GAT Mexico 2026: Eight Riders, Five Countries, One Unforgettable Experience

Global Amateur Tour
Jun 10
6 min read

This is what the Global Amateur Tour is all about. Riders from across the world, stepping onto international soil, riding borrowed horses, and competing at the CSI2* Puebla International. Some came to compete abroad for the very first time. All of them left with friendships forged, doors opened, and memories that will last a lifetime.

Here's how the 2026 GAT Mexico Championship unfolded.

It Started in the Heart of Mexico City

Day one kicked off in style with a welcome dinner overlooking the Zócalo, one of the most extraordinary squares on earth. The beating heart of Mexico City since the Aztec era, the ceremonial centre of ancient Tenochtitlán. Riders from five countries sat above it all, sipping margaritas and getting to know one another, kicking off what was going to be one unforgettable tour.

The next day brought the first real taste of international competition. An official course walk with International Grand Prix Rider Christian Lopez Redetzki ahead of the CSI2* class at Rancho Salazar, taking in the lines, discussing stride length and ring craft, and getting a proper feel for the international arena.

Meeting the Horses

There's nothing quite like the moment riders meet their Mexican mounts for the first time. With the horse draw unfolding as a ballot, the anticipation was electric. As combinations stepped into the arena together and began building those all-important partnerships, it was clear strong relationships were forming for the week ahead.

The day wrapped with a Warming Up Masterclass from Christian aboard his 5* mount Grand Slam, focusing on rhythm, suppleness and building gradually towards contact. A good warm-up is the foundation of a great performance, and exactly the kind of work that sets riders up for everything that follows.

Building Partnerships, Session by Session

Riding a borrowed mount is a challenge at any time. Riding one on international soil, with just four sessions to build a partnership before entering the competition arena, is an opportunity. And every rider this year took it.

Training began with decompression work. Suppleness, rhythm, and getting horse and rider combinations in sync. From there, pole exercises focused on ridability and control. When it came time to jump, the foundations held. Every combination tackled their first series of obstacles, including a tricky six-stride combination, with growing confidence.

As Christian reminded the riders, "You will continue to understand your horses as the days go on." And they did.

Beyond the Arena

What makes GAT special is that the adventure goes far beyond the arena.

Between sessions, riders stepped back in time at the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacán, once one of the largest cities on earth and home to more than 100,000 people at its peak some 1,500 years ago. Just a short walk from the Pyramid of the Sun, they stopped for lunch at La Gruta, a restaurant built inside a natural volcanic cave that has welcomed visitors since 1906, serving traditional and pre-Hispanic Mexican cuisine.

There were trips into the UNESCO World Heritage streets of downtown Puebla too, soaking up the history and, of course, taste-testing the local margaritas.

This year also welcomed back a very special member of the GAT family. Lynda Brady from Canada, who joined the Portugal Adults Only Tour in 2025, returned at 73 years young as an official GAT Ambassador. Passionate, courageous, and always ready to say YES to absolutely everything, Lynda is everything GAT is about.

Competition Training: Feeling It All

Day three of training was all about creating a realistic environment of what competition would actually feel like. The atmosphere, the pressure, the nerves. Riders walked a course of eight fences set at competition height, warmed up in the ring, then entered the arena exactly as they would on show day.

Every rider had challenges to overcome, and every single one of them rose to meet them. Partnerships were forming beautifully, and the whole group felt ready for the week ahead.

Soon after, riders from five countries were officially accepted into the CSI Puebla International, each presented with their Federación Ecuestre Mexicana letter of recognition to compete internationally. A heartfelt thank you to all the sponsors of the show who come together to make these opportunities possible.

The training had been done. Now it was time to show Mexico what they had.

Competition Day One: Representing Your Country

Representing your country on international soil truly is a feeling like no other, and our riders rose to the occasion.

We saw clear rounds from Caity Pritchard 🇦🇺 and Ivy Malman 🇺🇸 in the GAT 1.10 class, alongside strong four-fault rounds from Lauren Errington 🇦🇺, Paige Baxter 🇦🇺, Lynda Brady 🇨🇦, and Katrin Redetzki 🇩🇪 in the Masters. The GAT 1m gave Josefina González 🇦🇷 and Tiffani Donahue 🇺🇸 plenty to take away too.

The day closed with the famous GAT Mexico Nations Parade, worldwide representation coming together in one arena. That is what GAT wholeheartedly stands for.

As Christian told the riders before the first round, there is nothing wrong with trying. Every rider had already done that by stepping outside their comfort zone and travelling across the world. But when it's time to enter the ring, you have to move beyond trying. Trust your preparation. Commit to your decisions. Back yourself and do it.

Competition Day Two: Celebrating With Ribbons

Our Masters riders led the way with impressive double clears, Katrin Redetzki 🇩🇪 finishing 2nd and Lynda Brady 🇨🇦 in 5th. For Lynda, jumping her first clear round at her first international competition at 73 years old was pure raw emotion. "I made a few steering corrections, but ahh that was awesome. A clear round at 1.10m!" An inspiration to riders of every age.

The excitement continued with more double clears in the GAT 1.10 Championship. Ivy Malman 🇺🇸 finished 8th, while Caity Pritchard 🇦🇺, Lauren Errington 🇦🇺, and Paige Baxter 🇦🇺 all produced great rounds and felt ready for the final. Tiffani Donahue 🇺🇸 and Josefina González 🇦🇷 qualified to ride for the GAT 1m Championship Final.

Finals Day: New Champions Crowned

The final day delivered everything we could have hoped for. Three rounds of competition came down to one final round with a call-back jump-off, and the atmosphere was electric.

In the GAT 1.10 Championship, Paige Baxter and Caity Pritchard, both flying the Australian flag, delivered beautiful clear rounds to earn their jump-off spots and came back against the clock for two clears apiece, securing top-10 finishes. Ivy Malman of the United States, just 18 years old, laid it all on the line in a super speedy jump-off. An unfortunate rail dropped her from the top spot, but it was enough to secure 5th place overall and the title of Best Placed Foreign Rider. An incredible achievement.

In the Masters 1.10 Championship, Lynda Brady and her trusted partner Luxor BS produced another beautiful round, earning the Best Placed Foreign Rider title. Katrin Redetzki, Mexico-based and riding for Germany, delivered an outstanding performance to finish Reserve Champion.

The GAT 1m Championship rounded out a spectacular day. Tiffani Donahue produced a super solid round on new partner Bentley, with a single rail the only blemish on a combination that had only just found each other. Josefina González of Argentina rode with heart, and her consistency across the week earned her the Best Placed Foreign Rider title.

More Than a Competition

And then came the Farewell Fiesta, Mexican style. Eight riders from five countries, together for a week of competition, growth, and connection, leaving Puebla with friendships forged and memories that will last a lifetime.

The opportunities extended far beyond the competition arena. Australian rider Caity Pritchard made such a strong impression on the Mexican showjumping community that she was offered a coveted three-month working student position with Martha and Salvador Sesin, joining Team Sesin Equestrian to train, ride, and compete in one of Mexico’s leading professional programmes.

For fellow Australian Paige Baxter, an unexpected opportunity arose during the tour itself when she was offered a working student position with eventing World Number Five, Boyd Martin. After completing her GAT Mexico experience, Paige adjusted her travel plans and headed to Windurra USA, where she is now gaining invaluable experience within one of the world’s premier eventing operations.

These are the kinds of opportunities that can emerge with the Global Amateur Tour when talented, motivated riders step onto the international stage. What starts as a riding tour can sometimes open doors far beyond anything imagined before departure.