Lanaken (BEL), September 22, 2006 - The world's best have gathered in Lanaken, the small town at the eastern edge of Belgium, neighbouring the Netherlands and Germany, for the grand finale of the Global Champions Tour.

The sixth and final leg of the inaugural Global Champions Tour, sponsored by CN and CN WorldWide, takes place on Sunday, September 24, with the 150,000 Grand Prix. At the end of the class, the standings will be final, and exactly how the 600,000 Euros in bonus money on offer will be divided between the top eight riders will be known.

One thing is for sure - Ludo Philippaerts will take home the winner's portion of 250,000 Euros and rightly so, considering that he won two of the six legs of the Global Champions Tour, Monte-Carlo (MON) and Estoril (POR). With a total of 111,500 in prize money won to date, Philippaerts cannot be caught, not even by the winner in Lanaken. As the Global Champions Tour exists to recognize excellence and consistency in world-class show jumping, Philippaerts is a worthy champion.

What is not known is which rider will take second position in the Global Champions Tour standings, which carries a 125,000 Euro bonus. Any one of the riders currently ranked second through eighth could move into runner-up spot, with the exception of American Norman Dello Joio, winner of the opening leg Grand Prix in Wellington (USA), who is the only competitor not in Lanaken looking to increase his bonus.

Currently in second place, Austria's Thomas Frühmann has brought the sensational The Sixth Sense in an effort to maintain his current standing. Meanwhile, Dutchman Leopold van Asten is feeling confident with VDL Groep Fleche Rouge, having won the fifth leg of the Tour at Valkenswaard, home to Global Champions Tour founder, Jan Tops. Bulgaria's Samantha McIntosh will ride her 2006 World Equestrian Games (WEG) partner, Loxley, in the hopes of moving up in the standings while another female, Edwina Alexander of Australia, will be looking to continue the top form she showed when advancing all the way to the final four at the WEG riding Isovlas Pialotta. Michel Hecart of France and Belgian favourite Francois Mathy are both in the hunt, and there is even room for the winner of the Lanaken Grand Prix, who will pocket 50,000 Euros in prize money, to move into the top eight.

With seven nations currently represented by the top eight riders in the rankings, the Global Champions Tour has certainly proved to be global in scope. Sunday's Final promises to be extremely exciting as eight riders will ride away significantly richer! Thrilled by the positive reactions and feedbacks from the competitors, the Global Champions Tour is already making plans for 2007.

2006 Global Champions Tour Ranking (Prize Money Won to Fifth Leg at CSI Valkenswaard)

Rank Prize money (€) Rider (Country)
1. 111.500 Ludo Philippaerts (BEL)
2. 57.500 Thomas Frühmann (AUT)
3. 55.000 Leopold van Asten (NED)
4. 50.000 Norman Dello Joio (USA)
5. 40.500 Samantha McIntosh (BUL)
6. 39.000 Edwina Alexander (AUS)
7. 33.000 Michel Hecart (FRA)
8. 31.000 Francois Mathy (BEL)

For more information on the Global Champions Tour, visit www.globalchampionstour.com
For more information on sponsors CN and CN WorldWide, visit www.cn.ca and www.cnworldwide.biz
For more information on official charity partner, JustWorld International, please visit www.justworldinternational.org