The Riders Tour is a competition series in Europe. The top 30 show jumper

Show jumping

Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...

 equestrians in the world fight for the title over several months, competing at some of the toughest Grand Prixs in Europe.

The Tour began in 2000, and is now the richest series in show jumping.

The Individual Competition

The Tour consists of eight of the most difficult horse shows in Europe. Competitors have a chance to win points for the tour by competing in the Sunday Grand Prix at each event.

Those eligible for the tour are the top 30 riders in the world rankings, and the top ten on the RT rankings after the first stage.

At the end of the eight competitions, the best six placings of the competitor are tabulated into points, with the winner being the rider with the most points, the second place rider having the second highest score, etc...

Ties are broken by the rider with the most wins overall. If this is not sufficient, the rider with the highest number of second-place counts, then third place, etc.

Point tabulation occurs as follows:

• 1st rank = 20 points
• 2nd rank = 17 points
• 3rd rank = 15 points
• 4th rank = 13 points
• 5th rank = 11 points
• 6th rank = 10 points
• 7th rank = 09 points
• 8th rank = 08 points
• 9th rank = 07 points
• 10th rank = 06 points
• 11th rank = 05 points
• 12th rank = 04 points
• 13th rank = 03 points
• 14th rank = 02 points
• 15th rank = 01 point

The prize money for the winners is as follows:

• 1st place = 250.000 €
• 2nd place = 125.000 €
• 3rd place =e 75.000 €
• 4th place =e 40.000 €
• 5th place =e 20.000 €

total = 510.000 €

The Team Competition

Since 2007 the Team Competition is no longer part of the Riders Tour. All following explanations describing the modus which was established in the years 2000 to 2006:

Each team consists of three riders who compete at all eight Tour stages. Faults from all three riders are added together to choose the winner (the team with the fewest number of faults). There is no drop score for the team.

If teams have the same number of faults, a jump-off is performed to choose the winning team. The five best results (lowest fault scores) from all eight competitions choose the winner.

The scoring is as follows:

• 1st place = 6 points
• 2nd place = 5 points
• 3rd place = 4 points
• 4th place = 3 points
• 5th place = 2 points
• 6th place = 1 points

The point-scoring class is the round used as a qualifying class for the individual competition. The top 36 riders from the team competition class may then compete a second class to try to earn individual points.

After all eight competitions, the top three teams receive prize money. If any teams have an equal number of points, the team with the most wins will be placed higher. If this is still not adequate, the team with the most second place scores will be placed higher.

The prize money is as follows:

• 1st place = 100.000 €
• 2nd place = 50.000 €
• 3rd place = 25.000 €