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The FEI Sports Forum 2023 – the 11th time the event is being held – is about to begin in Lausanne, the Olympic Capital. This year’s edition has attracted large interest with no less than 265 delegates representing over 50 nations attending in person. The FEI Sports Forum 2023 will begin on Monday, 24 April at 9:00 CEST and will be opened by the FEI President. The Forum will span over two days.
The first session will be dedicated to an interim report issued by the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission and their recommended course for future action, followed by a dedicated Q&A between the panellists – made up of Commission members - and the Forum’s delegates.
The day will continue with the TechQuestrian session, where the FEI’s main online platforms will be showcased in an interactive way, and will end with an update on preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Discussions on the Sports Forum’s second day will resume at 9:00 CEST on 25 April with a comprehensive session on the cost of Jumping Events, which will be an open dialogue with the athletes, owners, officials, and organisers.
The FEI Sports Forum 2023 will continue with a presentation and update on Key Events Requirements and will conclude with a session on the FEI Endurance Rules, which this year are undergoing full revision.
Those, who are not attending the event in person, will be able to follow the discussions live on the dedicated online hub in the Watch Live! section.
Summaries of each session will be published throughout the day in the Session Documents section and photographs will be uploaded on the FEI Flickr account.
Hybrid Media Round Table
A hybrid Media Round Table with FEI President Ingmar De Vos and FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez will be held on Tuesday 25 April from 16:30-17:00 following the conclusion of the FEI Sports Forum 2023. The exact timings may be subject to change.
The Round Table will be dedicated to topics covered at the FEI Sports Forum 2023. Members of the media wishing to join online will need to contact press@fei.org to receive the necessary meeting link and password.
Tune in for the FEI Sports Forum 2023 and don’t miss a hoof beat!
About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org
The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.
The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.
FEI Contacts:
Malina Guerguiev
Manager, Corporate Communications, Stakeholder and Media Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33
The FEI has announced the launch of a new Guide, designed to assist Event Organisers with improving accessibility for athletes, staff and spectators with disabilities, ensuring that everyone can enjoy equestrian events regardless of their disability and mobility levels.
This Guide, which is the result of consultation and collaboration with accessibility experts, individuals with disabilities and professionals in the equestrian industry, covers venue layout, accommodation and transportation among other areas of Event planning and delivery.
FEI Accessibility Handbook for Event Organisers
The aim is to provide Event Organisers with a set of guidelines and recommendations which eliminate barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating or working in sports.
“Equestrian sport has the power to create inclusive structures that allow access to all individuals, regardless of their physical abilities,” FEI Secretary General and President of the Association for Paralympic Sports Organisations (APSO) Sabrina Ibáñez said.
“Changing perspectives towards disability is a key step in the accessibility journey. It is our belief that making even small changes to our working methods and organisational practices will help to move the needle on the conversation around disability inclusion, equality and equity.
“While this is primarily a Guide for Event Organisers, we, the staff at the International Federation Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI), have also had to take a good look at our internal practices and procedures to see where we can eliminate barriers to entry for people with disabilities and how we can provide a more inclusive physical and organisational environment.
“We hope that by working with Organisers to embed accessibility into all strands of Event planning and delivery, this type of thinking will start to permeate our organisational structures and become a seamless part of what we all do in this sport on a daily basis.”
The FEI Accessibility Guide for Event Organisers is available for download here.
Photo credit: FEI/Liz Gregg
Relevant links
Ferdinado Acerbi: A True Inspiration
Editor notes
The FEI was one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The Para Equestrian Committee was created in 2006 when the governance of Para Equestrian passed from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to the FEI.
Over the years, there has been more integration of Para Equestrian sport into the FEI Governance and World Championship structures, which has raised the profile of Para Sport alongside the FEI’s other disciplines.
At the 2020 FEI General Assembly, the Chair of the FEI Para Equestrian Committee became a voting member on the FEI Board, ensuring that Para Sports has a place at the top table’s discussions alongside able-bodied disciplines.
Other governance related initiatives included in the FEI’s host bidding requirements, require world and continental championships for para athletes and able-bodied athletes to be held at the same venue.
The FEI Solidarity and Para Dressage Departments have worked together to create the FEI Para Dressage World Challenge series, a development programme in place since 1 January 2023. The Series aims to give athletes, who are unable to participate in international events due to financial or geographical reasons, the opportunity to compete in events in their own country. These competitions are in place to help National Federations develop Para Dressage, and close the gap between National and first level international competitions.
While these top-down initiatives have been important to the development of Para Equestrian within the FEI’s structures, it has also had a positive impact on the general attitudes towards disability and inclusion within the equestrian community more generally.
The FEI’s online Para Sport magazine – The Para Equestrian Digest – launched in February 2022 was created for Para Equestrian athletes and the people connected to the sport so they can share – in their own words – their personal experiences and disability stories. The Digest puts the spotlight on an athlete or project in Para Equestrian sport with the aim of increasing visibility for the sport and improving disability awareness and inclusion.
FEI Appoints New Director for Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting
Ronan Murphy (IRL), an equestrian aficionado with an impressive and wide-ranging track record in the horse and sporting sector, has been appointed as Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting Director for the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the global governing body for equestrian sports.
