The 100-day countdown to the much-anticipated FEI Jumping European Championship 2023 in Milan (ITA) has begun, and the tension is already rising.

This Championship has marked the crowning moment in the careers of many of the world’s greatest riders and their horses, and this 37th edition will be as hotly-contested as any that have gone before.

There will be team and individual medals up for grabs when the action takes place from 30 August to 3 September, and adding to the heat of battle will be the chance for three further countries to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. So there is a whole lot to play for over five days of fabulous competition.

Venue

The iconic venue at the Ippodromo Snai San Siro racecourse, which first opened in 1920, is an oasis of natural beauty located in the very heart of the stylish city of Milan. It hosts a botanical park which is often described as “a big green lung” in which a small lake welcomes many rare and migratory birds. 

At the entrance to the racecourse is the world’s largest equestrian sculpture, cast in bronze by the American sculptor Nina Akamu who was inspired by the ingenious drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo started work on the statue in 1482, but his classic ability to procrastinate saw the project abandoned when the French invaded the city seven years later. However in 1977 a US civilian pilot, Charles Dent, created a foundation that led to its completion and erection in 1999 - more than 500 years late, but nonetheless glorious…!

The equestrian arena is a more recent addition, sitting in the centre of the race-track where it has replaced a former golf course. It is just two years since the first 3-Star international horse show took place there, with a 4-Star following in 2022 and the FEI Jumping European Championship taking centre stage this year. 

Statistics

The statistics show that Germany holds the upper hand when it comes to European Jumping titles, with 15 individual and 7 team gold medals in the bag.

The individual Championship dates back to 1957 in Rotterdam (NED) when the great Hans Günter Winkler reigned supreme with Sonnenglanz, while Germany also won the first team title when it was included in the schedule on home ground at Munich in 1975. That team consisted of four more legends - Alwin Schockemöhle, Hartwig Steenken, Sönke Sönksen and Hendrik Snoek. 

Defending individual champion is Germany’s Andre Thieme who pinned 2019 European gold medallist, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, into silver medal spot in Riesenbeck (GER) in 2021. However Fuchs had the satisfaction of leading his country to team gold for the fifth time in the 66-year history of the event. 

There have been two three-time champions - the brilliant David Broome from Great Britain who came out on top with Sunsalve in 1961 and with Mr Softee in 1967 and 1969, and Germany’s Paul Schockemöhle who has the unique distinction of three back-to-back wins with the mighty Deister in 1981, 1983 and 1985. 

Mr Softee also has a special place in the history books, because five years before he posted his first victory for David Broome he carried fellow-Briton, David Barker, to the top of the individual podium in 1962. 

Qualification

The separate issue of Olympic qualification adds even more spice to the week of super sport. The three highest-ranked teams from FEI Olympic Groups A and/or B will each earn a much-sought-after ticket to Paris 2024, excluding countries already qualified.

Sweden, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland and Germany bagged the first five Olympic qualifying spots on offer at the FEI Jumping World Championship in Herning (DEN) last August, while Belgium clinched the single slot up for grabs at the 2022 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona (ESP) last September. France, as host country, is automatically qualified.

For the rest of the European nations there is a whole lot hanging in the balance when the FEI Jumping European Championships 2023 kick off in 100 days…..

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Some facts about the FEI Jumping European Championships 2023 in Milan:

Officials: Ground Jury - Harry Braspenning (NED), Frances Hesketh-Jones-Trulzi (ITA), Cesar Hirsch (VEN), Maria Cuervo Muniz (ESP) and Patrizia Adobati Ferrari (ITA). Course designer is Italy’s Uliano Vezzani and Chief Steward is Ireland’s Charles Maudlin.

Deadline for nominated entries is 31 July.

Competition schedule
Wednesday 30 August: First Qualifier Individual and Teams
Thursday 31 August: Team Final Round 1 and Individual Qualifier
Friday 1 September: Team Final 2 (medals) and Individual Qualifier
Sunday 3 September: Individual Final over two Rounds.

Event official website here

Team Poland under the direction of Germany’s Andreas Dibowski took first place at the Group C FEI Designated Olympic Qualifier for Eventing at Baborówko (POL) this weekend, in a battle between three Central European nations seeking team qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

With only one Team quota place on offer at this qualifying event, it was a disappointment for the teams from the Czech Republic and Hungary, who finished in second and third place respectively, after three days of exhilarating competition in the bucolic countryside near Poznań. 

