All four members of the history-making Danish side that won team gold at the ECCO FEI World Championships 2022 in Herning, Denmark this summer will line out next weekend when the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League gets underway, again on their home ground but this time in Aarhus, Vilhelmsborg (DEN).

Nanna Merrald Rasmussen, Carina Cassøe Krüth, Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour arrived as favourites to take the team title in August, but were pushed every inch of the way by the powerful British and German sides that had to settle for silver and bronze. It was an enormous achievement for the Danes who only once before took a world championship podium placing when clinching bronze in Lausanne (SUI) in 1982. And Laudrup-Dufour’s silver-medal-winning double in the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle this summer was the icing on the cake.

With the new World Ranking system now in place for both Jumping and Dressage, Laudrup-Dufour is lying second on the current Dressage Athlete ranking list while Cassøe Krüth is in fifth and Merrald Rasmussen and Bachmann Andersen hold tenth and eleventh places respectively. Next weekend Cassøe Krüth will partner her Herning ride Heiline’s Danciera who lies fifth on the latest Dressage Horse ranking list.

Eight nations

Athletes from eight nations - Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden - will compete in the Short Grand Prix on Saturday 22 October from which the top 15 will qualify for Sunday’s points-deciding Freestyle.

The Danes may be a tough bunch to beat however because Laudrup-Dufour will partner her Tokyo 2020 Olympic ride Bohemian, the 12-year-old gelding with which she claimed Team and Grand Prix Special bronze and Freestyle silver at the FEI Dressage European Championships 2021 in Hagen (GER) last September.

And adding more fuel to the Danish fire will be double-Olympian Andreas Helgstrand with the exciting 8-year-old stallion Jovian who won the 7-year-old title at the World Breeding Championships last year before posting a double of CDI3* wins in Aalborg (DEN) in May, another double at CDI3* Hagen (GER) in June and fifth and fourth places in the Grand Prix and Special at the CDI4* in Aachen (GER) later that month.

This pair are definitely ones to look out for when the action kicks off, and with Anna Kasprzak and Lone Bang Zindorff also in the mix, the Danish contingent are a real force to be reckoned with this weekend.

German duo

However they may not have it all their own way because Germany will be represented by Helen Langehanenberg and Dorothee Schneider who have a world of experience and success behind them, and two great horses.

Langehanenberg was on the silver-medal-winning German team and finished individually fourth at the London 2012 Olympic Games with the stallion Damon Hill who she then went on steer to victory at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final a year later. She brings the 14-year-old mare Annabelle, who finished sixth in both the Short Grand Prix and Freestyle at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022 Final in Leipzig (GER) in April, to Aarhus this week while Schneider, a double-Olympic team champion, will partner the 14-year-old gelding Faustus who, like Annabelle, competed on the gold-medal-winning German team at last year’s FEI Dressage European Championship and who has been a prolific winner this season at CDI3* and CDI4* level.

Marc Peter Spahn (Jeroen Poll) will fly the Belgian flag while Emma Kanerva (Greek Air) will compete for Finland, Yessin Rahmouni (All at Once) will represent Morocco, Denise Nekeman (Boston STH) and Emmelie Scholtens (Desperado NOP) will line out for The Netherlands while Norway’s Mathilde Merethe (Sandbaeks Rio El) and Sweden’s Johanna Due Boje (Mazy Klovenhoj) and Jacob Noeerby Soerensen (Sheern) complete the startlist.

First stop

Aarhus is the first stop in the 12-leg FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League that continues at Lyon (FRA) the following weekend before moving on to Stuttgart (GER) and Madrid (ESP) in November and then Salzburg (AUT), London (GBR) and Mechelen (BEL) in December.

The action will resume at Basel, St Jakobshalle (SUI) and Amsterdam (NED) in January 2023, and following legs in Neumünster (GER) and Gothenburg (SWE) in February the twelfth and final qualifier will take place in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in March.

The top 9 finishers in the League will qualify for the 2023 Final along with the defending champion, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who is automatically qualified provided she competes twice during the season.

The Final returns to Omaha (USA) from 4 to 8 April, where her compatriot and five-time champion - the legendary Isabell Werth - reigned supreme on the only other occasion it was staged there in 2017.