Murphy’s equestrian and sports management background is as diverse as it is far reaching, having held different positions and roles at the National, Regional and associate level of membership from breeding to governmental policy around horse movement, high performance pathways and administration, to name a few.
He will be best known within the FEI Family for his recent tenure at Horse Sport Ireland from 2017 to 2020, where as CEO he implemented a complete restructuring of the Irish National Equestrian Federation, both strategically and operationally, and with a strong focus on governance principles and developing the sport from grass roots to the world stage. This includes the historic qualification and participation of Irish Teams across all four disciplines at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“I am so excited to be taking on this role and to have the opportunity to positively impact a sport and a community which I am deeply connected to.
“The future of equestrian sport is very close to my heart. As a parent of very passionate equestrians, and a lifelong horseman myself, my ambition for this role is very much about securing the future for Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting, and creating that level of dialogue and understanding amongst the different stakeholders so that we are all working in the same direction and with the same goals.
“I am an advocate for change, where and when it can create those opportunities and pathways in order to successfully adapt to new environments, and I look forward to supporting this process within the FEI, and doing so collectively with my new colleagues and peers in the community.”
Murphy will be taking up the role at the FEI on 10 July 2023, where he will join the team at FEI Headquarters who have been valiantly holding the fort since the departure of former Director Bettina De Rham in December 2022. The disciplines of Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting have experienced exponential growth in recent years, and while not the largest disciplines at the FEI, they are the fastest growing in terms of numbers of Events since 2007. Vaulting leads the FEI tally board, seeing the greatest percentage increase since 2007 at +614% Events, followed by Para Dressage with +278% and Dressage on +195%.
Alongside his most recent role at Hockey Ireland where he held the position of CEO, Murphy also currently serves as Vice Chairman and Director of Dressage Ireland, and has previously served as Chair of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) EU Committee; Chair of the EEF working group on equine identification traceability and digital passports; Member of the International Horse Sport Confederation (IHSC) Taskforce on Brexit and EU Animal Health Law; and, Board Member of the European Horse Network (EHN) and EEF representative to the EHN.
“We are delighted Ronan Murphy will be joining the team at FEI Headquarters,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “We have had the pleasure of crossing paths for many years, and it’s great that we will now be working closely together and towards a shared vision for Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting. Ronan has tremendous experience in the equestrian industry, is hugely passionate and forward thinking, and he brings an invaluable level of insight from different stakeholder perspectives. We are very much looking forward to welcoming him to Headquarters this summer.”
Photo Caption: FEI appoints Ronan Murphy (IRL), Director for Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting
About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org
The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.
The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Equestrian joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.
FEI Media contact:
Olivia Robinson
Director FEI Communications
+41 78 750 61 35
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The road to the Para Dressage arena of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games is now just 500 days long.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which will run from 28 August to 8 September, will see the Para Dressage competition take place at the iconic Château de Versailles from 3 to 7 September, with 78 athlete and horse combinations from around the world eligible to compete for 33 medals awarded across the Team, Individual and Freestyle Events.
A total of 15 slots are available for the Para Dressage Team competition, with each qualifying nation eligible to send up to four athletes each to Paris, for a total of 60 athletes.
France, as the host country, directly qualified for first slot while seven countries – the Netherlands, Denmark, USA, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, and Italy – secured their ticket to the Paralympic Games through the ECCO FEI World Championships 2022 in Herning (DEN).
The FEI Para Dressage European Championships, which will take place in Riesenbeck (GER) in September 2023, will provide another opportunity for the top ranked team from the competition (not otherwise qualified) to secure a place in Paris.
Four other slots will be filled by the highest ranked teams from Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania, while the two highest ranking teams on the FEI Paralympic Team Ranking List will also qualify.
A further 18 individual athletes will also be eligible to compete. These will be the top three ranked athletes from the FEI Paralympic Individual Ranking List in Europe, Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and Africa. Finally, three individual places will be allocated by the FEI and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
The competition The Para Dressage competition starts with the Individual Medal Test and qualifier for Freestyle Medal Event, known as the FEI Para Grand Prix A, which is where the athletes in each Grade perform a set routine of movements around the arena.
This is followed by the team competition – the FEI Para Grand Prix B – where three athletes from each Nation, declared by the Chef d’Equipe, ride the Para Grand Prix B routine in their Grades. The cumulative scores from each athlete forms the overall team score.
On the last day of the competition, the top eight Athlete/Horse combinations in each Grade perform their Grand Prix Freestyle. This is always the most popular day of any Para Dressage event, giving the athletes the chance to express themselves through their own choreographed routines.
Ones to watch The team medal will likely be the most hotly contested of the Games. It has been won by Great Britain at every Paralympic Games since Atlanta in 1996 (the first Para Dressage competition of the Paralympics). At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Great Britain won by less than one percentage point, but then failed to make the podium at the FEI Para Dressage Championships in Herning (DEN) in 2022.
The Netherlands, who are the current European and World Champions, will be desperate to add a Paralympic title to their collection. They will face stiff competition though, not just from Great Britain, but also from Denmark and the USA.
