BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / PRESS RELEASE
PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREAS TISCHLER
In 2026, the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) will bring a completely new highlight to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna: for the first time, a foal auction will be held as part of the international riding competition.
Eleven foals – including a charity foal – will be presented in this magnificent setting. With the foal auction paired with the first-ever dressage competition, a special children’s day and the historic second appearance of the Spanish Riding School, all in front of Schönbrunn Palace, the LGCT Vienna 2026 is developing into a unique event. The combination of sporting excellence, living tradition, and cultural heritage once again makes Vienna an international meeting place for equestrian sports.
Vienna has something special to look forward to: when the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) returns to Schönbrunn Palace from September 24-27, 2026, not only will world-class equestrian sport be taking place in the capital, but one foal will be the centre of attention during a charity auction, the proceeds from which will go to Lichtblickhof, a children’s hospice offering animal-assisted therapy in Vienna. “This foal symbolizes what has been important to me my whole life: supporting people in need and combining my love for people and animals with social commitment. It’s about social responsibility – and the joy of making a difference together,” says Sonja Klima, initiator and co-organiser of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Vienna. “With the proceeds, we are supporting an extraordinary project and sending a clear signal for social responsibility in sport.”
The 11 selected foals with both showjumping and dressage pedigrees will be auctioned in cooperation with the Westphalian Studbook. The foals descend from proven, carefully managed dam lines and have all been carried and birthed naturally – without embryo transfer or surrogate mares. Thanks to this tried-and-tested form of breeding and their internationally sought-after pedigrees, the foals offer an attractive opportunity to secure promising young horses at an early stage...
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