The FEI has welcomed today’s announcement by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board that Para Equestrian has been included in the Paralympic Programme for Los Angeles 2028.   

The result of an extensive review process which started in January 2022, Para Dressage will feature alongside 21 other sports confirmed by the IPC Governing Board when Los Angeles hosts the Paralympic Games in five years. The inclusion of an additional sport, put forward by the LA 2028 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, is still under consideration with Para Climbing and Para Surfing strong contenders. A decision is expected to be made by the end of 2023.

The Paralympic Games will be held from 15 to 27 August 2028, following the Olympic Games which are scheduled to take place from 14 to 30 July. While 2028 will mark the third time that the Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles after the 1932 and 1984 editions, it will be the first time the city will host the Paralympic Games.

Para Dressage is the only equestrian discipline included in the Paralympic Games, where it has been a regular fixture since 1996. Conducted under the same basic rules as able-bodied Dressage, male and female Para Dressage athletes compete as equals and are classified according to the level of their impairment.

People with similar functional abilities and profiles are grouped into five competition Grades (I to V). The horse has to perform at a walk in Grade I, the trot is added to Grades II and III, and the canter in Grades IV and V.

Each horse and rider combination is required to follow a prescribed pattern of movement, with the only exception being the Freestyle which is specifically choreographed for each horse and is performed to music. Success in equestrian sport is not based solely on technical ability, but also depends on the strength of the emotional bond that exists between the horse and human athlete.

“We are ever so proud to have Para Dressage included in the Paralympic Programme for 2028,” FEI Secretary General and President of the Association for Paralympic Sports (APSO) Sabrina Ibáñez said.

“With its long-standing equestrian tradition, the USA has developed over the years as a country with sustained equestrian excellence on the international stage. And Los Angeles, with its stunning sports backdrop of the Santa Monica Mountains and its state-of-the art competition and training facilities, is the perfect venue for the Paralympic Games.

“But Los Angeles is also a city with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion which is also high on the agenda for our International Federation. Equestrian has always been an accessible sport, and the para community know full-well the immense power of the horse for people with disabilities.

“The Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020 marked a turning point for our sport with higher than ever scores being reached and an increase in the degree of difficulty of tests. That there was not one single riding school horse present in Tokyo, was itself testimony to the growth and development of the sport.

“We hope that Para Dressage will reach even greater heights in Los Angeles and that the people coming to see Para Dressage in action will leave with some understanding of the passion that drives our sport.”

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 medalist 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.

The third-ranked athlete in the world and one of the fastest riders on the planet, Frenchman Julien Epaillard galloped to victory for the third time this season at the twelfth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League in Amsterdam (NED) today.

On an afternoon when Dutch course designer Quintin Maertens’ 13-fence first-round track defeated all but eight of the 36 starters, Epaillard went out in front when third-last to go against the clock with the 10-year-old Donatello d’Auge and couldn’t be caught. There was plenty for Switzerland’s Edouard Schmitz to smile about however when he slotted into runner-up spot with Quno, and huge emotion for Brazil’s Yuri Mansur when he claimed third with the stallion Vitiki. 

Epaillard said, “the World Cup is looking good for me - one more win today and it’s my first 5* win with Donatello d’Auge so it’s really special for the family and the team. I’m very happy!” 

He collected points in every one of the seven qualifiers in which he competed and has now taken over the lead on the Western European League table with a massive 92 points, helped by also grabbing maximum points for wins in Lyon (FRA) in October and Madrid (ESP) in November.

Undoing

The bogey double of white planks to a rustic oxer proved the undoing of 18 combinations in the first round in which the triple combination two fences later also proved highly influential. 

Switzerland’s Alain Jufer was first to go and clear in the opening round and, leading the way against the clock, was foot-perfect once again with the 12-year-old Dante MM who crossed the line in 44.79 seconds to set a good target.

However Great Britain’s Jodie Hall McAteer got off to a difficult start when Salt’n Peppa backed off the first fence and then got into a muddle at the remaining two elements of the triple combination at fence 10 - now three from home - before retiring.

Next in, Yuri Mansur raised the game when going into the lead in 44.42 seconds with Vitiki and when Jur Vrieling, the only one of the nine Dutch riders to make the cut from the first round, hit the first element of fence 10 the Brazilian was still out in front.

After her exciting first round with Equine America Papa Roach in which the gelding miraculously recovered from a mistake in the middle of the triple combination, Norway’s Victoria Gulliksen was very excited going into the jump-off because she had the Longines Final 2023 in her sights and was super-keen to collect those precious extra points she needed. 

“It would be nice to have another clear round but I think I have been geared up so many times and making mistakes because I’m too geared up, so I’m going to try to keep focus and hope for the best!”, she said, before doing just that and coming home clear in 46.91 seconds to her absolute delight.

Pressure

When Epaillard entered the ring however the pressure was really piled on as he galloped the long lines and raced through the tight turns with the greatest of ease to set the new target at 42.04 seconds. 

Second-last to go, Germany’s Daniel Deusser looked set to challenge with the brilliant Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, but the pair found a really deep distance to the first fence which threw them right out of their rhythm as it hit the floor, and although they made a superb recovery their chance was gone and only Schmitz could oust Epaillard from pole position. And he gave it a great try, matching the Frenchman’s time at the midway stage of the track but a little slower to the last to break the beam in 43.44 for second place.