Individually, The Netherlands Sanne Voets (Grade IV) will want to add more golds to the two she won in Tokyo, as will Denmark’s Tobias Thorning Joergensen (Grade III), Belgium’s Michelle George (Grade V), and Great Britain’s Lee Pearson (Grade II). Great Britain’s Sophie Christiansen is hoping to regain a place on her team to compete in Grade I, where she will face tough competition from Paralympic gold medallist Roxanne Trunnell (USA) and Rihards Snikus (LAT)
Also hoping to compete, and regain the titles she last won in Rio in 2016, is Great Britain’s Natasha Baker. “I’m so, so excited for Paris,” she said. “Tokyo was a very different Games, with no crowds, and no friends and family. So being able to ride in such an iconic venue, with everyone there, would just be amazing.”
Baker faces one additional challenge to her qualification though, as she is due to give birth to her first child later in April. “I have a great team around me,” she added, “and the timing of the baby couldn’t be better. I’ll have 16 months to get back to the high standard I need to qualify and be selected. But it would be lovely to compete knowing the baby is in the audience!”
Editor notes
The FEI was one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The Para Equestrian Committee was created in 2006 when the governance of Para Equestrian passed from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to the FEI. At the same time, the FEI also created the Athletes’ Committee for all FEI disciplines (able-bodied and para), with 14-time Paralympic gold medallist Lee Pearson becoming its first Chair.
Over the years, there has been more integration of Para Equestrian sport into the FEI Governance and World Championship structures, which has raised the profile of Para Sport alongside the FEI’s other disciplines.
At the 2020 FEI General Assembly, the Chair of the FEI Para Equestrian Committee became a voting member on the FEI Board, ensuring that Para Sports has a place at the top table’s discussions alongside able-bodied disciplines.
Other governance related initiatives included in the FEI’s host bidding requirements, require world and continental championships for para athletes and able-bodied athletes to be held at the same venue. A handbook is currently being created by the FEI to assist Organising Committees with accessibility planning at equestrian Events.
The FEI Solidarity and Para Dressage Departments have worked together to create the FEI Para Dressage World Challenge series, a development programme in place since 1 January 2023. The Series aims to give athletes, who are unable to participate in international events due to financial or geographical reasons, the opportunity to compete in events in their own country. These competitions are in place to help National Federations develop Para Dressage, and close the gap between National and first level international competitions.
While these top-down initiatives have been important to the development of Para Equestrian within the FEI’s structures, it has also had a positive impact on the general attitudes towards disability and inclusion within the equestrian community more generally.
The FEI’s online Para Sport magazine – The Para Equestrian Digest – launched in February 2022 was created for Para Equestrian athletes and the people connected to the sport so they can share – in their own words – their personal experiences and disability stories. The Digest puts the spotlight on an athlete or project in Para Equestrian sport with the aim of increasing visibility for the sport and improving disability awareness and inclusion. |
FEI Contacts:
Vanessa Martin Randin
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications & Media Relations
+41 78 750 61 73
Henrik von Eckermann and the brilliant gelding King Edward wrote another page of equestrian history when becoming the first-ever Swedish winners of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ when taking the 2023 title in Omaha (USA) tonight.
In a gripping two-round decider that was completely unpredictable to the very end, the pair who have dominated the sport in recent times pinned The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders and Monaco NOP into runner-up spot while the USA’s Hunter Holloway and Pepita Con Spita pipped Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki for third place by the narrowest of margins.
“I can’t put it in words because it was a bit up and down!” von Eckermann said of his journey to the title this week. “On Friday having the one down I was really disappointed but at the same time I thought well he didn’t have to jump the jump-off and with being just one point behind (the leaders) maybe it’s not so bad. And he (King Edward) felt really fresh when he came out today, we had the rail in the first round but otherwise he felt fantastic, and so for the last round I had to just trust him, he’s in super shape, we jumped three jumps in the warm-up, in we go and he was unbelievable!”
Big shake-up
Tonight’s first round saw a big shake-up on the leaderboard after two exciting days on Wednesday and Thursday, with Portuguese course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral really testing the rider’s judgement with his 12-fence test that came to a conclusion with a difficult triple combination followed by a big open oxer.
The first fence was special, designed by Juna Djokovic from Slovenia who won the Longines FEI MyDreamJumpChallenge by topping the public vote in an online competition, and tonight the 13-year-old who is a keen young rider watched from the sidelines as the best horses and riders in the world soared over her fence.
Only three of the 30 starters managed to stay clear first time out and Ireland’s Denis Lynch rocketed up from 19th to 12th going into round two when producing the first fault-free effort with the brave little Brooklyn Heights. Defending champion, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, posted the next clean run with Leone Jei to improve from 15th to eighth while The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders and Monaco NOP, lying overnight seventh, were also clear which piled the pressure on the remaining six.
When America’s Hunter Holloway (Pepita Con Spita) had two down and Richard Vogel (United Touch S) collected 12 faults then just the top three were left to go. Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann made it all the way to the bogey penultimate combination where his world championship gold-medal-winning partner King Edward, like many before him, kicked out the middle element.
But for joint-leader, Denmark’s Andreas Schou, it was a much tougher round when Darc de Lux hit the first element of the double at seven, the vertical at 10 which rode on a short four strides from the previous triple bar, and also left one down at the final combination for a total of 12 costly faults.
