course designed by German course designer Peter Schumacher, which was praised by everyone, in line with their own expectations. Of course, there was still some nervousness at the start of the Global Champions League season, as there were a few rider and horse changes among the teams, as there are every year. The start of the series was also about finding out whether the chemistry between the two- and four-legged athletes was right. 
Round one: Debutant Emanuele Camilli started for Team Riesenbeck International with his 13-year-old mare Chacco's Girlstar. The Italian galloped fast and focused, a pole fell twice after a slight mistake - and the disappointed rider left the stadium. Now it was up to Philipp Weishaupt with his 15-year-old, experienced and always reliable Coby. Both delivered a beautiful and harmonious ride, clear and fast. 

In the second and deciding round, the Riesenbeck riders had to enter the course early again as the 13th placed pair. This time with the third team rider Christian Kukuk on the ten-year-old son of Chacco Blue, Chageorge, and Emanuele Camilli, who was now saddling his eleven-year-old gelding by Diamant de Semilly, Odense Odevelt. Both pairs had one knockdown, so the chance to improve the result was lost. 

The favorites to win were five teams without faults from round one, including the two Iron Dames duos Cannes Stars (with the German riders Sophie Hinners and Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann) and Monaco Comets.  In this decisive round, too, the course designer gave nothing away to his participants and created a real Grand Prix. Clear rounds had to be earned through riding skill.  Last year's winners from Cannes Stars made a time fault - and had to tremble until the end as a result.  Their colleagues from Monaco Comets took a knockdown by Jeanne Sadran with them to the finish. The Prague Lions also made a mistake through Pieter Devos in the triple combination. The new Basel Cosmopolitains team dropped out of the podium places due to two knockdowns. The last team of the first leg, the Skandinavian Vikings, had victory in their hands. But newcomer Deidre Reilly had no luck and had to deal with two knockdowns plus two time faults.
The Iron Dames of the Cannes Stars thus defended their victory, ahead of the Prague Lions and the second women's team, the Monaco Comets.


Team manager Ludger Beerbaum commented after the rides: “Not a dream start, but we are still in good spirits, horses and riders have done a good job and the next leg in Mexico can come!”

Results under: 
https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2025/longines-global-champions-tour-of-doha-doha/#area2
further information: 
https://www.gcglobalchampions.com/