Mansur finished third ahead of Jufer in fourth, Gulliksen in fifth, Vrieling in sixth, Deusser in seventh and Hall McAteer in eighth place.

An honour

“I’m obviously very happy for my second place, being part of a jump off like today is an honour. Of course it’s always frustrating to be only 0.5 seconds behind, but next time I’ll beat the old man!”, 23-year-old Schmitz said with a laugh, referring to 45-year-old Epaillard at the post-competition press conference.

“For me today it worked because of luck, twice the plank and pole rolled but stayed on the cups. It’s horse sport and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t, there’s not always an explanation”, he said wisely. And he really enjoyed the Jumping Amsterdam experience.

“It was amazing being here, the crowd was excited for everyone, it makes the horse sport even more special. We can thank everyone involved for making this event happen, it takes a village to make horse sport happen and I’m very proud to be part of it today”, he added.

Mansur was thrilled with third place with his great 15-year-old Vitiki. In 2018 the horse broke his off-fore pastern in a fall at Aachen (GER), but the stallion has made an excellent recovery.

“We had such a long and hard story, but the way he’s jumping this season is just unbelievable. This horse is always emotional for me…and it was a very long process to bring him back, and now he becomes what he used to be and he’s so special to me!”, he said of Vitiki who was clearly enjoying every minute of his day today.

Needless to say, so was Julien Epaillard.

A pleasure

“It’s always a pleasure especially with this horse”, he said. “Donatello was always one down in past events but he’s becoming more consistent. This weekend I did a different preparation with two smaller classes and I think it worked. Today he was really relaxed and he made an amazing jump off. The goal is to go to the World Cup Final, so he still needs a little bit more experience before Omaha”, he pointed out. 

With just two qualifiers remaining, at Bordeaux (FRA) next weekend and Gothenburg (SWE) at the end of February, the pressure is intense for those still hoping to join him at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023.

Epaillard has pinned reigning world champion, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, back to second place on the Western European League standings following today’s result. Deusser lies third ahead of Kevin Staut from France in fourth, Germany’s Gerrit Nieberg in fifth, Great Britain’s Harry Charles in sixth and Victoria Gulliksen in seventh spot, and the top-18 from this qualifying series will book their tickets to the 43rd Final which will kick off on 4 April.

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Result 

Standings 

Jose Saavedra Garcia wins World Cup debut

With just three horses remaining in the first round of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Puebla (MEX), it appeared as if there might be a jump-off of 4-fault performers.

Through 17 combinations, there was yet to be a clear effort over Marina Azevedo's (BRA) 1.60m track. The group included to top ranked rider from Mexico, Nicolas Pizarro (MEX); defending champions Manuel Gonzales Dufrane (MEX) and Hortensia van de Leeuwerk; and the current national champions of Mexico, Federico Fernandez (MEX) and Davidoff.

Then Jose Saavedra Garcia (MEX) entered the arena for his World Cup debut and kept all of the jumps up. No one else could replicate the feat, giving the 24-year-old and his 13-year-old stallion Maximus took a memorable victory. 

"From the moment I jumped the first fence, I knew my horse was going to have a great round, so I just had fun."

Jose Saavedra Garcia (MEX)

Gonzales Dufrane finished second (4/76.65), with Saavedra Garcia's coach, Arturo Parada Vallejo (MEX) and Bacot third (4/77.50). 

"I've been riding [Maximus] for about a year, and I'm really excited to win my first World Cup," Saavedra Garcia said. "There were points where things didn't come up just right [on course], but my horse helped me out, and he was incredible."

Saavedra Garcia has hopes to earn a place on Mexico's team for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo (DOM) this summer.

"Since I rode my first round with this horse, I knew we could do something amazing," he said.

Daniel Coyle (IRL) maintains the lead in the North American League standings with 66 points. Conor Swail (IRL) remains second (56 points), and Daniel Bluman (ISR) is third (ISR). The 2022-2023 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League concludes at Ocala (USA) on 19 March 2023.

FULL RESULTS

STANDING

The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere won today’s eighth leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League on home ground in Amsterdam (NED) partnering her double-bronze-medal-winning ride from last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championships, the stallion Hermes NOP.

However it is five-time World Cup champion and longtime legend, the extraordinary German star Isabell Werth, who has moved into pole position on the leaderboard going into the closing stages of this hard-fought 11-leg series. 

Werth set today’s target with a sparkling performance from the 17-year-old Emilio for a score of 86.595. But to the delight of the home crowd, van Liere and Hermes bettered that when putting the winning score of 87.055 on the board when last to go. It was the second victory of the season for this pair who also came out on top in Mechelen (BEL) in December.

“I’m really happy, yesterday he was already great and today again he was really on fire! I’m so proud, he’s getting better and better. The crowd was fantastic today and it really made me emotional!”, van Liere said.

Starters

The 15-strong field of starters included World double-gold medallist Lottie Fry from Great Britain who, partnering the 12-year-old Lars van Hoenderheide who was competing in only his third international competition, posted a mark of 78.335 in the early stages. Dutchman and 2016 series champion Hans Peter Minderhoud then moved the target score up to 81.970 with a test filled with energy from Glock’s Dream Boy, but it was Sweden’s Patrik Kittel who led the way at the halfway stage with Touchdown. 