So when Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer and Vancouver de Lanlore lowered only the first element of that tricky final combination they moved their score on to just four faults to take the lead, but with little breathing space as both von Eckermann and Smolders were now carrying five faults apiece into round two. Britain’s Harry Charles (Balou du Reventon) was lying fourth on nine faults while America’s Holloway and Brazil’s Mansur were in joint-fifth with 11 faults apiece.
Second round
The top 20 went into the second round in reverse order of merit over a brand new course, and Irishman Lynch left all the poles in place once again to post the only double-clear of the night.
Schou produced the next faultless round and both Mansur and Holloway also returned without penalty, but the Brazilian would pay a big price when just over a second slower than the American. When Britain’s Harry Charles dropped out of contention with two mistakes from Balou du Reventon it was right down to the wire with just three to go, and when Smolders hit the oxer at fence nine this time out he opened the door even wider for the final two.
Von Eckermann returned a superb clear to pile all the pressure on Schwizer who now had no room for error. So when the Swiss star left both the second element of the double at fence eight and the following oxer at nine on the floor it was a done deal. Von Eckermann was clear winner on a final scoreline of 5, Smolders was second with nine and Holloway would finish on the same 11-fault score as Mansur but her quicker time would earn that third step on the podium.
The 25-year-old athlete from Texas was thrilled to find herself on the same stage as two of the greats of the sport.
“I’ve always had pretty big goals and to be sitting with riders such as this is such a great honour. I’m very excited to be here and I think my horse performed great all week. My relationship with her is getting stronger and building, and I feel we are just getting started so I’m very excited for the future with her!”, she said.
Bittersweet
It was bittersweet for Smolders as this was his third runner-up finish at a World Cup Final. Riding the stallion Emerald he was second in 2016, and he was runner-up with Monaco last year in Leipzig (GER). But the 42-year-old Dutchman is a sportsman in the truest sense.
“Monaco was again in such a super shape, it’s unbelievable that he is second again but getting beaten by King Edward is not too bad!”, he pointed out. “He is probably on his way to being the best horse in my career, last year second in the World Cup Final, a silver medal in the World Championship, and there is still a lot to come, but I really want to win this trophy one time and this horse is so good he deserves some time to win it!”, he added.
Von Eckermann, who finished third at the Finals in both 2017 and 2018 with Toveks Mary Lou, was asked how he maintained his focus even though it wasn’t all plain sailing this week.
“It’s just my mentality, I don’t look backwards, and when the chance is still there we try to go and get it. Everyone knows the horse and how amazing it is, and this week I came here and I really wanted to win it but even with a horse like this it’s very easy for it to go the other way around. But I’m so happy for the horse that he wins this because he really deserves to have a win in the World Cup Final”, said the 41-year-old rider who, together with the extraordinary King Edward, collected Olympic team gold in Tokyo, double-gold at last summer’s FEI World Championship and now the indoor title they all want to win.
Untouchable
He’s been almost untouchable for quite a while now, and he really appreciates the magical time he is living through…..
“It feels like I’m at the top of my career and it can only go one way and that is down!”, he said with a laugh tonight. “So I really try to hold on to the moment, and every day I’m thankful for what I have…in our sport we have different horses and it’s work every day and you keep on going, but sometimes it’s good to just sit down and to be thankful for what we have because it’s not going to be forever!”
However he has put his name on the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ trophy, and that is something that will stay with him for the rest of his lifetime.
Before the final presentation this evening the official flag handover to the next hosts of the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia took place, with Lisa Roskens, Omaha Equestrian Foundation Founder first passing the flag to FEI President and IOC Member Ingmar de Vos who then presented it to Fuad Ibrahim, CEO of the Saudi National Federation. For those who didn’t make it onto the 2023 podium, Riyadh 2024 will be in their sights.
While there was little doubt that Germany would go home with a title, the question ahead of today’s Burlington Capital FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final was just how many could they win?
Kathrin Meyer (GER) had one foot firmly on the podium after her technical test, and she made it clear with her freestyle that she had no intention of letting anyone else have the top spot. Powerfully, she moved through her robotic freestyle to take the title at her debut FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final. Together with her Mum, Sonja Meyer, and her own horse, San Classico S, the trio proved an unbeatable combination (8.428).
“I’m really happy, it was the first time I showed my new freestyle… and my new inside ground jump worked pretty well, I’m really happy with that.”
Kathrin Meyer (GER)
Danielle Bürgi (SUI) remained hot on the heels of the German vaulter. However, even with her creative freestyle winning the round, it wasn’t enough. Vaulting on Best Brew, lunged by Andrea Selch, she finished in second, only 0.082 behind (8.346).
Professionalism and experience shone through for Julia Sophie Wagner of Germany. A technical hitch led to a music error at the start of her round, but she didn’t falter and instead pulled off an excellent freestyle to rise up the rankings and finish in bronze medal position atop DSP Sir Laulau with Hendrik Falk (7.791). The USA’s Kimberly Palmer was left just outside the medal positions scoring 7.736.
In the Men’s competition the first-round scores made all the difference. Home favourite, Daniel Janes performed the second-best freestyle but was unable to move up the leader board, finishing in sixth (7.190). Switzerland’s Andrin Müller excited the crowd and he clung on to his well-earned, day one, third place giving Andrea Selch and Best Brew another podium finish (7.514).