The story of the 2022/2023 season will begin to unfold when the action gets underway on Saturday with the Short Grand Prix which starts at 19.00 local time followed by Sunday’s Grand Prix Freestyle which will kick off at 13.30. It’s going to be another super season, so don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

For all the latest information about the FEI Dressage World Cup™ season 2022/2023 check out the new Series Hub here

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

FEI Dressage World Cup™ here

Digital seminars for the core equestrian community were held on 11 and 13 October. The objectives were to highlight the best practices in the management and activation of social media platforms to help athletes, National Federations, and equestrian professionals increase their digital audiences and broaden communication.

Two sets of seminars were held over two separate days. The first one was tailored to the needs of international athletes, grooms, and their support teams whereas the second one was open to National Federations (NFs) Secretary Generals, media managers and individuals within the NFs and Continental Associations involved in communication and/or the management of digital channels.

In her opening statement, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez emphasised the importance of the use of digital platforms by athletes to build their personal brand, grow their fan base, enhance their business dealings, and ultimately attract sponsors. The Secretary General introduced the various topics, which were discussed during the seminars including best practices on content creation, effective use of digital channels, strategies to increase fan base and engagement, and opportunities for further collaboration with the FEI and other stakeholder groups.

The seminars featured presentations by FEI staff in charge of social media along with experts such as Chris Sellers, Commercial Director at Socialie; Thibault Philippaerts, international athlete from Belgium, team champion and individual silver medallist at this summer’s FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders; and Michael Richter, Head of Channel Management at Athletia Sports. Presentations on best practices for NFs were made by representatives of the German Equestrian Federation and USEF.

Over 220 attendees took part in the seminars.

The participants were really pleased with the quality of information and exchanges provided.

“The seminar was very interesting, it was a very good idea to hear from different professionals and share varied points of view,” Gala Planas, deputy general manager for Spanish Dressage rider Beatriz Ferrer-Salat commented. “I was happy with the initiative and hope to benefit more in the future.”

“The FEI Digital Seminar was very informative and I am excited to learn and explore more about the partnership with Socialie and the FEI,” Christie Hanson, FEI groom, social media manager and coach for her daughter Maren Elise Fouché-Hanson (USA), who is also an FEI Junior rider, said. “The content provided through those sources from photographers/videographers will make it much easier to share. I am grateful to the FEI for offering to support the riders with personal assistance developing their content and branding and showing them how to bring our sport to a wider audience and attract sponsorships.”

“It was a very nice opportunity to hear each presentation and approach to social media which is sometimes left behind in our daily tasks,” Satomi Asaeda from the Japanese Equestrian Federation said. “It was interesting to learn about the approach of the FEI and the German Equestrian Federation and how they work as a team. I was surprised that they reply to all the comments! Thank you also for the introduction to Socialie, which was new to us.”

All the presentations and video recordings of the sessions are available on the FEI website here.

 

In 2019 he did it with his great grey gelding Clouzot du Lassus and today young Swiss star Bryan Balsiger did it again when winning the highly competitive opening leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League with the mare Dubai du Bois Pinchet.

From a starting field of 38 there were 11 through to the jump-off, and the 25-year-old rider was fourth to go against the clock. Setting the target in 41.38 seconds he then had an agonising wait while the rest tried to catch him, but in vain.

“Since the beginning of the year Dubai has been the number one horse in my stable and we’ve been having good results together. I knew we could do more and I was waiting for a big win, so I’m over the moon with her! She has a lot of temperament but I know her well and she gives me everything - and more!”,  he said this evening after pinning the host nation’s Victoria Gulliksen into runner-up spot and Ireland’s Eoin McMahon into third.

Launchpad

Today’s launchpad for the Western European season certainly didn’t disappoint, with a sparkling line-up and a course to match. On his Oslo debut, Swedish course designer Peter Lundstrom certainly didn’t hold back. He knew he was catering for a world-class field and his 14-fence track was up to height and demanding of everyone’s full attention.

The Telenor Arena is compact, and for the first big indoor event of the season that always proves a challenge for horses that have been jumping outdoors over the summer.

