Jan Tops
Encyclopedia
Johannes Augustinus Petrus Tops (born April 5, 1961 in Valkenswaard
, North Brabant
) is an equestrian
from The Netherlands, who won the gold medal in the team jumping event at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona, Spain riding Top Gun. He did so alongside Piet Raijmakers, Jos Lansink
and Bert Romp. He competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1988.
Jan Tops initiated the Global Champions Tour
in 2006. The equestrian
sport was in need of a positive impulse, and by founding this world class renown tour, the media attention was increased as well as the prize money.
Presenting sponsors CN and CN WorldWide have been with the GCT since the beginning, as well as media partner Eurosport
who broadcasts the Global Champions Tour
legs in 59 countries. Rolex has become the official timepiece since 2008.
The legs of 2008 took place in Doha
(QAT), Hamburg
(GER), Cannes
(FRA), Monte-Carlo (MON), Estoril
(POR), Valkenswaard
(NED), Arezzo
(ITA), and São Paulo
(BRA).
Valkenswaard
Valkenswaard is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. The municipality had 30,871 citizens and spans an area of 56,50 square kilometers ....
, North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
) is an equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
from The Netherlands, who won the gold medal in the team jumping event at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona, Spain riding Top Gun. He did so alongside Piet Raijmakers, Jos Lansink
Jos Lansink
Jozeph Johannes Gerardus Marinus Lansink is an equestrian from The Netherlands, but currently representing Belgium, who competes in the sport of show jumping....
and Bert Romp. He competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1988.
Jan Tops initiated the Global Champions Tour
Global Champions Tour
The Global Champions Tour is an annually celebrated show jumping competition.The sponsors include Jaeger-LeCoultre and Eurosport. Athina Onassis de Miranda is a patroness of the tour....
in 2006. The equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
sport was in need of a positive impulse, and by founding this world class renown tour, the media attention was increased as well as the prize money.
Presenting sponsors CN and CN WorldWide have been with the GCT since the beginning, as well as media partner Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
who broadcasts the Global Champions Tour
Global Champions Tour
The Global Champions Tour is an annually celebrated show jumping competition.The sponsors include Jaeger-LeCoultre and Eurosport. Athina Onassis de Miranda is a patroness of the tour....
legs in 59 countries. Rolex has become the official timepiece since 2008.
The legs of 2008 took place in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
(QAT), Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
(GER), Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
(FRA), Monte-Carlo (MON), Estoril
Estoril
Estoril is a seaside resort and civil parish of the Portuguese municipality of Cascais, Lisboa District. The Estoril coast is close to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It starts in Carcavelos, 15 kilometres from Lisbon, and stretches as far as Guincho, often known as Costa de Estoril-Sintra or...
(POR), Valkenswaard
Valkenswaard
Valkenswaard is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. The municipality had 30,871 citizens and spans an area of 56,50 square kilometers ....
(NED), Arezzo
Arezzo
Arezzo is a city and comune in Central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 km southeast of Florence, at an elevation of 296 m above sea level. In 2011 the population was about 100,000....
(ITA), and São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
(BRA).