'A nice reminder of how my career started'

Jodie Hall McAteer discusses opportunities for young riders and keeping up with ever-changing rules

- Jennifer Donald

OPINION

I WAS competing in the London leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) for the third time – it’s crazy how quickly time flies. The Global shows were overwhelming in the beginning but you find your feet, get used to the cameras and atmosphere and don’t feel so completely out of place in the warm-up.

The opportunities the Global Champions League (GCL) teams give to under-25 riders have been a great contribution to the sport. In my first season, with the Cascais Charms, I was able to get into 10 five-star shows in six months. It was a bit of a shock but I learnt so much from the experience. There is no way, as a young rider, I could have stepped up without this format.