News
Edwina and Itot make history winning GCT
Nov 25, 2012
Edwina Tops-Alexander and her extraordinary horse Cevo Itot du Chateau made history tonight winning the GCT Championship for the second year in a row in a dramatic series final.
Edwina declared it was all down to her "phenomenal" 16-year-old chestnut "Toty" and revealed she might go for the hat-trick in 2013. She said of Itot: "The last two years of his career have been the best two years, so you never know."
It was a dazzling night of twists and turns and high drama at the highest level of equestrian sport. The race to be 2012 Champion was on a knife edge with the last leg of the season in front of packed grandstands at the Al Forsan arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Edwina (AUS) and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) and his star stallion Casall La Silla were on equal points going into the 12th and final leg with the GCT Gucci Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi. Amazingly both riders had 4 faults at fence number 11 near the end of the course. And they had the same fence down in the early 5* in Abu Dhabi two days ago. And the same happened at the World Cup qualifier earlier this month.
With both riders on 4 faults, and not in the second round, Edwina was declared 2012 Champion making history after achieving the same title last year. She had the advantage over Rolf with a podium win at the start of the season. His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, father of leading UAE rider Sheikh Shakboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, attended the prize giving ceremony. Charlotte Casiraghi and Gucci President and CEO Patrizio di Marco were present with the winners in the Al Forsan arena.
Edwina also made prize money history tonight winning €294,500 bringing her total GCT earnings since 2006 to €2.24 million.
In another dramatic development legendary British rider Michael Whitaker proved he was a maestro as he guided his horse Antello Z to two clear rounds and only 1 time penalty in the final Grand Prix. The performance pushed him up from 7th to 3rd place, overtaking Christian Ahlmann, in the overall championship ranking.
The GCT Gucci Grand Prix marked the end to the biggest and most successful GCT season so far. The world's premier show jumping circuit will be back in 2013 with a stunning championship series packed with top-level sport in some of the world's greatest destinations.
Source: Press release from Global Champions Tour