Today’s first-round test included plenty of twists and turns, and one of the pivotal points was the 1.63m vertical with a skinny plank on top at fence 12. For some horses it fell easily while others hit it hard but it didn’t come down.

Reigning world champion, number one in the Longines rider rankings and the last man into the ring in the opening round, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann looked set to make it a 12-horse jump-off with the 10-year-old gelding Hollywood V until this one fell and he was obliged to join 13 others on a first-round four-fault tally.

Pathfinder

Ireland’s Eoin McMahon set the jump-off target when pathfinder with Ludger Beerbaum Stables’ 12-year-old grey mare Chakra who broke the beam with a clear round in 46.13 seconds. That always looked beatable, but two more took their turn before Balsiger blew the competition wide open when scorching through the finish almost five seconds quicker, in 41.38 seconds, to really put it up to the rest of them.

Germany’s Daniel Deusser, 2014 series champion, looked really threatening when sixth to go with his big-winning mare Killer Queen VDM. But a slip on the roll-back to the two remaining elements of the triple combination halfway around the jump-off track put paid to their chances as they hit the second element, although their four faults in 42.76 seconds would still be good enough for sixth place at the end of the day.

With two Norwegians through to the timed decider the home crowd had a whole lot to cheer about and, next to go, Victoria Gulliksen set them alight with a brilliant round from her ever-reliable chestnut gelding Equine America Papa Roach who cleared the course in 43.62 seconds to slot into runner-up spot.

And when promising young Dutchman, 22-year-old Lars Kersten, steered Emmerton home clear in 46.80 for fourth place and Norway’s Marie Valdar Longem brought Echo de Virton home in 47.12 seconds for fifth, then Gulliksen maintained her second-place finish behind Balsiger and ahead of McMahon.

Special

The partnership between Gulliksen and the 13-year-old Papa Roach has long been a special one, and there was a whole lot of Norwegian happiness this evening.

Talking about her ride at the end of the first round, the 30-year-old athlete said, “it was a crazy feeling, an adrenalin-kick like I never experienced in my whole life! Without that horse I would never have jumped clear. I was missing totally to the last fence but he jumped it. But he does everything for me because he loves me and I love him, and he just knew he had to jump clear today and he was really working for it! I couldn’t be more happy to have a clear round for the first time in the World Cup on home soil!”

And then she went out and did it again….

Reflected

Meanwhile Balsiger reflected on his success. “I always knew Dubai could do big sport, but something was missing until today and now I have the feeling that this is just the beginning at this level and I’m very excited for her!” said the rider who plans to also bring the 13-year-old mare to the second leg of the WEL series in Helsinki, Finland next Sunday.

Asked about winning twice in Oslo, he said that he came well prepared on both occasions. “When we plan go to a World Cup qualifier I always have my horses ready because it is a big opportunity to ride for your country at this level and I just want to do my best”, he pointed out.

“I needed luck today, but after three years you know how difficult it is to win at World Cup shows. It doesn’t happen every weekend and it’s a brilliant achievement that can only happen with the help of my great horse and all of my team, my sponsor and trainer and my groom - I am so grateful to them all for believing in me and my horses!”, he said.

Result here 

Standings here

Second-time gold winner HH Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, with the horse Lola De Jalima from Bahrain took the top prize again at the FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Horses held on Sunday 2 October, 2022 in Vic (ESP). Athletes completed a mountainous and challenging 120 km-long course, over four loops. 

In a tight competition, with the first and second vet gates busy with horses riding in together, Lucía Lateulade with the horse JM Hadamo from Uruguay came in second. Carlos Pacheco Perez with his mount Ella De Fontaines from host-country Spain claimed bronze. 

HH Sheikh Al Khalifa has successfully completed 13 FEI Championships in Endurance, including this one, since the start of his career, out of a total participation in 19 Championships. The first time he took the top prize was in August 2012, when he won the FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Horses in Bablona (HUN). 

Demonstrating its impeccable level of fitness, Al Khalifa’s horse, Lola De Jalima, took an average of 1 minute 4 seconds to recover after each of the first three loops. The horse took only 9 minutes 12 seconds to recover from the last of the four loops. 

The ride started off at a cool 7 degrees at 07:30, with weather conditions warming up significantly to 27 degrees by the time the first horses started to arrive at the vet gates around 16:00. 