The light-moving 11-year-old gelding showed super-soft passage, and - in  classic Kittel style - the three-time Olympic rider and showman extraordinaire whipped the crowd into a frenzy of excitement with his final line of extended trot that was greeted with wild applause. When 82.645 went up on the board he went out in front, although there was still a long way to go.

Wide open

Werth blew the competition wide open when rocketing out in front when third into the arena after the break, posting 86.595 for a lovely test with Emilio. The 17-year-old gelding has been showing superb form of late, and he seemed to have an extra air of authority and confidence about his work today, demonstrating fantastic piaffe/passage as he strutted his way to the top of the scoreboard with four more still to go.

Next in, fellow-German Ingrid Klimke then produced a fearless performance from Franziskus FRH that ended with one-handed extended trot to the delight of the spectators for a mark of 84.960, before Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zack edged them down the order. 

Zack has always been super-consistent throughout his career with both Skodborg Merrald and his former rider Daniel Bachmann Andersen, and at 19 years of age continues to deliver his work with the greatest of ease including fabulous passage and canter pirouettes. 

The successful stallion looked rightly satisfied as he swaggered out of the ring after putting 85.220 on the board - a combination-best score and a personal-best for Skodborg Merrald whose smile was as wide as an ocean. Van Liere and Hermes would alter the scoreboard one more time however.

More settled

When the Dutch pair won yesterday’s Grand Prix, Hermes was much more settled. Today the 32-year-old rider had a different horse on her hands. Hermes was strong and sensitive at the beginning of the test, but after relaxing into the loveliest extended walk he seemed to recover his focus. 

After the judges awarded them the winning score of 87.055, Van Liere said “he was very on fire today and very powerful, but it was power I could manage well enough to ride a nice test without making any big mistakes!”

“Yesterday he was really relaxed but today was a lot more crowds and he felt the difference. But now I can manage him better and better”, she pointed out.

As every rider knows, there’s nothing quite like a home win, even if there is a lot of pressure. Their great performances at last summer’s World Championship ensured there was plenty of that for van Liere and Hermes today.

Expected

“The crowd expected a lot but it worked out well and it was really cool at the end. The spectators were so enthusiastic and so crazy! It is so cool to ride here at Jumping Amsterdam! ”, she added.

Second-placed Werth said that the close result made for super competition and a great atmosphere. “I’m completely happy with Emilio, and to be back again in Amsterdam is a pleasure, the public and the atmosphere were fantastic. 

Emilio is in a really good form, since last autumn in Lyon and then Frankfurt where he was great - I’m delighted with him!”, she pointed out. 

Third-place Skodborg Merrard was really pleased with her result too. “I didn’t expect it when I saw the line-up here, my horse really surprised me - he’s 19 years old but still so fit and ready to compete!”, she said of the brilliant Blue Hors Zack. 

Paul Riemens, Chairman of the Organising Committee for Jumping Amsterdam, was a happy man today. “It’s very special to be here. It’s been tough for the last few years, but seeing the faces of the winners and the faces of the crowd today is the payback for the bad years. I’m really proud to be here, so many people behind the scene have worked so hard to make this possible”, he said.

On the horizon

With the Longines FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha (USA) in April now looming large on the horizon, the battle for one of the nine places available to athletes in the Western European League is really hotting up. But having moved to the very top of the standings after today’s competition, five-time champion Isabell Werth has easily booked her place at what will be her 20th Final.

With three more qualifiers left to run, at Neumünster (GER) and Gothenburg (SWE) in February and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in March, there is still plenty of time for others to bid for a place, but as it stands this evening Werth is well out in front followed by compatriots Ingrid Klimke and Benjamin Werndl in second and third while van Liere has moved into fourth ahead of Skodborg Merrald in fifth place. Patrik Kittel lies sixth, The Netherlands’ Thamar Zweistra lies seventh, Morgan Barbancon from France is in eighth place and The Netherland’s Emmelie Scholtens and Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg share ninth spot.

Round nine at Neumünster will take place in three weeks’ time, on 19 February.

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Result https://results.hippodata.de/2023/2257/docs/r_d02kuer.pdf

Standings https://results.hippodata.de/2023/2257/docs/fei_dressage_world_cup_wel2022-23_after_amsterdam.pdf

Germany’s Gerrit Nieberg secured a watershed victory in the eleventh leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League on home ground at Leipzig today. The 29-year-old rider who took the sport by storm when winning the prestigious Aachen Grand Prix last summer showed once again that he’s a real force to be reckoned with when galloping home in a tense jump-off to pin compatriot Richard Vogel into runner-up spot.

Nieberg watched 11 others go before him against the clock, including 25-year-old Vogel who produced a spectacular second round from the fabulous mare Looping Luna who is still only nine years old. Their time of 37.08 seconds looked impossible to beat, but Nieberg had other ideas.

“I watched him on screen and I could see he was really fast, but I had a really good feeling with my horse in the first round so I thought I’d try a bit more and he did an amazing job!”, he said after posting the winning round with the 11-year-old Blues D'Aveline CH.