Poland were the favourites heading into the weekend’s competition, having been victorious at the same venue in 2019 to secure a place on the start list at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where they finished in 13th place. After Friday’s Dressage phase, Poland were indeed in the driver’s seat, leading Hungary by nearly 10 total points. Polish athlete Pawel Warszawski led the field on a score of 29.7 points with Lucinda Ex Ani 4. He was helped out by teammates Jan Kiminski (Jard), Wiktoria Knap (Quintus 134), and Malgorzata Korycka (Canvalencia), who finished second, fourth, and eighth, respectively. Poland’s dominance was cemented in the cross country on Saturday, where they again finished first, this time on Marcin Konarski’s 5,700-metre course, which had an optimum time of 10 minutes. Riding last for the Polish team, Warszawksi had the confidence of knowing that all three athletes before him had gone clear and finished with 16.4 time penalties and no obstacle penalties. Kaminski snagged just 1.2 time penalties, and Korycka added 6.4. Knap happily ended the day on her Dressage score, crossing the beam with one second to spare on the clock. 

Whilst Hungary still hoped to overtake Poland in the cross country phase, with a reasonable difference between the two teams after Dressage, they soon found their team unravelling. Only Imre Tóth finished the course, riding clear aboard Zypresse 8 but picking up 8 time penalties.  Noémi Viola Doerfer and Crystal Barney were eliminated after a fall - the result of misjudging strides between two elements of a combination - and Balázs Kaizinger elected to retire on the course with Clover 15. 

Of Saturday’s performance, Jan Kaminski, who took over the leaderboard individually in the qualifying class, said: " I knew I had to make it to the end for the country."

In the Jumping round on Sunday, the track created by course designer Szymon Tarant helped Team Poland put a bow on their win. All four Polish riders completed the course, adding only 9.2 total points to their overall team score. With a fence in hand and room for a few seconds on the clock, Jan Kaminski held onto his first-place position, joined on the podium by teammate Malgorzata Korycka in third, with their compatriot Mateusz Kiempa taking home the individual silver medal. The Czech Republic finished second overall on 1,158.8 points to Poland’s 129.9, Matej Sukdolak (Quaid) and Miroslav Trunda (Trnka Ruf) taking eighth and ninth. Hungary ended in third place on 2,117.9 points. 

Talking of Poland’s win, Chef d'Equipe Andreas Dibowski said: 

"It was a result from very good team spirit and teamwork. The first thing I told the riders was we needed safe rounds, and it would be okay to take some time penalties”

Andreas Dibowski (POL)

There are 16 Team slots on offer for Eventing at Paris 2024, including one for host nation France. That makes competition fierce for remaining places, with Poland now taking the ninth team slot, since Germany (2022 world champions at Herning), the USA, New Zealand, Great Britain (2020 Tokyo champions), Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland claimed seven of those 16 as the highest ranked teams at the 2022 FEI Eventing World Championship at Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA).

The FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event at Millstreet, Ireland in June for Groups F & G (Africa, Middle East, South East Asia and Oceania) will select two more teams from the highest placed finishers who have not yet qualified, as will the FEI Eventing European Championship at Pin du Haras, France this August and the 2023 Pan American Games at Santiago, Chile in October. The last chance to earn a single Team slot to Paris 2024 will be the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Series, which wraps up at Boekelo in the Netherlands in autumn. 

Along with the British defending champions and France, who were awarded the Team bronze medal in Eventing at Tokyo, the Australians — who won silver — will surely be eager to make the roster. Of the teams who finished in the top 10 in Japan, Italy (seventh) and the People’s Republic of China (ninth) have also yet to qualify. 

All is not lost for athletes whose teams don’t ultimately qualify to compete at the Château de Versailles next year. In addition to the 16 Team spots (48 athletes), there are 17 Individual quota places to be allocated across multiple Olympic groups. Final places will be determined in 2024 and will be announced by the FEI once they have been confirmed. 

Full results here

For more information on qualification systems, qualfiying and MER events & qualified nations, visit the FEI Paris 2024 Olympic hub. 

The United States won their second consecutive Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ event Sunday in San Juan Capistrano (USA), securing a comfortable victory in front of a home crowd at The Oaks International Grand Prix Field two weeks after triumphing in Mexico.