Lateulade came in second at the test event for these championships earlier this year in Vic in April, also with the horse JM Hadamo. It was Pacheco Perez’s first Championship; the last ride he competed in he placed first in Monpazier (FRA) this past August with the same horse Ella de Fontaines. 

Also participating in this year’s ride was athlete Saeed Salem Atiq Almuhairi from the UAE. A three-time gold winner of the World Juniors and Young Riders Championships, his most recent win was in Ermelo (Ned) in 2021, preceded by wins in Pisa and Valeggio Sul Mincio, both in Italy, in 2019 and 2017 respectively. 

This year’s FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Horses witnessed 41 starters from 20 countries. It was the concluding event of a weekend with two FEI Endurance Championships, with host nation Spain claiming both team and individual golds at the FEI European Championship for Young Riders & Juniors held on Friday. 


FULL RESULTS

Next Sunday’s opening leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League in Oslo (NOR) looks set to be a cracker with two former series champions and five of the top-10 riders in the world rankings, including the man in the number one slot, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, in the star-studded field.

The new season is a busy one, visiting 14 CSI5*-W fixtures in 11 countries between October 2022 and the end of February 2023. Oslo will be followed by Helsinki (FIN) and Lyon (FRA) later this month, and then it will be on to Verona (ITA), Stuttgart (GER) and Madrid (ESP) in November.

La Coruña (ESP) leads the way into the December action which will continue with the British leg at the London-ExCel arena, while the popular Belgian event in Mechelen will bring 2022 to a close.

There will be five qualifying rounds still to run when 2023 gets underway with a visit to Basel, St Jakobshalle (SUI) in early January swiftly followed by legs in Leipzig (GER) and Amsterdam (NED). The last two will take place in Bordeaux (FRA) and Gothenburg (SWE) in February by which time all eyes will be turning to Omaha (USA) where the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023 will take place from 4 to 8 April.

Eleventh time

This will be the eleventh time for the Final to return to the USA since the inaugural finale in 1979, and the second time for it to be held in Omaha.

US riders have only taken the title twice on home soil - first when Conrad Homfeld won through with Balbuco at the second edition in Baltimore in 1980 and then in Omaha 37 years later where McLain Ward realised a long-held ambition when coming out on top with HH Azur in 2017.

However America holds the record for most victories down the years with a total of 11 from the 42 editions, while Germany is next best with 10.

With the seven best results counting for each rider, and the top 18 earning a ticket to the 2023 Final, early points on the Western European League table are always an asset. But they won’t be going cheap this weekend because so many of the biggest names in the sport will be chasing down the maximum 20.

On fire

Since taking team gold and individual fourth place with King Edward at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, world number one Henrik von Eckermann has been on fire. This summer the pair clinched double-gold at the ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN) and the 41-year-old rider arrives in Norway this week fresh from recent wins in Spruce Meadows (CAN) and New York (USA) so is clearly still on top form.

However Dutchmen Harrie Smolders (ranked 4th) and Maikel van der Vleuten (8th), Brazil’s Marlon Zanotelli (7th) and French star Kevin Staut (10th) are also in the mix along with two members of the Belgian team that won the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2022 title just eight days ago - rising star Gilles Thomas and veteran Gregory Wathelet.

The 2022 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final podium was an all-European affair headed up by Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, and for the second time in his career Harrie Smolders finished second while Sweden’s Jens Fredricson finished third.

Listed

Currently ranked 99th, Fredricson is listed for Oslo with Markan Cosmopolit, the horse with which, alongside von Eckermann, he helped clinch that team gold for Sweden with brilliant performances at the World Championship this summer where the pair also finished individually tenth. This horse/athlete combination are always a force to be reckoned with.

Add in 2014 series champion Daniel Deusser and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat who has three FEI Jumping World Cup™ titles on his impressive resume and it’s clear that this opening round of the new season will be no walk-in-the-park.

Norway’s Geir Gulliksen is back in the saddle after recovering from a fall that left him out of commission for several months, so the home side will also be coming out with all guns blazing when the action gets underway next Sunday at 15.30 local time.

So don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

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 results, articles, interviews, videos and much more while following the action all the way to the Final.