Track

Frank Rothenberger’s 13-fence first-round track produced 12 clears and six of them were German. Marco Kutscher, double-European champion back in 2005, was first to come home on a zero scoreline second time out with the 10-year-old Aventador S, but his time of 39.76 seconds was blown out of the water by compatriot Vogel who followed him into the ring.

Vogel’s mare, who he describes as “a naturally fast mover”, was spectacular first time out and it all looked like a walk-in-the-park again in round two as she easily forged the lead when well over two seconds quicker. Three horses later, Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki were also clear and pushed Kutscher down the order when crossing the line in 39.34 seconds and although Sweden’s Wilma Hellström and the extraordinary one-eyed Cicci BJN gave another of their exhibition jumping performances to return with a clean sheet, their time of 40.68 seconds didn’t threaten for the lead either. 

Second-last into the arena, Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer and Vancouver de Lanlore looked fast, but their fault-free run in 38.81 seconds still left Vogel out in front and then there was only one man left to go. Nieberg had his eyes on the prize, and with laser-like focus the pair took every tight turn and scorched down to the last to clinch it. The packed stadium went wild with delight.

Suit him well

The Leipzig arena seems to suit Niebergs well. Riding his other top horse, Ben, he finished a very creditable 13th at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final last year at this same venue, and today’s result has firmly secured his place at the 2023 Final in Omaha (USA) next April.

His father, Lars Nieberg, was twice an Olympic team champion and twice finished second at FEI World Cup™ Finals - in 1995 with the great stallion For Pleasure and in 1998 with Esprit FRH. Yesterday Lars said that if Gerrit could pick up 10 points towards the 2023 Final in today’s competition that would be good but that of course the maximum 20 would be even better. “You see my kid does what I tell him!”, he joked this evening after Gerrit clinched it.

The final result saw Vogel in runner-up spot followed by Schwizer in third and Mansur, Kutscher and Hellström in the next three places.

First time

Talking about the super-talented Looping Luna Vogel said “it was the first time for her jump that kind of course and I didn’t expect to be in the top placings, certainly not second today!” He has been competing in Florida and returned only for this one World Cup show with the intention of returning to the US immediately afterwards. 

But today’s result has left him with a bit of a quandary because he finds himself in tenth place on the Western European Leaderboard and well in sight of a qualifying spot for Omaha if he remains in Europe to compete at some of the remaining three legs. Riding United Touch S he won the fifth leg of the series in Stuttgart (GER) in November, gaining maximum points there so now with a total of 37 he’s not far off the qualification zone as the top 16 riders will make the cut. It’s a bit of a dilemma.

There’s no confusion for Gerrit Nieberg however. “The World Cup Final has always been our main goal and now we are going!”, he said this evening. He is spoiled for choice with either Ben or the brilliant Blues D'Aveline CH to ride.

Talking about the 11-year-old gelding he said “we are a team for 2.5 years now, he did his first World Cup in Helsinki and was second so although he’s quite new on this level he has been very good. He’s a great horse, he always wants to give his best in the ring and he has scope and attitude. But the best part of his character is that when he knows I need him then he tries harder - and then I do too!”

The Western European League now moves on to the third-last leg in Amsterdam (NED) next weekend with more points up for grabs and world champion Henrik von Eckermann from Sweden still heading the standings followed by Frenchmen Julien Epaillard and Kevin Staut in second and third, Germany’s Daniel Deusser in fourth and Nieberg now in fifth place.

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Result 

Standings 

For all the latest information about the LONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup™ season 2022/2023 check out the new Series Hub HERE 

Stay up-to-date with articles, interviews, videos and much more while following the action all the way to the Final.

Team Austria had plenty to celebrate after their superb victory in the first leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2023 series in Abu Dhabi (UAE) today. In a third-round head-to-head against Great Britain’s Joe Whitaker, it was Austrian pathfinder Christoph Obernauer who clinched it with a brilliant ride on the 10-year-old gelding Kleons Renegade.

Ireland finished third and the next two teams, Saudi Arabia and the hosts from the United Arab Emirates, clinched the two Middle East qualifying spots on offer for the series finale in Barcelona (ESP) later in the year when lining up in fourth and fifth places respectively, while Syria finished last of the six competing countries.

The 12-fence track set by Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani proved testing, and there were only five clears in the first round. When Austria and Great Britain produced two each of these then they were already on level pegging at the halfway stage, carrying just four faults apiece going into round two.

No mistake

Obernauer had a single mistake first time out but was foot-perfect at his second attempt. However team-mate and Chef D’Equipe, Gerfried Puck, followed his opening clear with a pole down at the penultimate triple combination with the 10-year-old stallion Equitron Naxcel V before Katharina Rhomberg and the bold but brilliant Cuma posted their second clear of the day to pull it right back. Despite a big score from the last-line combination of Bianca Babanitz and Caipidor, the Austrians were now firmly established on an eight-fault two-round tally, and when the British matched that it would come down to a jump-off to decide the result.

Di Lampard’s British side got off to an unsteady start when pathfinder Will Funnell racked up 18 faults during his first effort with the home-bred Equine America Billy Picador, but clears from Tim Gredley (Medoc de Toxandria) and Joe Whitaker (Hulahupe JR) meant that only Donald Whitaker’s four faults with the 10-year-old mare Millfield Colette had to be counted at the halfway point.