Despite overbalancing in an early ground jump, Sam dos Santos just about held it together. He recovered well and showed glimpses of huge potential in his freestyle for this season. The Dutch vaulter finished his first FEI Vaulting World Cup Final™ in second place, with Max and Sarah Krauss, and is sure to already have his eyes on the title (8.052).
On this occasion the men were completely outclassed by Jannik Heiland. With a 0.5 point lead, and on his 5th attempt, the German vaulter calmly executed his freestyle and took Sonja Meyer and San Classico S to the top of the podium for the second time today.
“It’s a massive arena, it was a very great feeling and it’s an honour for me to be here… To win the World Cup Final, it was a big wish for me to get this title my whole life.”
Jannik Heiland (GER)
The German domination continued into the Pas de Deux class. There was no problem for DSP Sir Laulau and Hendrik Falk today, allowing Diana Harwardt and Peter Künne to dig deep and ensure to overcome as much of the deficit from the first round as possible. A massive 8.516 in the second round threw down the gauntlet for the remaining combinations and set 7.876 as the final score to beat.
“We were so grateful that we could show the whole freestyle, and the last block was good, and we couldn’t hope for more”
Peter Künne (GER)
Danish combination Freja Linde and Maria Thinggaard Sorensen went smoothly, but it wasn’t enough, and they settled for fourth, 7.641. With slight hesitations, Romana Hintner and Eva Nagiller couldn’t keep Austria ahead as they were pushed into in third place on 7.832.
As Chiara Congia and Justin van Gerven entered for their swan song they only had to be clean to take the title. In a momentary loss of balance Justin came off the horse after a freestanding lift. Quick reactions from Chiara kept her on and reduced the points lost by the error.
They completed the test in spectacular style but had to wait for the final scores to see if the slip had cost them the title. Fortunately, they proved too strong for their competitors and clearly won the class, with Alexandra Knauf and Max. They finished as the only pair with a final score above 8.0 (8.341).
“It’s always special to win a competition, then it’s a World Cup Final, that’s amazing, a new title for us we weren’t able to win that one yet, and then flying to America and to make this amazing journey is also really special.”
Justin Van Gerven (GER)
The Burlington Capital FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final has proved an incredible show of teamwork and horsemanship for all involved. The first Final out with Europe was a huge success, however the Germans have shown they mean business and they don’t look like they’re willing to give it up any time soon.
The German duo of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the fabulous TSF Dalera BB claimed the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ title for the second time in their spectacular career when winning the deciding Freestyle competition at the 2023 series Final in Omaha, USA tonight.
They arrived at the American fixture as firm favourites but looked vulnerable in Wednesday’s Grand Prix when the 16-year-old mare was super-excited to return to competition after a few months’ break.
Tonight however Dalera was right back in the zone that saw this superstar partnership scoop all gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and again at the FEI European Championships in 2021 before putting their names on the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Roll of Honour 12 months ago in Leipzig (GER).
Replicated
It seemed likely that Wednesday’s Grand Prix result in which von Bredow-Werndl’s compatriot and longtime legend, Isabell Werth, finished second with DSP Qantaz and Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Horse Zepter finished third would be replicated this evening. But the Danish pair, who seem to have come out of nowhere in the last few months, produced a spectacular performance to demote five-time series champion Werth to the third step of the podium this time around.
The field was further reduced to 13 starters following the withdrawal of The Netherlands’ Marieke van der Putten’s Torveslettens Titanium RS2 this morning, but the Omaha crowd were still treated to a feast of fantastic sport. And they didn’t hold back when the riders encouraged them to join in with the excitement this evening.
Second into the ring, Lithuania’s Justina Vanagaite had them right behind her as she rode her one-handed final line with Nabab, but it was Simone Pearce and Fiderdance who were holding the lead at the halfway stage when the Australian rider’s cheeky wave at the crowd before coming to a halt was followed by the best score to date, 76.575.
Raised the game
The last remaining Dutch contender, Thamar Zweistra, raised the game when the action resumed with a super test from Hexagon’s Ich Weiss that put 78.204 on the board. “I was really proud of him”, she said, “the one-tempis were amazing, he did about 25 in a row and he was really relaxed. I had a lot of fun. He has a lot of energy and that’s what I like about him, he is always willing to work!”
But with four left to go it was Werth and DSP Qantaz who set the new standard when posting 85.671 for a performance that oozed class. The smile on her face showed that 31 years after she first won the prestigious FEI Dressage World Cup™ title, the 53-year-old athlete is enjoying herself as much as ever. And the crowd adored her Bonnie Tyler themed musical score, bursting into wild applause as she drew to a halt. She was still laughing with delight herself after leaving the ring, knowing that she had nailed her tough floor-plan.
“It was super and I was so happy! This was our best Freestyle together and he was so with me that it was perfect! I really love this Freestyle - it is so difficult and there’s no time to breathe or to think about what is going on - I’m in one tunnel and each step has to come after the next and it worked really perfect today!”, she said.
Mesmerising
But then von Bredow-Werndl took the floor, and with mesmerising piaffe/passage, and half-passes in both trot and canter that seem even more fluent than ever before, they soared out in front when putting a massive 90.482 on the board.