Oslo website here 

FEI Jumping World Cup™ here

An all-female team from Great Britain led throughout the three phases of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™, which was held in Boekelo (NED) this weekend. The team consisted of seasoned campaigners Laura Collett, who won team gold at the Tokyo Olympics, former World Champion Rosalind Canter, together with Sarah Bullimore and Kirsty Chabert. Their three-phase team total of 95.7 was enough to put them ahead of New Zealand on 101.1 and France on 110.1. Germany  wound up fourth in Boekelo but finished as overall Champions of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Series on a final point score of 450, with Italy in overall second on 415 points, and Sweden in third place on 375.

Phillip Surl is Chef d’Equipe of the British Nations Cup team and was delighted with his team’s performance in Boekelo. “There have been some challenges this week. With a change of personnel after the trot-up on Wednesday. Yasmin (Ingham) was meant to be in the team but her horse had a little accident on the walk back from the trot-up and as she was due to run first for the British team on Thursday, we thought it best to let her run individually and do her dressage on Friday instead.  So that meant Kirsty (Chabert) came into the team last minute.”

“The dressage was very solid and they performed well in the cross-country. The course has had a facelift and is always tricky because it runs over so many different landowners.  I believe there are over 20 landowners involved in making Boekelo run so that is not without its challenges. Everyone felt it was beefed up and it certainly got the riders’ attention. It was a proper four-star and the difference is the crowds at this event. It is unique- there are a lot of spectators and they are very close to the course and that’s all part of the experience. The main arena is a proper championship experience and the young horses definitely have to grow up.”

Boekelo proved as popular as ever with around 60,000 spectators arriving to watch some of the best riders in the world. This included the recently crowned FEI Eventing World Champion, Yasmin Ingham and the current World Number One and Two in the FEI standings, Tim and Jonelle Price who were part of the second placed New Zealand team. Tim Price also wound up in first place individually in this long format competition, finishing on his dressage score. Laura Collett led throughout but after dislodging a pole in the final jumping phase, she slipped to third place behind Tim and her fellow Tokyo teammate Tom McEwen, who was riding as an individual. 

“Laura was unlucky to have a pole,” says Surl. “She had a very solid week otherwise and Sarah (Bullimore) had a very challenging time in the jumping which is not normal for that horse but that’s how it rolls sometimes. We used a few lives up to stay in pole position but that’s the name of the game.”

Surl believes the The Nations Cup is valuable in giving riders and horses match-practice in being part of a team and the extra pressure that comes with that.  “If you take it back to its early years, there are a lot of riders who have cut their teeth in the Series. Next year will be a golden ticket year as it was in 2019, so there will be a lot of teams chasing qualification for the Paris Olympics in 2024. 

“A lot of nations use the Series in different ways. We are lucky with the strength and depth that we are able to be fairly competitive at every one we go to, but over the years there are riders and also horses now at top level who have started out competing internationally through this system. We have certainly used it for the young horses coming through, and if they cope with this and grow from the experience, it's always going to be useful later on in their careers”

This year’s Nations Cup Series has proved popular, attracting nations from around the world to compete at a total of eight events staged in Europe and Canada. It will begin again next season, where several nations still not qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics will be looking for good results and riders will be looking to impress selectors.

FULL RESULTS

FINAL FEI EVENTING NATIONS CUP STANDINGS

Swail picks up where he left off in Sacramento

Heading into the opening leg of the 2022-2023 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League season in Sacramento (USA), the expectations of Conor Swail (IRL) were high. Swail not only won Sacramento's World Cup leg a year ago, but he also led the NAL in points at season's end.

He picked up right where he left off, defending his Sacramento title with Vital Chance de la Roque and jumping into a familiar place at the top of the NAL standings Saturday night before a sold-out crowd at the Murieta Equestrian Center.

"[Vital Chance] has had an incredible year. Every time I ride him, I know he's going to give me a good shot [to win]. The two of us just seem to have a good partnership. Today, he jumped so well."