And when Funnell made a brilliant recovery with a clear second time out and Donald Whitaker followed suit, then they only had to add one of the four-fault results from Gredley and Joe Whitaker to force a jump-off with the Austrians.

Man on a mission

First to go against the clock, Obernauer was a man on a mission, setting off with a determined run that brought him home through the timers in 33.68 seconds. Joe Whitaker was already down on the clock when hitting the final planks when following him into the ring, the clock showing 34.69 seconds despite a really game run from his handsome 11-year-old chestnut stallion Hulahupe JR as he crossed the line. 

Today’s win has given a big confidence boost to the Austrian side. 

“At last we now have a really good team and we must keep it together - now we have a couple of horses that can jump on the highest level so it’s going the right way!”, Obernauer said. The 36-year-old rider is based at his family’s equestrian centre in Kitzbuhel in the Austrian Tyrol - “a place that is famous for skiing, but not for riding!”, he pointed out with a laugh this evening. 

He has had the 10-year-old Kleons Renegade since he was a four-year-old so the pair know each other very well, and they competed on the Austrian team at last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championship in Denmark. 

“He’s a really fast horse and when I’m riding well he can jump everything. He has plenty of experience but this is the biggest achievement in our career together so far!”, he pointed out. They competed in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League qualifiers in London (GBR) and Mechelen (BEL) last month, “so now he has a bit of a break but hopefully we will go to more Nations Cups because we want to qualify a team for Olympic Games (Paris 2024)”, he explained. 

The plan is already made, now it’s a matter of whether they can make it happen….”we need to finish in the top three of the non-qualified Group at the European Championships (in Milan, 29 August to 3 September) I think. And after today - maybe we can do it!”, he said with determination.

Bonus

Team-mate Rhomberg was in the same frame of mind, especially after pocketing the €50,000 bonus for producing the only double-clear of today’s competition.  

“I’m so very happy and proud - for sure this is my best result so far!”, she said. The talented, enthusiastic but hard-pulling Cuma certainly tests her strength in the ring, but it’s clear he thoroughly enjoys his job.

“I’ve had him since he was eight years old so this is our third year together and I only recently started him in big classes. This is the first big Nations Cup for him and now we work pretty well together. Yes he’s very strong and I need a lot of power to ride him but I try my best and so does he - he’s just amazing!”, said the 30-year-old athlete who is based near the Swiss/German border in Austria.

On only her second Nations Cup appearance anchor rider Babanitz had a difficult day with a big number of faults but she too was pleased with the result, while for 49 year old Gerfried Puck today was a day he will cherish for some time to come. 

“I cannot remember the last time Austria won a Nations Cup and it might even be the first time ever Austria has won a 5* Nations Cup - we are really proud of our result today!”, he said. “It was a long journey to get our team here but it turned out great!”, he added.

Result 

Standings

In an incredible display of dominance, Boyd Exell (AUS) showed the world why he is the most decorated four-in-hand carriage driver in history. 

The pressure was on in Leipzig as for the first time in the FEI Driving World Cup^TM 2022-23 Series Boyd lined up against his three closest rivals at once – the Dutch powerhouse drivers Ijsbrand and Bram Chardon, and an on-form Koos de Ronde.  Yet Boyd held his nerve in spectacular style to win Sunday’s Competition 2 with two rounds of sheer brilliance.

Despite a rocky Friday night opener where he finished in an uncharacteristic third behind reigning champion Bram and Glenn Geerts (BEL), Boyd is a seasoned enough campaigner to know what it takes to ramp up his performance, especially under pressure.  Tackling a slightly different course on Sunday from the tricky one set in Competition 1 by Jeroen Houterman (NED), the rounds carried extra weight as they counted towards the rankings and places for the final in Bordeaux (FRA) in two weeks’ time.

Boyd was clearly rattled after Friday but is often more dangerous when coming from behind, especially when there is a score to settle.  Asking his fabulous horses to raise their game for him, which they did, his times coupled with accuracy and no penalties to add meant that he was not only the leader going into the drive-off, but the winner by 5.69 in a time of 135.44.

“Our focus is very much on the final in Bordeaux but the win in Leipzig is a great way to start the year after a month away in Australia.” – Boyd Exell (AUS)

Recovering in spectacular style from an unusually wobbly first round on Friday, Ijsbrand channelled all his wisdom and match practice to seal another second place, his fourth in the Series.  Showing his undiminished passion and commitment while still driving, his defiance and joy was plain to see as ever the showman, he celebrated and whooped to the crowd.  Although his drive-off time was just over 2 seconds behind Boyd, after an unlucky knock at number one he ended 141.13.

As Boyd has been consistently first and Ijsbrand consistently second this season, Koos once again finished in third position.  But it was touch and go between him and Ijsbrand, with only the slimmest of margins between them.  As one of the three top drivers who turned in a clear round to finish on time only and ensure a drive-off place, Koos was 0.26 seconds behind Ijsbrand; then in the final round, he was tantalisingly only 0.08 behind. 