The event marked the first Nations Cup event held in the state of California, and Chef d'Equipe Robert Ridland brought forward a powerhouse team that featured Lillie Keenan (Argan de Beliard), Karl Cook (Kalinka van't Zorgvliet), Laura Kraut (Dorado) and McLain Ward (Contagious).

The squad delivered. Over Leopoldo Palacios' (VEN) 1.60m track, they finished on a total score of 12 faults. Ireland finished second (17 faults), with Mexico third (33 faults).

"Qualifying for the Nations Cup [Finals] in Barcelona had to be a major priority, because that's one of two ways left to qualify for the Olympics. We basically took our 'A' team at the beginning of the year and split it in half. We sent the first half to Mexico [and came here] with the other half."

Chef d'Equipe Robert Ridland (USA)

All three riders from the U.S.'s silver medal-winning squad from Tokyo were represented across the two teams. In Mexico, Kraut delivered three clear rounds when prevailing in a jump-off against Mexico. In San Juan Capistrano, it was Ward's turn to lead the way. Ward produced the only double-clear effort on the day aboard his partner from the Tokyo Olympic Games, Contagious.

"I thought Leopoldo set a very challenging track. When I walked it, I have to say I was a tiny bit surprised at how big it was," Ward said. "But it's a five-star Nations Cup. There are huge consequences to this qualification, and that's the way it should be."

The United States boasted a comfortable lead heading into the second round, with more than a rail in hand over Canada. But Ireland launched a tremendous rally their second time around the course. Neither Andrew Bourns (Sea Topblue), David Blake (Claude), nor Conor Swail (Nadal Hero & DB) touched a pole, finishing the round with just a single fault added to their scorecard. 

That put a greater amount of pressure on the home nation, but veterans Kraut and Ward were clear for the U.S., securing the victory. Not a single U.S. rider incurred more than 4 faults in a single round of competition.

"When this group of riders that we have here are on form, it suits us when it's more difficult. So I think it worked in our favour."

McLain Ward (USA)

Kraut was the only rider to have also competed in Mexico. In that event, she rode her Tokyo Olympic Games mount, Baloutinue. In San Juan Capistrano, she brought forward 10-year-old Dorado for his Nations Cup debut. 

"I was thrilled with him," Kraut said. "I will tell you, in the first round, he definitely was impressed. I agree with McLain that the course was much more difficult than I was expecting, and it caught me off guard. [Dorado] was a little bit shy from the first round, and he could have gotten smaller for the second round, or he could have grown. He grew and rode around beautifully, like he'd been doing it a long time."

With their victory, the United States increased their lead in the North and Central America and Caribbean division; they boast 200 points. Mexico sits second with 170 points, and Canada is third (150 points).

The division concludes in Vancouver (CAN) on 4 June 2023.

Full Results

Standings

Strong cross-country performances in testing conditions, gave France the winning edge in the second leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™, which took place in the stunning setting of Chatsworth Park (GBR). All four French riders scored clear cross-country performances around a demanding course, with some of the fastest times of the day. Their final team score of 140.3 penalties put them just ahead of Great Britain who had led the first two phases but eventually finished on 148.9 penalties. Belgium lagged behind in third on 1120.3 penalties. 

The best performance of the day came from young Frenchman Stephane Landois and his beautiful grey horse Chaman Dumontceau. After an impressive dressage score of 22.8, the talented pair were one of just four riders to jump a double clear and his blazing cross-country round was one of the quickest of the day. Speaking after his performance he said: “I am so happy, my horse is a very good horse and this weekend he confirmed that. My horse is very powerful and the ground was not easy, but not so difficult for him as for others”.

Gaspard Maksud and his exciting mare Zaragoza ll, did their chances of selection for future French teams no harm, with another fast and seamless cross-country performance. He spoke highly of the cross-country course which has been designed by Ian Stark for a number of years. Chatsworth is generally considered one of the more demanding tracks of this level, with the undulations adding to the scale of difficulty. 

“It was a lovely track to ride. Big and bold and nothing too technical” summed up Muksad. “The ground was a bit holding and was the reason no one went first. I just let my horse gallop at her own speed because there is nothing worse than a tired horse. It’s always easy to find an excuse and blame the ground but whilst you needed to ride the ground a bit slower, you still needed to attack the fences. It was big and wide and you had to be committed to ride the distances.”

