Valkenswaard is preparing for a significant day in the 2026 team show-jumping season, with GCL action returning to the sport’s Dutch heartland on Friday, 4 September. The meeting will form part of a three-day programme running from 4 to 6 September, with the team competition taking centre stage on the opening day.
GCL Valkenswaard 2026
There is a sense of continuity about the return. Valkenswaard was one of the places where the team league established its identity in its inaugural 2016 season, and the venue has since been associated with several important team victories. Madrid in Motion took the first Valkenswaard title, with Alberto Zorzi and Pedro Veniss delivering the winning performance. Hamburg Diamonds followed in 2017 through Jos Verlooy and Harrie Smolders.
New York Empire added another chapter in 2019, while Berlin Eagles won in 2022 with Ludger Beerbaum and Philipp Weishaupt. Last season, Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team became the latest team to add its name to the Valkenswaard winners’ list, with Fernando Martinez Sommer and Pieter Devos producing the decisive performance.
A decade after the league began, the significance of the venue is difficult to miss. The 2026 championship is moving into an important stretch of its campaign, and the points collected in Valkenswaard could influence the shape of the standings before the later stages of the season.
For the teams, the task will be familiar but unforgiving: combine two riders, produce clear rounds when pressure rises and keep the overall score moving in the right direction. A small mistake can alter the complexion of a team contest, while a strong opening round can give a partnership valuable momentum.
GCL Valkenswaard 2026 will therefore be more than another stop on the calendar.
The official programme lists Friday as GCL Day, followed by CSI5* and CSI2* competition on Saturday and the individual Grand Prix on Sunday. The Valkenswaard meeting is scheduled for 4–6 September at the Home of Show Jumping.
For spectators, the opening day will also offer a closer connection with the team format, with fan activities and hospitality opportunities planned around the competition.
There is no finish order to report yet, with the team contest still to be staged.
The focus, however, will remain on the arena. With the championship entering a decisive part of the year and Valkenswaard carrying a decade of GCL history, Friday’s contest should provide another useful measure of which teams are ready to handle the pressure when the margins become smaller.
GCL Valkenswaard 2026 is set to bring the team championship back to one of its defining venues, with history behind it and valuable points ahead.
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