These three giants of the sport will be in Bordeaux, together with Bram, Jérôme Voutaz (SUI) – who ended in seventh this weekend – and Dries Degrieck (BEL).  Glenn, who after his polished two drives on Friday looked like he was going to do enough to gain the necessary points to go to Bordeaux, didn’t maintain his form on Sunday and clocked up 8 expensive penalties which added to his slower time meant he didn’t qualify for the drive-off. 

On Friday it looked as if Bram would keep his crown after a resounding win and producing the only clear drive of the night.  But despite charging round on Sunday’s first run in a time of 135.80, 4 seconds faster than Boyd, three expensive knocks meant he had to add 12 to the time which pushed him out of drive-off contention. 

German Wild Card entries Michael Brauchle and Georg von Stein had the welcome support of the home crowd behind them.  Outdoor marathon maestro Michael wasn’t in drive-off contention this weekend so will now, like Glenn, be turning his attention to preparing his horses for the forthcoming season.  Georg, a mainstay of the German team for so long, put in a tremendous first round on Friday night which was impressive as he and his horses haven’t previously competed in the current Series. 

Often the courses are the same for the two competitions, with only a reduced number of gates in the first drive-off, but after Friday Jeroen Houterman wasn’t happy so boldly altered his design and although Sunday’s layout was much the same, a set of cones was taken out and the number of obstacles reduced to 12. 

There were early opportunities for fast running to gain valuable time as the start gates were halfway along one of the long sides of the arena, with number one being on a short side, two on the diagonal then the bridge was number three, on the opposite diagonal, making the first sequence a fast figure of eight.  The two marathon style obstacles were set as four and eight, and one of the trickiest parts was the abrupt U-turn which had to be made from gate F in four to the pair of cones at number five, which was accomplished with mixed success by the drivers.

Despite Boyd’s rivalry with Bram and a close contest between them in London, it was plain to see from his emotions during the prize giving how much the win in Leipzig meant to him.  His horses have maintained the lightening form they showed at the start of the season in Lyon, and it would be hard to bet against him winning a record 10^th title in Bordeaux. 

With all the drivers who have qualified equally hungry for another world title to add to their impressive tallies, it promises to be an incredible final.

FULL RESULTS

The Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2023 series gets underway next Sunday, 22 January, in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates where teams from the Middle East region will be vying for one of two qualifying places up for grabs for the annual Longines Final in Barcelona, Spain.

Again this year the Final offers the added bonus of an Olympic starting spot for the highest-placed nation not already qualified for Paris 2024. Victory in this treasured series is always very sweet, and the Olympic incentive adds an extra edge of excitement to the 10-leg tournament that embraces three separate leagues around the globe.

Single qualifier

The UAE venue will host the single qualifier for countries in the Middle East, while San Miguel de Allende in Mexico will stage the first of three qualifiers in the North America, Central America and Caribbean region in April. That league will then move on to San Juan Capistrano in California, USA in mid-May before finishing up with its third and final leg in Vancouver, Canada in early June.

Meanwhile the mid-summer six-leg Europe Division 1 series, which will run over a ten-week period, will get underway at St Gallen in Switzerland in June followed swiftly by rounds in Sopot, Poland and Rotterdam in The Netherlands. Falsterbo in Sweden and Hickstead in Great Britain will take centre stage in July before this series of qualifiers winds up in Dublin, Ireland in August.

Last year it was the Irish who won the opening leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series, also staged in Abu Dhabi, but it was the teams from UAE and Saudi Arabia who qualified from that fixture for the 2022 Final. Team France arrived in Barcelona as overall leaders in Europe Division 1 after a great run of form, but it was Team Belgium who had the biggest smiles on their faces on the last day when not only clinching the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2022 series title but also the coveted Olympic qualifying spot they really wanted.

Third victory

It was their third victory since the Final was first established at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain back in 2013. They also came out on top in 2015, and then did it again three years later, but last season’s success was particularly pleasing, sealed by classic clear rounds that left them as the only side on a zero scoreline on the last day and therefore clear champions. Things hadn’t gone quite as well as they had hoped in the Team competition at the ECCO FEI Jumping World Championships 2022 a few weeks earlier, but this time around it all came together.

And playing his part in that success was 24-year-old Gilles Thomas who, like so many other young riders before him, blossomed throughout that Nations Cup season. On his debut at this level of the sport he produced a foot-perfect last-day run with the lovely mare Calleryama, highlighting the developmental value of Nations Cup Jumping which, this year, celebrates its 114th anniversary. Belgian Chef d’Equipe, Peter Weinberg, was rightly proud when joining Thomas and his team-mates Olivier Philippaerts, Jérôme Guery, Koen Vereecke and Gregory Wathelet in the post-competition celebrations.

National pride, passion, camaraderie and cutting-edge competition are key to the ethos of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series, along with a powerful sense of team spirit and respect for long-standing tradition.

Contesting

Contesting the Middle East qualifier next weekend will be teams from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE along with visiting sides from other regions who will not be in contention for a qualifying spot at this leg. There will be two spots at the Final up for grabs at the North America, Central America and Caribbean qualifiers while two countries from the Asia/Australasia region, two countries from South America and one African nation can qualify through the Longines Rankings. There is also a single spot on offer through the Nations Cup rankings for Eurasian National Federations.

Meanwhile Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands and Switzerland will be joined by Italy - winners at the European Equestrian Federation Final for the second consecutive year last season - in the Europe Division 1 series in which the top seven of the eight competing nations will qualify for the 2023 Final which will take place from 28 September to 1 October.

Check out all the details of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2023 series here 

Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and the horse he calls his “masterpiece”, King Edward, clinched their second superb victory of the season at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League qualifier in Basel, Switzerland today.

Just as it did when they won at the third leg of the series in Verona, Italy in November, today’s competition came down to a seven-horse jump-off against the clock and, second into the ring in the deciding round, the Swedish star and his wonder-horse set the rest a merry dance.

However Germany’s Marcus Ehning and Stargold came very close to toppling them from the top step of the podium when racing home just 0.06 seconds slower to fill runner-up spot ahead of Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer and Vancouver de Lanlore in third.

Just four countries were represented in the jump-off, with three riders from Germany, two from Switzerland and one each from Sweden and The Netherlands. And one of the most heart-warming moments of the day was witnessing 29-year-old German Pia Reich take her turn in the jump-off.

She earned her place in Basel with consistently impressive recent results, but the athlete ranked 279 would be taking on riders ranked considerably higher, including the man who holds not only the number one slot but the title of World Champion - von Eckermann. And she did herself proud when opting for a careful second clear with her 13-year-old mare PB Chaconie to finish in sixth place at the end of a very exciting competition.

No mean feat

It was no mean feat to make the cut, thanks to a sharp first track set by course designers Gerard Lachat from Switzerland and Gregory Bodo from France. The time-allowed of 66 seconds played a major role as today’s winner explained.

“They did a very good job - the time-allowed was a big factor so you couldn’t take your time, you were always under pressure, you always had to move forward and of course with this pressure the faults were coming. If we had even two seconds more we would not only not have had the time faults but we would have had more clears. It suited my horse quite well, but I always knew in my mind that I had to keep going and I couldn’t take my time anywhere”, von Eckermann said.

It was last summer’s Aachen Grand Prix winners, Germany’s Gerrit Nieberg and Ben, who led the way against the clock and they set a good early target when leaving all the poles in place in 34.19 seconds. This time around there were two long runs on the course and the rollback to the planks at fence 11 - advertising the Longines FEI World Cup Finals which will take place in Basel in 2025 - proved pivotal as von Eckermann explained.

“It wasn’t easy, especially after the long run to the previous jump when you picked up speed and then of course had the turn-back and then the combination (double), and you also had to get the angle right to that combination. So there were a few things you had to think about, but it was good sport!”, he said after breaking the beam in 33.43 seconds.

Threatening

The clock showed 40.56 seconds when Reich crossed the line but then Ehning set off at lightning speed with the brilliant Stargold and looked threatening every inch of the way.

Von Eckermann saw him go and admitted afterwards, “yes, I was very worried about Marcus but my luck was that he went the six strides to the double (penultimate obstacle) and I got there on the five!” The time difference was only fractional, 33.49 seconds going up on the board to leave Ehning in second place and that was where he remained.

The Netherlands’ Kevin Jochems didn’t want to take too much risk with his relatively new ride, the 12-year-old mare La Costa, and brought her safely home in 35.37 seconds but Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer gave it his all with Vancouver de Lanlore who stopped the clock on 34.03 seconds to slot into third.

And when the final Swiss contenders and last to go, 23-year-old Edouard Schmitz and Gamin van’t Naastveldhof, lost a little balance on the turn to the penultimate double and left the first element on the floor it was a done deal. World champion von Eckermann had his second win of the series in the bag and moved even further ahead on the Western European League leaderboard. He has now accumulated 88 points to stand well clear of Frenchman Kevin Staut in second place on 63 and his compatriot Julien Epaillard in third with 62. And having competed with a variety of horses in eight of the 10 legs of the league so far, the Swede is planning even more World Cup action in the weeks ahead with King Edward.

“I always have a programme in my mind, and now he will do Bordeaux in three weeks and then three weeks after that he will do Gothenburg. And then he will have five weeks off and he will do the World Cup Final. The Final is really my big goal this year”, he explained this evening.   

Happy

Ehning said he was happy to finish second today. “It was a great class with only seven clear rounds, it was really exciting. The World Cup is a great series and this year would be my 20th qualification, so the Final is definitely a goal this season for me”, said the three-time winner who first held the coveted trophy aloft in Las Vegas, USA in 2003, then in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2006 and again in Geneva, Switzerland in 2010.

Third-placed Schwizer was delighted with Vancouver de Lanlore’s performance. “It is important for me to have such a good horse back in my stable and I am very thankful to his owners. I will go to Leipzig next week and then Vancouver will have a break”, said the man who added that competing in the Olympic Games “is definitely my goal for the coming years”.

His compatriot Edouard Schmitz also has Olympic ambitions. “It is not every day that you can ride in front of your home crowd here in Basel and I am happy with my seventh place, but I would have been even happier to win!” said the man who produced the fastest jump-off round in a spectacular 32.04 seconds but whose pole down proved very costly today. “The goal is to qualify the (Swiss) team for the Paris Olympic Games this season and we will discuss the planning after this show”, he added, clearly ear-marking a place for himself in the planning process.

Meanwhile with just four legs remaining, attention now turns to the next round of the Western European League in Leipzig, Germany next weekend where the battle for qualifying points for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023 Final in Omaha, USA gathers pace.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Result

Standings 

Top-class Dressage made its debut at the CHI Classics in Basel, Switzerland this weekend where, with all the flair, composure and grace that is their trademark, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the elegant mare TSF Dalera BB danced to victory in the seventh leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League this morning.

The 2022 series winners already showed they have lost none of their edge when winning the second leg of the new season at Lyon in France last October where they posted a score of 90.140. And today the pair, who are also Olympic and European champions, put 90.795 on the board to leave the result beyond doubt.

Von Bredow-Werndl’s compatriot and five-time FEI Dressage World Cup™ title-holder Isabell Werth finished second with the stallion DSP Quantaz while Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald lined up in third with her new ride Blue Hors Zepter.

And there was great emotion for the Werndl family when Jessica’s brother, Benjamin, announced the retirement of his great ride Daily Mirror after they finished fourth. The 19-year-old gelding was in sparkling form and seemed to be relishing every moment as he racked up a score of 83.995 to leave him ahead of The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere in fifth and Sweden’s Patrik Kittel in sixth place.

Charming

One of the highlights of the first half of today’s competition was the charming performance of 29-year-old French athlete Corentin Pottier and her little 12-year-old Totilas gelding Gotilas du Feuillard who, in their first-ever World Cup Freestyle, produced fabulous two-tempi changes on their way to taking the early lead with a mark of 76.775.

However it was Kittel who held the advantage as the second group took their turn after scoring 81.220 for a great test with the 11-year-old mare Forever Young HRH who showed some lovely passage and canter in perfect harmony with the Swedish showman’s punchy musical score.

Third to go after the action resumed, Werth then seriously raised the bar as her 13-year-old stallion DSP Quantaz showed great elevation, suspension and power in a test filled with class, and the Swiss crowd showed their appreciation when this pair put the new leading score of 85.650 on the board. But, third-last into the arena, von Bredow-Werndl soared way out in front with the first and only over-90% score of the competition.

“I think this might have been our best Freestyle ever! The very first half-pass wasn’t perfect but after that she was 100% with me”, she said afterwards.

Excitement

The excitement wasn’t over yet however because, on their World Cup debut together, Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter gave a great account of themselves. The imposing 15-year-old chestnut, a gelding son of Blue Hors Zack who carried Skodborg Merrald to that historic team gold at last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championship on home ground in Herning, was previously ridden by both Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and makes a very nice match with his new partner, showing some lovely work on his way to posting 84.130 for third place.

“He’s new to me and I’m very happy about our first Freestyle together”, Skodborg Merrald said afterwards.

Second-placed Werth was also quite content. “Today was a great class and I am very happy. He improved so much in the past year”, the most medalled rider in equestrian sport said of DSP Qantaz who now looks so very established and confident in the ring.

Winning rider von Bredow-Werndl talked about the recipe for her success with Dalera. It’s about concentration and not getting in the mare’s way.

“She’s so smart and knows what’s next, so I need to use very little aids and I must be very exact. If I think of anything other than what we are doing there will be a mistake, when I’m in the “here and now” she is my mirror. She is so intelligent, willing and eager, and she always wants to put on a show. Today her pirouettes were very good, she was waiting and carrying and uphill and the half-passes and the walk were much better. But when it comes to passage/piaffe there is nothing to add, she’s just doing her thing and she loves to do it!”, she pointed out.

Calendar

Post-competition there was much delight with the introduction of Basel to the FEI Dressage World Cup™ calendar. “It definitely has a nice future in the Dressage world”, von Bredow-Werndl said while Isabell Werth agreed.

“I have already ridden in Switzerland a few times when there was top dressage competitions in this country and it is great to be back! The infrastructure here is great and we are happy and thankful that we could have a World Cup here in Basel. The atmosphere was great and the horses liked it. It is a really nice show and we are looking forward to be back next year”, she said.

Event President, Thomas Straumann, said “we are happy that we finally welcomed dressage in Basel - it was a great moment and was great sport!”, while Event Director Andy Kistler said “I have stars in my eyes!”

“I’m so happy that the public came to support dressage, the style of our show suits it very well, and I am just so happy and thankful right now and I’m looking forward to the future!”, he added. He’s not the only one looking ahead.

Future

A little closer in the future, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and her mare will be back to defend their title when the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Final takes place in Omaha, USA next April.

“Dalera won’t do any more for now. I think I needed these three competitions (Lyon, Stockholm in November and today in Basel) to get back into all the details but after yesterday (in the Grand Prix) and today I now feel we are ready for the Final and we don’t have to change anything. Maybe she will have a little vacation and then some conditioning work before flying to Omaha. I’m lucky because she is super-easy about travelling and I’m feeling confident and really looking forward to it now!”, she said.

Her only disappointment today was missing out on watching her brother, Benjamin, competing Daily Mirror 9 for that very last time. But he has plenty to celebrate too because his old friend has left him lying top of the Western European League table with just four legs left to go in this qualifying series. With 65 points on the board he will easily make the cut into the top nine riders who will earn tickets to the Final which will run from 4 to 8 April 2023.

Meanwhile next stop in the Western European League is Amsterdam in The Netherlands in two weeks’ time.

Result 

Standings