“This is my first time at Chatsworth, it’s lovely with the house in the background . It is a fantastic atmosphere, in fact hard to do much better than that. It is great to see people out here enjoying watching the sport and what we are doing. 

Like many of the riders here Maksud is hoping to impress the selectors, particuarly with the French hosting the Olympics in Paris next year. “I have done two Nations Cups last year and it is always nice to be in the team and win. But the real battle is going to be in August for the Europeans at Haras du Pin.”

The British team posted impressive dressage and showjumping performances, with three riders jumping double clears but slipped behind the French after incurring more time penalties in the final phase. Fresh from her Badminton victory last week, Ros Canter led going into the final phase after scoring an eye-popping 18 penalties in the dressage. Her horse Izilot DHI is young and impressionable, so she chose to take him more steadily on the cross-country. “It was a really fantastic course and exactly what we wanted to set us up for Bramham which is our big aim. The ground conditions were far from ideal so I just let him get the education at the fences. He is quite a spooky horse but the scope and ability is all there.”

“The Nations Cup is fantastic and there is the bigger significance for some of the nations trying to get their Olympic qualification so it’s great to see so many nations coming over for Chatsworth. This Series is really good for the young horses to get the exposure and come to an event like this where there are lots of people watching, it’s just the sort of thing that would bother my horse. You get the benefit of your other team members telling you what happened and all our amazing World Class staff that give us valuable information here” said Canter.

Despite the sun coming out for the final day, incessant rain leading up to the event resulted in heavy ground conditions in both the jumping and cross-country phases. This inevitably saw the undoing of a great number of combinations. There were just 11 combinations to jump clear cross-country out of the 23 who started the competition.

This Nations Cup series is of particular significance to some nations this year. The highest placed team according to the final team classification of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Series 2023, excluding teams/NOCs already qualified, will be allocated a place for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

The Belgians lead the Series at this early stage, with 180 points scored after winning the opening event in Montelibretti last month. The third leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ moves to Millstreet (IRE) which runs from 3-6 June.

Carina Cassoe Krüth could not be beaten in Compiègne (FRA), leading Denmark to victory in the nation's first outing of the 2023 FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ season. 

Under the tutelage of Chef d'Equipe Anne-Mette Binder, the three-rider Danish squad of Krüth (Heiline's Danciera), Anna Kasprzak (Addict de Massa) and Lone Bang Zindroff (Thranegaardens Rostov) did not finish outside the top 12 across the CDIO5* Grand Prix, CDIO5* Grand Prix Special and CDIO5* Grand Prix Freestyle tests to record comfortable victory in the second leg of the six-event Nations Cup series. The group finished with just 36 points. 

The Netherlands finished second with 41 points, while Germany—who took an opening leg victory in Wellington (USA) in February—finished third with 45 points. In this Nations Cup format, athletes received points equivalent to their finish position in each test. Those points were totaled for a final team score, with the lowest cumulative score taking top honors. Athletes completed two tests each; all athletes contested the Grand Prix before splitting across the Special and Freestyle.

"Even though there were mistakes, they kept their calm and kept their cool. This is what we tried to achieve with our little team—that it's okay to make mistakes, so that you feel comfortable in trying to find a solution and solve the problems if you're in them."

Anne-Mette Binder (DEN)

Denmark's team was one of balance. A most experienced combination of Krüth and the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, Heiline's Danciera were part of Denmark's gold medal-winning squad at the FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN) in August, while Kasprzak and Zindroff brought forward mounts that were less experienced at the level. 

Krüth and her veteran partner certainly delivered, taking top honors in both the Grand Prix (78.674%) and Grand Prix Special (76.107%), despite some mistakes in the latter test. 

"Yesterday [the Grand Prix] was mistake-free. There was a little bit here and there with details. I can do better, but the feeling was amazing," Krüth detailed. "Today [in the Grand Prix Special], I think the feeling was even better than yesterday, but then I had some very big mistakes...That's how it is with horses. We all make mistakes sometimes, but the feeling was even better today."

Krüth and Heiline's Danciera have been partnered since the mare was just a 4-year-old, and the horse has had no other rider. In addition to their gold medal performance in Herning, they have also represented Denmark in the Tokyo Olympic Games (JPN) and 2022 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final (GER).

