CANNES STARS POWERED BY IRON DAMES MAKE HISTORY AS FIRST ALL-FEMALE TEAM CHAMPION IN GLOBAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

By winning the Global Champions League (GCL) 2024 championship at the final stage in Rabat on Friday, Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames made equestrian history by becoming the first all-female team to win this prestigious championship. Since the launch of Iron Dames Equestrian a year ago, the Cannes Stars have enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top of equestrian sport. Winners on their debut on the GCL, Natalie Dean, Katrin Eckermann, Kim Emmen, Sophie Hinners, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann & Sanne Thijssen have demonstrated the power of passion, hard work, team spirit and the unwavering belief in what women can achieve when given the opportunity.

On Friday afternoon the final of the Global Champions League took place at a brand new location on the calendar, Rabat. Natalie Dean, Sophie Hinners and Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann travelled to Morocco for the last leg of the prestigious championship. In the first round Sophie with Iron Dames Singclair and Janne with Messi van ‘t Ruytershof both jumped an impeccable first round. By doing so, the two German riders secured the overall championship victory for the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames.

In the second round it was Natalie with Acota M and Sophie with Iron Dames Singclair competing. For Sophie and Singclair two faults were noted in this delicate 1.60m class. Natalie and Acota had one fence down towards the end of the course. With a total score of 12 points the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames finished in 7th place.

The Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames have had an impressive inaugural season in the Global Champions League. Their historic all-female team made a strong statement by securing four victories and achieving seven podium finishes throughout the year. Starting with a triumphant debut in Doha, the team, featuring talented riders like Sophie Hinners, Katrin Eckermann, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, Sanne Thijssen, and Kim Emmen, showcased remarkable skill and teamwork. The magenta team’s success continued with wins in Saint-Tropez and Monaco, and a victory in Riesenbeck added to their accolades. They also consistently finished strong, with third-place finishes in London and Valkenswaard. This season not only highlights their competitive spirit but also represents a significant milestone in promoting women’s participation in equestrian sports.

On Sunday, the spotlight will be on the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix and the individual championship. This Grand Prix represents the final opportunity to secure a spot in the Super Grand Prix in Riyadh, which is just under a month away. Janne has already qualified earlier this season by winning the Grand Prix in Cannes. Not only is this Grand Prix crucial for that prestigious Super Grand Prix ticket, but it also offers a vital chance to earn points in the individual overall standings, where both Janne and Sophie are currently in the top five. Janne has had an outstanding year with Messi van ‘t Ruytershof, earning significant points from her Grand Prix victory in Cannes and a third-place finish in the Rome GP. With her current third place in the overall standings, there’s still plenty at stake. Meanwhile, Sophie is holding strong in fifth place after a stellar season, achieving successful results with Iron Dames Singclair and Iron Dames My Prins.

It is with great pride and emotion that we celebrate a historic moment, not only for the Iron Dames project, but also for women in sport. Winning the Global Champions League 2024 with the very first all-female team, in our very first season, is a dream come true. I am immensely proud of Janne, Katrin, Kim, Natalie, Sanne and Sophie and what they have achieved. Their passion, determination, collective strength and perseverance have taken us to the top. Success gives us the chance to set an example and pass on a message of hope and unlimited potential to the next generation and to all women who are pursuing a dream – no matter how impossible it may seem – whatever the field. The Iron Dames project is here to stay and to develop over the very long term, proving that there are no limits to what women can achieve in sport and beyond.

Deborah Mayer, Iron Dames Project Founder

I think it has been an amazing season. All of us really feel the support from the whole Iron Dames team, especially from Deborah and her belief in us and our all-female team. To be the first all-female team to ever win the GCL, it’s a dream come true for all of us and I think we’d all really like to thank Deborah from the bottom of our hearts for giving us this opportunity. I’m excited for the future of the Iron Dames and for me as the U25 rider I’ve learned so much being Ono the scene with all these riders and we’ve really become a close family and you really feel the support behind each other not just at the Global Champions competitions, but at every show We’re always cheering for each other which is really special.

Natalie Dean

It was an incredible season for us. When we started nobody expected that it would go this well in the first year. There was a certain amount of tension before the first round. Normally you wouldn’t stress that much about small things that could go wrong, but today we were actually thinking about everything that could. I think we are all really, really happy that the first round went so well. Of course we would’ve wanted to finish once again on the podium here in Rabat as well, but I think we can be proud of what we have achieved and learned this year. We are all just so grateful to be on this team and to have found a new family. The way we work together and share this moments, that is something very special.

Sophie Hinners

We are beyond overjoyed. I don’t think any of us are superstitious, but even though we all came here with the top team and top horse, it was the case that before the first round we checked three more times to make sure the saddle was in the right place, the bridle was good and that nothing goes wrong. And yes, the joy was even greater when we both had a clean sheet and we then knew that we had won. I think this is a great end to the season. It’s not finished yet, we now go to Riyadh, where there will be another test. I also think it’s great that we had so much support from the team here today, a lot of Iron Dames and Deborah herself were here to support us. We’ve already received congratulations from all the other girls and everyone has played their part in making us so good over the season and I think we can be really proud of ourselves now.

Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann