Five Show Jumpers to Watch at Longines Global Champions Tour Cairo

Ben Maher began riding at the age of eight and progressed through Britain's pony, junior and young rider teams before establishing himself at senior level. He became the first British show jumper to reach world number one in the FEI rankings in 2013, and has since built a career competing at the sport's biggest international events. He is also known for his partnerships with top horses, most notably Explosion W, with whom he won individual Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Key Achievements:

-Individual Olympic gold, Tokyo 2020.

-Team Olympic gold, London 2012 and Paris 2024.

-Longines Global Champions Tour overall champion in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

-Helped Great Britain win the 2025 Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona.

Christian Kukuk is a German show jumper whose rise to the top of the sport has been marked by strong performances at the highest level of international competition. A regular on the elite European circuit, Kukuk has built a reputation for producing under pressure in major events. His success has also brought him into the spotlight as part of a new generation of German riders carrying the country's long show jumping tradition forward.

Key Achievements:

-Individual Olympic gold, Paris 2024.

-Winner of the 2024 FEI Best Athlete Award.

-Helped Germany win the inaugural Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona in 2024.

-Runner-up in the 2024 LGCT overall championship.

Edwina Tops-Alexander has been a fixture of international show jumping for more than two decades, becoming one of Australia's most successful equestrian athletes. She was among the early stars of the Longines Global Champions Tour and beyond her individual achievements, she has helped raise the profile of Australian show jumping globally, representing her country at multiple Olympic Games while continuing to compete against successive generations of leading riders.

Key Achievements:

-Two-time LGCT overall champion, 2011 and 2012.

-Winner of the inaugural LGCT Super Grand Prix in Prague in 2018.

-First rider to surpass €1 million in prize money on the LGCT.

-Represented Australia at multiple Olympic Games.

Max Kühner was born in Munich and initially competed for Germany before switching to Austria in 2015. He has since become Austria’s leading show jumper, representing the country at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as well as multiple European Championships. Kühner has built a string of top-level horses, including Elektric Blue P, with whom he won the 2021 FEI World Cup Final in Leipzig, establishing himself as a regular contender in the biggest competitions.

Key Achievements:

-2024 Longines Global Champions Tour overall champion.

-Winner of major international five-star Grand Prix competitions.

-Multiple LGCT Grand Prix victories and podium finishes.

Cian O’Connor has been a leading figure in Irish show jumping for more than two decades, competing on the international circuit while also developing horses and riders. He is the founder of Karlswood, a high-performance equestrian facility that specialises in training riders and producing horses for the top levels of the sport. Through it, O’Connor has built a reputation not only as a competitor but also as a mentor and horse developer for Ireland's next generation of show jumpers.

Key Achievements:

-Individual Olympic bronze, London 2012.

-Team gold and individual bronze at the 2017 European Championships.

-Team bronze at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

-Four victories in the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show

-Helped Ireland qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic team jumping.