"We've been doing Grand Prix since [Heiline's Danciera] was eight. She's 12, and there's still a lot to do. Even though you're 12, you can still improve. That's what's so amazing, and that's why I'm still so much in love with the sport, because you can keep working on little details and major things."

Carina Cassoe Krüth (DEN)

Kasprzak and Addict de Massa were consistent throughout the weekend, finishing 10th in the Grand Prix and ninth in the Special. After finishing 11th in the Grand Prix, Zindroff and Thranegaardens Rostov finished fourth in the Freestyle. Both riders were pleased with the development of their horses.

"I could get used to this! [This team knows] each other very well, so it's been fun," Zindroff said. "I felt a little bit of pressure today, because I was the last rider. But it's great fun that we cheer each other and support each other."

Germany has taken over the series lead with 21 points, ahead of Sweden (16 points) and Denmark (15). The FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ continues at Budapest (HUN), 7-11 June 2023.

The FEI Tribunal has issued two Consent Awards in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.

In this case, the horse Intruso del Reparo (FEI ID 106GW63/BRN), tested positive for the Banned Substance Boldenone following samples taken at the CEI1* 100 - Sakhir, Bahrain International Endurance Village (BRN), 8-10 December 2022.

The athlete, Albrahim Alyahya (FEI ID 10204085/KSA) and the trainer Khalifa Saad Sharida Mubarak (FEI ID 10043686/BRN) both admitted the rule violation and accepted the proposed consequences. In its final decisions the FEI Tribunal disqualified the athlete and horse combination from the event and imposed an eighteen-month ineligibility period on the athlete and the trainer; the provisional suspension each already served shall be credited against their imposed ineligibility period. They were each also fined CHF 5,000.

The full Consent Award for Albrahim Alyahya is available here.

The full Consent Award for Khalifa Saad Sharida Mubarak is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Clean Sport - human athletes

The FEI is part of the collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport led by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The aim of this movement is to protect fair competition as well as athlete health and welfare.

WADA’s Prohibited List identifies the substances and methods prohibited in- and out-of-competition, and in particular sports. The substances and methods on the List are classified by different categories (e.g., steroids, stimulants, gene doping).

As a WADA Code Signatory, the FEI runs a testing programme for human athletes based on WADA’s List of Prohibited List of Substances and Methods and on the Code-compliant FEI Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA).

For further information, please consult the Clean Sport section of the FEI website here.

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned Substances should never be found in the body of the horse and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

 

The last 18 months have been nothing short of magical for Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann. He has not only competed at the highest level in the most important arenas around the world, but his partnership with King Edward has taken the 41-year-old rider to the top spot of every major podium the sport has to offer.

From Olympic Team Gold in Tokyo in 2021, to individual and team gold at the FEI Jumping World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN), and now the ultimate indoor title with his recent win at the  Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Finals a few weeks ago in Omaha (USA), von Eckermann is setting the bar very high.

These outstanding performances have been integral to not only getting to the top spot of the Longines Rankings, to claim the white armband that only the number one can wear, but also generating an impressive lead. A lead which he has held since August 2022, when he dethroned Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, and has been further enhanced with frequent top three finishes with his other horses, such as Iliana, Calizi and Glamour Girl.

But the last update of the Longines Rankings (No. 268) shows just how dominant von Eckermann has been in the last 9 months. He is the number one with 3598 points, while Julien Epaillard remains in second, with 3005 points. That difference of 593 points between the top two athletes in the world is the widest gap registered in the last 14 years*.

These months have been an incredible experience for von Eckermann. “When I got the bracelet {Longines n1. armband}, my first thought was I really wanted to make sure I’m not the athlete that holds the top spot for the shortest period of time. I really wanted to stay on a little bit and not just give it away the next month. Afterwards, with the success we’ve had, I thought it would be nice to be number one for one year. So now, with this margin, that could be a goal, that could be possible. So I’m very happy about that,” explained the Swede.

The “500 points club”

While this gap of 593 points between first and second is the largest ever, there are two other athletes that have reached the number 1 of the Longines Rankings with a gap of more than 500 points. The first to achieve it was Britain’s Scott Brash, who did it twice, back in 2014, when he held the number one position with 561 points over compatriot Ben Maher, and 550 points over Ludger Beerbaum (GER) for just the one month.