“She was incredible, she went in with no wet hair (sweat) because I didn’t do a lot outside, but she was so wet because of the atmosphere. It was really hot in there and she again was a little bit scared but she trusted me 100%, that was the difference tonight. I was confident and we were mirroring each other, she was confident and I got confident. She was excited but she trusted me from the very first step”, the delighted 37-year-old rider pointed out.
America’s Steffen Peters, series champion in Las Vegas (USA) back in 2009, was second-last to go and, always a crowd-pleaser and especially on home ground, he slotted in behind Werth with a mark of 83.921. Now only Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter were left to run, and it seemed the top two places were already decided. But the Danish duo were having none of that.
There’s something very special about the relationship these two have established in a very short time. The chestnut gelding formerly ridden by both her Danish counterpart Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Sweden’s Patrik Kittel is blossoming like never before, even though he is already 15 years old.
On fire
“He was really on fire, I had to be so careful all the way around, it was a bit difficult to come back after extended canter but I’m so thrilled! My journey with him has been so short, we have only been together for four months and I have the feeling I can ask for so much more - he is amazing!”, she said after posting 87.146 which put her onto the second step of the podium.
She sees even greater potential in the year ahead. “To score higher I need to get to know him better, but for now I just need to take it easy and be happy with the way it is and I think it will come slowly. The judges have to get to know him also”, said the 29-year-old athlete who, with Zepter’s sire Blue Hors Zack, was a member of the Danish team that made history with victory at last summer’s FEI Dressage European Championship on home soil in Herning (DEN).
“He gives such an amazing feeling, he wants to do so much, already in the warm-up I could feel it and I wondered if I should have worked him more in the morning because we only did walking”, she explained.
“But I just had to work with him and make him comfortable and get him to listen to me, and he gives such a good feeling. The only thing I want to change now is the music, because I think the theme is a bit weird - “Time to say goodbye”. It is lovely music and it fits him perfectly but the theme could be a little happier so I will change that!”, she said with conviction.
French-themed
New double-champion, von Bredow-Werndl, won’t be changing her French-themed Freestyle music anytime soon however, and insisted that it is “just a nice coincidence” that she has adopted it ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“I always loved (French singer) Édith Piaf…this music gives me goosebumps, especially on the last centreline”, she said.
Talking about her return to the sport just a couple of months after giving birth to her second child, daughter Ella Marie who arrived last August during the FEI World Championship, she said “it’s just a passion to get back in the saddle as soon as possible because I just love what I do and so do my horses, and they made it pretty easy for me to come back that fast!”
Her second win puts Germany on level pegging with The Netherlands with 13 wins each in this series which in 2023 celebrates its 36th anniversary. She has a long way to go to catch up with compatriot Werth who has five wins under her belt or Dutch superstar Anky van Grunsven who recorded a phenomenal nine victories during her amazing career. But with Dalera she is out on her own right now.
“Dalera is such a special creature to have in my life. She makes everything possible - she is a dream!”, said the newly-crowned 2023 FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion.
On a night of sensational sport, Germany’s Richard Vogel steered the brilliant stallion United Touch S to win the second leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha (USA). But it is Denmark’s Andreas Schou (Darc de Lux) and Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer (Vancouver de Lanlore) who share the lead going into Saturday’s third and deciding competition.
The top three in yesterday’s opening Speed class all lost their grip tonight, but overnight leader and world number one, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (King Edward), only slipped to third with a single fence down. However Britain’s Scott Brash (Hello Jefferson) plummeted from second to equal-ninth when leaving three on the floor while Germany’s Daniel Deusser (Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z) retired and is now completely out of contention.
With points from both yesterday’s Speed leg and tonight’s Jump-Off now converted into penalties, there is less than a fence between the top six going into the top-30 last-day test.
Schou and Schwizer are out in front on a zero score and von Eckermann will carry just one penalty point while tonight’s winner, 26-year-old Vogel, will start with two on the board and Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and the USA’s Hunter Holloway will start with three penalties already on their scorecard.
The result is far from decided because time faults or a fence down on Saturday can change everything.
The key
Only nine of the 39 starters found the key to another superb 14-fence first-round course set by Portugal’s Bernardo Costa Cabral this evening. Regardless of experience this was a track that tested every single rider, and while the oxer at fence 10 proved particularly influential there were poles on the ground all the way to the very last.
First into the jump-off, flying Frenchman Julien Epaillard left the door wide open with two down with Donatello d’Auge but Norway’s Victoria Gulliksen followed with a cracking clear from her beloved Papa Roach in 38.71 to take the early lead.
Then America’s Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue, runners-up at the 2018 Final in Paris, hit the very last fence before Harry Charles forged a new lead with Balou du Reventon that stopped the clock in 35.25 seconds.
The British rider’s advantage was short-lived however when Vogel’s big-striding horse galloped through the finish in 35.11 seconds with apparent ease. And although Schou (35.58 seconds) and last-to-go Schwizer (36.18 seconds) left all the timber intact they had to settle for third and fourth places respectively in tonight’s competition while Vogel reigned supreme ahead of Charles.
Delighted
Talking about his win tonight Vogel, whose recent form has seen him rise 23 places in the world rankings in the last month, said, “it’s our first World Cup Final so we are delighted with how it has gone so far. Obviously we will try to do our best on the final day, but we are already very happy!”
