A RECORD number of 13 Irish show jumpers will line out for the 2022 Global Champions League competition.

Now in its sixth year, the league offers unprecedented overall prize money of €25 million and is held over 19 locations across the global. The first leg takes place in Doha, Qatar from March 3rd to 5th.

Three Irish riders – Anthony Condon, Adam Morgan and Eoin McMahon – have joined the series for the first time. Condon joins the Miami Celtics teams which sees four of the six team members representing Ireland. Michael Duffy has returned to the team after a two-year break, while Bertram Allen has moved from Valkenwaard United and Michael G Duffy from Madrid in Motion.

Co Down’s Adam Morgan has joined Mikey Pender on the St Tropez Pirates team, while Eoin McMahon starts in the competition for the first time for the Berlin Eages.

Shane Breen is part of the newly formed Rome Gladiators, one of three new teams this season, transferring from New York Empire, where Denis Lynch remains for another season. Mark McAuley remains with Madrid in Motion, Darragh Kenny with Paris Panthers, and the duo of Cian O’Connor and Max Wachman with Cannes Stars.

The 2022 season see the highest ever number of female riders in the line-up, including the big names like Laura Kraut, Malin Baryard-Johnsson, Edwina Tops-Alexander and Jessica Springsteen.

Last season, Valkenswaard United won the overall league and over €2.2 million in prize money, while it was the London Knights team who won the €3.5 million Super Cup Final at the Prague Playoffs in November.

Earnings so far

Meanwhile, the highest earning Irish rider so far in 2022 is Tipperary native Shane Breen who has scoped €99,356 in the first six weeks of the year.

His top mount, Z7 Ipswich, earned him the majority of that (€63,041), thanks to a five-star Grand Prix win and being part of the five-star winning Irish Nations Cup team in Abu Dhabi.

Conor Swail is just behind him, earning €79,090 in the first few weeks of the year; and a four-star Grand Prix win in Wellington sees Andrew Bourns in third with earnings of €66,650 - some €64,150 of that coming from the Grand Prix victory with the Irish Sport Horse Sea Topblue.