The second athlete to break the 500-point barrier was Harrie Smolders (NED) in 2018, surpassing Brash’s achievement. The Dutchman was number 1 with 3388 points, while Peder Fredricson had 2826, a gap of 562 points. Five years later, von Eckermann has now joined the “500 points club”. His advantage of 593 points over Epaillard does beg the question if a whole new category – the “600 points club” – is on the horizon.

A Brilliant Partnership

None of the above could be explained without his sidekick, King Edward. The 13-year-old gelding came into von Eckermann’s life through his wife, Janika Sprunger (SUI), who acquired the gelding from a Belgian amateur rider. They started competing together in 2019.

With a height of 1.65 meters - relatively small for a Jumping Horse- King Edward has shown he’s up to any challenge. Even though Henrik von Eckermann has competed with five other horses over the last year, King Edward is the one for the big occasions.

“King Edward is first of all an exceptional horse”, says von Eckermann. But a brilliant horse is not enough to reach the top. “It’s the daily work, what we do. We work with the horses every day and for me the most important thing is I always try to listen to the horse, what it tells me”.

But Henrik also highlights the importance of his other horses and why it’s key to remain at the top of the Longines Rankings. “I have a fantastic group of horses now. Of course there’s King Edward, but the other horses are also doing a fantastic job. Like Glamour Girl winning three big classes in two shows. Going back to the ranking, that’s what makes the difference”.

No success without a plan

Von Eckermann is convinced that every-day work is the key to success. “I can’t talk to the horses, but that’s why it’s so important to be there every day and spend as much time as possible with the horses, to learn what they are trying to tell us, so we can find a balance between not doing too much and not doing too little," he says.

You need a good plan because in the end, even if they have great quality, if you want to have long-term success, you really have to listen to what the horse tells you. That's why it's important to keep working with them every day and to know your horse inside and out."

Added pressure?

For many, walking into a competition as the number one could bring extra pressure to perform at the best level, but that's not the case for the Swede. "The bracelet {Longines n1. armband} doesn't bring extra pressure. I try to enjoy the moment. I know this moment will not last forever. I always put pressure on myself when I go in the ring. I want to do the best ride that I can for the horse, to be able to be satisfied when I go out, knowing that I did everything that I could."

Paris 2024 on the horizon

So, what's next for Henrik von Eckermann? The answer is quite simple: the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The individual Olympic gold medal is the only one missing from his cabinet. "Of course, the next big, big goal is Paris. For King Edward, the big goal is the Olympics, even if it's a long time still, and many things can happen. But with more than one year to go, there's plenty to keep myself busy with. For the moment, I'm a little bit between indoor-outdoor, so I have to feel how the horses are on the grass to try to make the best plan for my horses. In the next few weeks, I will see a little bit what could fit my horses."

You can check the full Longines Rankings here

* The FEI Database only contains Jumping World Rankings from the last 14 years.

Photo caption: Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and King Edward at the FEI Jumping World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN) - FEI / Leanjo de Koster

Following her stunning victory at the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2023 in Omaha (USA), Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) has reclaimed the top spot of the FEI Dressage World Ranking for Athletes, making her the new world number one with 2193 points.

Von Bredow-Werndl made a sensational return to top-level competition last October at the second FEI Dressage World Cup^TM 2022/2023 qualifier in Lyon (FRA) after a six-month maternity leave, winning  both the Grand Prix and the Freestyle test to a new French-themed musical score featuring Edith Piaf’s “Je ne regrette rien”.

Former number one, Charlotte Fry (GBR) now holds the second position in the rankings with 2080 points, after climbing to the top spot by earning three medals (two golds) at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN).

Isabell Werth (GER) remains third in the FEI Dressage World Ranking with 2058 points, while Nanna Skodborg has climbed to fourth position (1983 points) after earning a silver medal at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023. This is the best ranking position in the career of the 30 years-old Dane.

The Netherland’s Dinja Van Liere closes the Top5 of the FEI Dressage World Ranking, dropping to fifth position with 1902 points, partly due to her withdrawal from the last World Cup Final.

