#ThrowbackThursday: Memories of LGCT Mexico City 2022
A striking contrast greeting the world-class equestrian competitors as they journey from the sun-soaked shores of Miami Beach to the vibrant heart of Mexico City for the third leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour.
Since the events were paired up in 2016, they have showcased the incredible adaptability and skill of both horses and riders, as they navigate the dramatic shift from a compact beachside arena to Mexico City's expansive field. Although these back-to-back competitions have back-to-back spots on the calendar, they present unique challenges, often revealing different horses rising to the occasion at each venue.
As usual, 35 combinations qualified for the 2022 edition of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Mexico City which had an Elo field strength of 698, obtained by calculating the average Elo-ratings of the Top 25 highest-rated horses.
After producing a disappointing LGCT Grand Prix result in Miami Beach the prior weekend, incurring 12 faults in that tricky arena, Ludger Beerbaum and Mila (then 727) travelled to Mexico City on a slight downer. However, the spacious field of Mexico City seemed to suit Mila much more. At just 10-year-old the grey mare won her very first LGCT Grand Prix in Mexico City, beating class favourites Killer Queen VDM (then 757), Con Quidam RB (then 744) and H&M Legend of Love (then 738).There was just 0.08 seconds separating the three combinations that finished on the podium. Barely 0.05 seconds kept Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights (then 685) from victory, still 0.03 seconds ahead of his teammate Michael Duffy and Zilton SL (then 719).
Despite Miami Beach and Mexico City being two completely contrasting arenas, two horses managed to thrive in the LGCT Grand Prix at both events. Gilles Thomas’s Luna van het Dennehof (then 717) and Ben Maher’s Faltic HB (then 731) reached the jump-off in both LGCT Grand Prix in Miami and Mexico in 2022 demonstrating their quality to adapt to different circumstances.
Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing last year’s podium finishers in Mexico this year, nor will we see Luna vh Dennehof or Faltic HB. There will therefore be a new winner and perhaps we will see new combinations demonstrating adaptability which could prove useful ahead of the European Championships later this year. Stay tuned for which horses and riders to watch this weekend!