Runner-up Charles, who is highest ranked U25 rider and number 15 in the latest world rankings, was also more than pleased. He’s clearly thrilled to be partnering the brilliant Balou du Reventon who only joined his string last December.
“He’s not really a horse, he’s a Pegasus! For sure he’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden and even at 17 years old he is still one of the best horses in the world. I’ve been watching him since I was growing up and it’s an honour and a privilege to be sat on him. I love every minute of every time I get to go in the ring with him!”, he said proudly.
He described today’s course as “fantastic…I didn’t think it was too big but it rode really difficult and we got a great result. A lot of good guys from yesterday didn’t quite have the result they wanted today which was good for me! So it has made it a really exciting competition”.
Handsome stallion
Third-place Schou also had plenty of nice things to say about his handsome stallion Darc de Lux who has helped place him in the joint lead going into the final day.
“Yesterday we managed to stay near the top and today he came out like he did all the indoor season and fought for me all the way around and gave me the clear round that was needed”. When the penultimate vertical came up very deep tonight, the 12-year-old horse didn’t hesitate to oblige.
“That was all credit on him, I deserved to have a mistake in that turn. I had seen Richard’s round and I knew I had to give it all, and when I put so much pressure on him the canter gets difficult to handle. When I turned the distance wasn’t there and I had to add one (stride) but he’s such a sharp and clever horse that he managed”.
Asked if he was surprised to find himself in the joint lead tonight he replied, “I think I have to say yes! But when you see his (Darc de Lux’s) record all indoor season he jumped six World Cups and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) and Geneva (SUI) and he’s been clear in most or maximum one down. He’s such a consistent, clever and careful horse so he actually deserves to be there because he is actually one of the best!”
Pius Schwizer would say the same about Vancouver de Lanlore so the stage is now set for one more clash of giants in two days’ time.
There is so little separating the leading pack while with five penalties apiece Charles and The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders are very close behind and Gulliksen, Ryan and Brash will share a running tally of 10 when the action resumes at 18.15 on Saturday evening.
It will go right down to the wire and there’s plenty more excitement to come, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….
As the curtains opened on the Burlington Capital FEI Vaulting World Cup Final™, the athletes took to the competition circle for the first time in Omaha. With excitement levels high, the German athletes kept their cool and took the top spot in all three events.
The home nation’s hopes were on Kimberly Palmer as she entered with Christoph Lensing and Romeo. Her new technical routine didn’t quite hit the mark with the judges, leaving her in 4th place in the overnight standings, 7.489. Hungarian Blanka Nemeth had an excellent start. She opened the show with Lunar Eclipse and Kimberly Wellman and showed her worth sitting in third, 7.554.
The young Swiss star Danielle Bürgi packed her Technical test full of difficult sequences and creative transitions, which, combined with a top score from Best Brew and Andrea Selch has her comfortably in second place (8.092). However, Kathrin Meyer saved the best until last in the Female competition. Entering the arena with San Classico S and her Mum Sonja Meyer she floated through her test with elegance, grace, and beauty earning an 8.299 from the judges.
“It’s amazing, the lights create a different atmosphere than on normal competition and also the audience is great and I am really happy to be here”
Kathrin Meyer (GER)
Averill Saunders struggled to make some of her sequences flow on top of Max, lunged by Sarah Krauss (6.388) and was left disappointed with her debut World Cup round. There will be plenty more to come from the young Canadian in the future.
In the Men’s competition all eyes were glued to the circle as Sam dos Santos entered. At only sixteen there is a bright future for the Dutch star. He earned second place (7.952) and captivated the audience aboard Max with Sarah Krauss. Andrin Müller (SUI) proved he too had made a successful partnership with Max and Sarah but sits some way behind in third on 7.176.
No one came close to Germany’s Jannik Heiland, who took the lead and can sleep well with a 0.484 point lead over his closest competition. He made the decision, after arriving in Omaha, to compete on San Classico S with Sonja Meyer, and had only sat on the horse a few times before today’s competition.
Today he proved he is worthy of the title of Champion, but we must wait until Saturday to see if he can win it. The backward stand proved tricky for many of the individual competitors today but none so much as Daniel Janes. He was 90 per cent through a well-executed Technical Test when he prematurely dismounted costing him heavily (6.081).
The atmosphere and anticipation grew in the CHI Health Center as we moved to the Pas de Deux competition. Austrian pair Romana Hintner and Eva Nagiller set the score to beat (7.657). Their horse Killian and lunger Mary McCormick have so far proved a solid combination. The Danish pair came next, Freja Linde and Maria Thinggaard Sorensen along with Lunar Eclipse and Kimberly Wellman. They performed a clean routine for the judges but were only rewarded with 7.267 points.
As the competition heated up, the first of the German combinations entered. Presenting a new concept, Diana Harwardt and Peter Künne danced their way through their Freestyle until DSP Sir LauLau noticed Diana had lost her arm number and decided to stop as it was in his way. The pair were unable to counteract the movement and Diana took a tumble from quite a height. Fortunately, they were all ok and the score took the worst impact leaving them in fourth place on 7.236. After a dramatic end to the previous test there was some tension as the final German pair entered.
Justin Van Gerven and Chiara Congia had made the decision earlier in the day to change from their planned horse, Highlight FRH to Max after Highlight didn’t seem 100% in the morning. They are World Champions for a reason.