Meanwhile, Carina Cassøe Krüth (DEN) has gone from fifth to sixth place with 1869 points, followed by Sweden’s Patrick Kittel, who remains in 7th position on 1838 points. Ingrid Klimke (GER) moves into 8th on 1832 points, having swapped places with Benjamin Werndl (GER) now 9th-ranked with 1810 points. Frederic Wandres (GER) closes the Top10 on 1793 points.

There is more good news for Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, as her horse TSF Dalera BB has also climbed to the number one of the FEI Dressage World Ranking for Horses. The German mare is now at the top of the table with 2193 points.

"It's a great feeling to be back at the top after the baby break. This is a great endorsement for our path", von Bredow-Werndl said.

Former number one Glamourdale - Charlotte Fry’s Stallion - is now 2^nd on 2047 points, while Isabell Werth’s Emilio 107 (1944 points) and DSP Quantaz (1917 points) are 3^rd and 4^th respectively. Carina Cassøe Krüth’s mare Heiline’s Danciera closes the top 5 on 1896 points.

You can check the FEI Rankings here

Photo caption: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) with TSF Dalera BB at the FEI Dressage World Cup^TM Final in Omaha (USA) - FEI/ Liz Gregg

As the second round of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Mexico winded down, a large amount of pressure was mounted on Laura Kraut's (USA) shoulders. If Kraut, last to go, produced a clear round, the United States would jump-off for victory against defending Champions, Mexico. 

Kraut would not only produce that critical clear effort aboard her championship partner Baloutinue, but she would also go on to secure the victory for her team in a two-horse jump-off with Mexico's Eugenio Garza Perez. She shared victory with Kent Farrington (Landon), Jessica Springsteen (Don Juan van de Donkhoeve) and Bliss Heers (Antidote de Mars).

Kraut and Baloutinue, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, produced the only double-clear over Benjamin Fernandez's (MEX) 1.60m track. In the jump-off, they were clear again, with a winning time of 39.43 seconds. Garza secured second for Mexico aboard Contago with a jump-off time of 42.13 seconds. Both teams finished the second round on total scores of 8 faults. Canada was third with 20 faults.

"When Laura went in for the second round, I said, 'We need two clear rounds out of you, starting now!' That wasn't counting her first one. We had already made that decision [that she would jump-off if she was clear]."

Chef d'Equipe Robert Ridland (USA)

After the U.S. failed to qualify for the 2022 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Finals, Ridland entered the 2023 season with an aggressive strategy. He brought forward four of the country's best combinations to Mexico with an eye toward getting the better of the home nation, who had won four of the last five editions of the event on home soil. 

"This planning really happened at the beginning of the year. We knew what was ahead of us, long-range, to qualify for the [2024] Olympics in Paris, and this was a huge step to get there," Ridland said. "We needed to bring experience. We have some young riders in the mix as well, but we had to bring our 'A' team."

Three of the U.S.'s four team members are Olympic medalists, and each of those athletes—Kraut, Farrington, and Springsteen—delivered at least one clear round on the day. After the first round, the Americans led on a score of 4 faults, but rails from Springsteen and Heers in Round 2—and clear efforts from Garza Perez, Nicolas Pizarro (Pia Contra) and Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane (Hortensia van de Leeuwerk)—leveled the playing field. 

In the jump-off, it was footspeed that proved to be the greatest difference-maker.  

"We watched Eugenio go, and as I was walking in the ring, Kent said, 'Your normal speed will be quick enough,'" Kraut said. "So when I started, I went maybe a touch quicker than my normal speed.

"I couldn't be happier with him. He's probably a horse of a lifetime," she added. "That's a big statement, because I've had some incredible horses."

The United States takes an early lead in the North and Central America and Caribbean division of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ with 100 points. Mexico sits second with 90 points, and Canada is third with 80 points. The division continues on 14 May 2023 in San Juan Capistrano (USA).   

FULL RESULTS

STANDINGS

The 11^th edition of the FEI Sports Forum 2023 wrapped up today in Lausanne after two days of intense discussions.

With the biggest turnout ever experienced at a Sports Forum, the second day of sessions further confirmed and highlighted the equestrian community’s desire to work together and to find solutions that would be beneficial to all the stakeholder groups, with the wellbeing of the horse and the future of the sport at the heart of all considerations.

“What we have seen over these past days is a real commitment to community-led change but also accountability”, said FEI President Ingmar De Vos.

