Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander is in poll position to take out the world’s richest equestrian contest this weekend.

Jumping’s elite have alighted on Abu Dhabi where they will contest the final leg of the 2011 Global Champions Tour (GCT), to be held on Saturday 26 November.
Now in it’s sixth year, the 2011 Global Champions Tour is comprised of 10 events in 9 countries, all held at the highest level of CSI5*.

Australia’s ‘first lady’ of jumping, Tops-Alexander, leads the point-score going into Saturday’s contest.  After the 9 competitions in the tour so far this year her margin is so significant that only one other rider, Ludger Beerbaum (GER), can challenge her for the win.

Following wins in Cannes and Chantilly and high placings in Valkenswaard (4th), Rio de Janeiro (3rd) and Monaco (7th), Tops-Alexander sits on 238 ranking points with Beerbaum on 218.50 points. A win by any other rider in the field cannot challenge Tops-Alexander or Beerbaum.
 
34-year-old Tops-Alexander, who always remains cool under pressure, explains her approach to the competition. “Of course I feel a little pressure but I'm very far ahead with the points so it all depends on what Ludger and I do. It is not over yet and I am just trying to focus on the competition alone. One step at a time.”

Beerbaum, 48, is confident that he has the experience to take the title. “There is no extra pressure! I am in second place, and I can reach the first place in Abu Dhabi. I presume every participant has got the same supposition in the ring. So I will give my very best and accept the result. I have got more than 30 years experience to handle the mental case.”

The remaining 44 riders in the field are hopeful to finish well in this week’s competition and to climb as high as they can inside the top 18 on the overall Global Champions Tour point-score in order to share in the additional 1 million Euros on offer.

Already the highest earner of the 2011 tour (winning €486,326 to date) securing the series victory would earn Tops-Alexander a further €300,000, however, perhaps of more significance in light of next year’s Olympic Games, it marks her as a red hot favourite for a podium finish in London.

“It would mean a lot to win (the Global Champions Tour) because it's a fair competition,” explains Sydney-born Tops-Alexander. “It is run similar to the F1 and its really about consistency which I think is the best way to prove a champion.”

Tops-Alexander will ride her most accomplished mount, the pocket-rocket Cevo Itot du Chateau.  Standing at just 15.2hh the incredible French-bred gelding is by far the smallest horse in the field but makes up for his small stature with impressive breeding (his sire is Le Tot de Semily, and on the dam side the sire is Galloubet A) and a long list of top performances including wins at the GCT in Cannes and Chantilly this year.

“So far he feels great. He loves the warm weather,” said Tops-Alexander of her chestnut gelding. “He is fresh which is a good sign.”

Beerbaum is set to ride 12-year-old Chaman, who also boasts impressive bloodlines being sired by Baloubet Du Rouet. Beerbaum has been riding Chaman since April 2010 with impressive results including a win at the CSIO5* in Aachen and Wiesbaden CSI4*and finishing 3rd at Estoril GCT.

The first round of the Grand Prix will be live streamed by www.globalchampionstour.com.
Eurosport will broadcast the first and final rounds. 
Round 1 Sat 26 Nov at 15.45 (CET)         - Sunday 26 Nov 1:45am (EDT) (Sydney time)
Round 2 & Jump-off Sat 26 Nov at 22:15 (CET)    - Sunday 26 Nov 8:15am (EDT) (Sydney time)
Event information can be found at www.globalchampionstour.com

Standings in the Global Champions Tour point-score after 9 events

1   
Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS)
238.00
2   
Ludger Beerbaum (GER)
218.50
3   
Alvaro de Miranda (BRA)
194.00
4   
Luciana Diniz (POR)
192.00
5   
Denis Lynch (IRE)
178.00