With Alexandra Knauf on the lunge the duo stunned the audience as they stuck every single move. They rightfully stole the lead and are heading for the title on Saturday scoring 8.370.
“It was tough, we had to work on the horse but I think we all did a good job, the horse and the lunger and we are happy".
Justin Van Gerven (GER)
After the round Van Gerven said, “It was tough, we had to work on the horse but I think we all did a good job, the horse and the lunger and we are happy”.
This evening is black, red, and gold and it’s going to take some vaulting to prise the title from any of our current leaders. However, this is horse sport, and anything can happen. We wait in keen anticipation until Saturday for what will be another nail-biting finale of the Burlington Capital FEI Vaulting World Cup™.
In the thrilling opening Speed leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha (USA) tonight, the reigning double world champions, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and the amazing King Edward, proved unbeatable once again.
Taking full advantage of getting the best of the draw when last of the 40 starters from 19 nations to tackle the 13-fence track set by Portuguese course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral, the dynamic duo pinned longtime leaders Britain’s Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson into runner-up spot and Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z into third.
“I was happy to be going last and of course I’m very happy now - it was a good start!”, said von Eckermann who, riding Toveks Mary Lou, finished third the last time the Final took place in Omaha in 2017, and again the following year in Paris (FRA).
A strong finish in this first competition is key to taking the coveted title. So for
Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer (Vancouver de Lanlore), Sweden’s Wilma Hellstrom (Cicci BJN), Denmark’s Andreas Schou (Darc de Lux), The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders (Monaco NOP), USA’s Hunter Holloway (Pepita Con Spita), Brazil’s Yuri Mansur (Vitiki) and USA’s Aaron Val (Prescott) who filled the remaining top-ten placings it’s all very much to play for over the next few days.
Early target
Smolders and Monaco, runners-up at last year’s Final, set the early target in 60.59 seconds when sixth to go, but Schwizer shaved more than a second off that when next into the ring before Brash raced through the timers in 59.23 to go into a lead that would last for much of the rest of the evening.
“I’m very happy with Jefferson, I thought he jumped fantastic”, the British rider said. “He’s amazing, he’s capable of winning anything. I’ve always believed in him and it’s just about things going right on the day and so far so good!
“He’s a quick horse but he gets tense so I try to do the round that’s comfortable for him. I was very happy with the first half and then just at the end he got a little bit keen…he lost his relaxation a bit but he jumped the last good and hopefully we can keep him settled for tomorrow”, he added.
Just before the ground maintenance break halfway through the competition, Hellstrom and Cicci BJN also put in a superb performance. The 12-year-old one-eyed wonder-mare and her 29-year-old rider have grown into a real force of nature over the winter season and never looked like touching a pole before galloping through the timers in 60.26 to put themselves right up there with the main contenders.
But for defending champion, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, there was deep disappointment when Leone Jei lowered both the second element of the double at 10 and the first element of the following double at 11. Lying 22nd tonight he is a long way off the leading pack.
Vulnerable
It wasn’t until Deusser, 2014 series champion, and his brilliant stallion Tobago Z set off that Brash’s lead looked vulnerable. Cruising through the tricky turns and popping the three sets of doubles that proved the undoing of many throughout the competition, the pair pushed Schwizer down the line when stopping the clock on 59.45 seconds to take over second place. Now there were just four left to go and the Brash was still out in front. But von Eckermann would demote them all with one his trademark breathtaking rounds from King Edward.
Setting off like they were on fire, the Swedish pair always looked threatening, and despite a good rattle at the double at ten they broke the beam in 59.09 and had the world at their feet once again. Von Eckermann admitted that the last-to-go draw definitely helped.
“It was an advantage to watch a little bit to see how much risk do you really need to take without getting too crazy. I got my plan done - Scott’s horse is completely different so I just did my plan that suited my horse. Like to the triple bar (fence 6) I could do one less, he did nine I did eight, so I knew there I have a bit of time, and on the other ones I kept the pace going, and also we did nine (strides) to the last when many did ten. These small things meant that I was in front”, the Swedish star said with his usual modesty.
Comfortable
Brash however was quite comfortable with his runner-up finish while Deusser said he was “quite satisfied” with his third-place finish tonight.
“I walked the course and made my plan before the first one went into the ring, I also saw Scott in between and I knew it would be very difficult to beat him tonight so when I came out and I was second I was very happy about it. But Henrik at the end of the class and trying to win the class is always dangerous!” Deusser pointed out.
Von Eckermann isn’t getting carried away by his lead after today’s first competition however because there are still two more days of jumping to come and, as he said tonight, “it’s still a long way to go”. He’s not taking anything for granted.
“In Gothenburg (at the end of February) I had two down and if I have that tomorrow I’m gone, so it’s still very far away. But of course I have the best position and that’s what I like because I don’t have to hunt anyone. I just have to make sure that I’m good enough now and then we’ll see where it ends”, he said wisely.
The fences go up in tomorrow’s Jump-Off class so there is still plenty of opportunity to move up the leaderboard. America’s McLain Ward who lifted the trophy the last time the Final took place in Omaha is lying 11th and is well in touch when the action resumes at 19.15 local time.
So don’t miss a hoofbeat….
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