“We are all in this together, and the discussions and healthy debate at this year’s Sports Forum is a testament to this collective responsibility we all share with regards to our horses, our sport, our industry and especially the legacy we want to leave for the next generations of equestrians.”

The day began with a session dedicated to the Cost of Jumping Events with representatives from all the key stakeholder groups, namely François Mathy Jr (BEL) and Gaj Riossa (SLO) representing the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), Peter Bollen (BEL) and Ian Allison representing Equestrian Organisers (EO), Dominique Mégret (FRA) from the Jumping Owners Club (JOC), and Ali Küçük (TUR) from  the International Jumping Officials Club (IJOC).

FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez opened and went on to moderate the session, with FEI CFO Claude Praz providing a detailed overview of the financial situation around Prize Money requirements, including the current discrepancy in the conversion system. A new proposed system for 2024 was presented which would see the FEI break away from CHF, and establish the EUR as the new base currency, with the USD as the second currency, and set at today’s exchange rate of 1.10. A second proposal around the introduction of a minimum prize money requirement for CSI1* also generated significant debate which for most regions outside of Western Europe and the US was deemed unrealistic. Concerns which were addressed by the FEI Jumping Committee Chair Stephan Ellenbruch, reassuring the delegates that the FEI Jumping Committee would seek to find solutions that are relevant to all regions of the world.

Entry fees and the costs associated with rising mandatory fees were also raised, with youth and accessibility to the sport key to the discussion. For the panellists and the delegates, these discussions were essential and ultimately required each and every stakeholder group to ask themselves what they wanted for the sport, the future of the sport and the accessibility for young riders and developing equestrian nations in the upper echelons of the sport. The FEI Secretary General concluded the session noting that a dedicated Working group involving all the stakeholders would be created to take discussions further and find sustainable solutions.

Second on the agenda were the Key Event Requirements led by FEI Director of Games Operations Tim Hadaway. He opened the Session with an overview and background to the FEI Event Standards project, which included a mapping exercise and a survey, with the results presented at the FEI Sports Forum last year, namely 14 Key Event Requirements (KERs).

These are: 1) Event Biosecurity; 2) Veterinary Services & Facilities; 3) Stable Cleanliness and Disinfection; 4) Stable Security & Access Control; 5) Stable Size; 6) Stable Ventilation; 7) Drinking Water for Horses in Stables; 8) Fire Precautions & Safety Procedures in Stables; 9) Stable Area Circulation; 10) Horse Inspection; 11) Medical Services; 12) Field of Play; 13) Adequate Availability to Training/Schooling; 14) Footing.

The presentation showed that the vast majority of the KERs (1-10) identified were related to horse welfare and horse & human safety, and were already covered under the FEI Veterinary Regulations. Medical services (KER 11) is covered under the FEI General Regulations, while Field of Play, Adequate Availability to Training/Schooling, and Footing (KERs 12, 13, and 14) were covered under the specific regulations for FEI Disciplines.

The last session of the FEI Sports Forum 2023 was dedicated to the FEI Endurance Rules, which this year are undergoing full revision.

The session included a presentation of the main proposals made by a panel consisting of the Chair of the FEI Endurance Committee Christian Lozano (FRA), Deputy Chair Dr Sarah Coombs (GBR), and FEI Endurance Director Christina Abu-Dayyeh.

“This process has attracted strong interest from the community and proposed rule changes have been received from over 20 National Federations,” Christian Lozano said in his introduction. “We are always seeking to improve and better protect horse welfare as well as find systems to reward positive action. The modifications presented today go in that direction.”

The feedback received from the Sports Forum delegates was taken on board by the FEI Endurance Committee and Headquarters and work to finalise the proposed rule changes and put them forward to the vote of the General Assembly, which will take place in November 2023, will continue in accordance with the FEI Rules Revision Policy.

Key links from Day 2:

Session 4: Cost of Jumping Events, open discussion with the Athletes, Owners, Officials and Organisers

Session 5: FEI Key Events Requirements

Session 6: FEI Endurance Rules Revision

All the information from the FEI Sports Forum 2023, including summaries, presentations, lists of speakers, and recorded livestreams of the sessions are available in the dedicated online hub.

Photographs from the day can be downloaded from the FEI’s Flickr account.

Detailed summaries for each session will be published in the hub by mid-May.