-Conor Swail (IRL)

Olaf Petersen, Jr.'s (GER) course proved tough to navigate, and a clear round was not produced until Swail cracked the code 19 riders into the starting order. The jump-off field would ultimately consist of three, and Swail put his competitors away with a second clear effort in a sharp time of 38.19 seconds, impressing with two bold inside turns. No one could match him, but a duo of rising talent followed him on the podium, with 20-year-old Sophia Siegel and A-Girl second (4/50.02 seconds) and Natalie Dean (USA) third with Chance Ste Hermelle (8/43.65).

"When you go first [in a jump-off of this size], you're either first, second or third. I'd prefer to be first, and I wanted to try to put it away early," Swail said. "I was going to do what my strengths are. My plan was to be fast [and not] leave the door open."

Swail accrued 20 points for his victory and has taken an early lead in the NAL standings. Siegel sits second with 17 points, and Dean is third with 15 points. Seven legs remain through March; the North American League continues at the Washington International Horse Show in Upper Marlboro (USA) on 29 October 2022. 

FULL RESULTS

STANDINGS

Three and a half years after taking the top spot of the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings, Tim Price (NZL) claims it once again, replacing Olympic gold medallist Oliver Townend (GBR), who held the position for the last 3 years.

The 2019 World Champion won the bronze medal at the FEI Eventing World Championship held in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) a few weeks ago. Thanks to his consistency, Price has topped the world ranking with a total of 610 points.

But there’s more joy for the Price family as Tim’s wife - Jonelle Price (NZL) - has climbed to the second position of the rankings, with 569 points. To round out the celebrations, the Price’s groom, Kerryn Edmans, has also just been nominated in the Cavalor FEI Best Groom category of this year’s FEI Awards.

Former number one, Oliver Townend, has dropped to number three with 559 points, while his fellow countrywoman Rosalind Canter is now fourth on 503 points. William Coleman (USA) closes the Top 5 of the rankings with 469 points.

The new FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings reflect some other solid points-earning performances, with Great Britain’s Yasmin Ingham moving up to eighth place after claiming the Individual gold medal at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 in Italy. Tom McEwen (GBR) and Lauren Nicholson (USA) have reached the top ten with 402 and 399 points

The last time Tim Price was at the top of the World Rankings was back in August 2019. Since then, Price has been able to perform at the highest level, which has allowed him to maintain a position in the Top 10 of the FEI Eventing World Championship Rankings ever since.

The full FEI Eventing World Championship Rankings list is published here

Photo Caption: Tim Price (NZL) during the Cross Country competition at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA)

Photo Credit: FEI/ Massimo Argenziano

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.
The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.

FEI Contacts:
Paul Stretton
Senior Manager, Sport Communications and Media Relations
paul.stretton@fei.org
+41 78 661 66 53

Didier Montes Kienle
Manager, Sport Communications and Media Relations
didier.montes@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 21

The nominations for the FEI Awards 2022 are as impressive as ever, with the online voting opening today for the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete, Longines FEI Rising Star, Cavalor FEI Best Groom, FEI Against All Odds and FEI Solidarity Awards.

The 20 shortlisted candidates from 15 countries include World Champions, highly accomplished up-and-coming young athletes, grooms, inspirational equestrians, judges and charities.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry, who took home two individual Dressage gold medals at the Ecco FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN), is one of four nominees for the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award. Her peers include Vaulting World Champion and former Longines FEI Rising Star Award winner Lambert Leclezio from France, Para Dressage multi World Champion and Paralympic gold medallist Sanne Voets from the Netherlands, and Swedish Jumping legend, Henrik von Eckermann, current World number one, reigning World Champion and veteran of both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the latter being where he helped bring home team gold.

Once again, this year the FEI received hugely diverse nominations from all over the globe, highlighting individuals and organisations going above and beyond in their dedication to equestrian sports and horse welfare. The ultimate accolades will go to the winners at the FEI Awards Gala presented by Longines on 13 November in Cape Town (RSA).
 
The Longines FEI Rising Star category is once again bristling with young up-and-coming talent, including Eventer Alice Casburn (GBR), Irish Jumping athlete James Derwin, Denmark’s World Championship 2022 Para Dressage team silver medallist Karla Dhym-Junge and Dutch Vaulter Sam Dos Santos.

Of course, behind every great athlete, there are incredible grooms, and this year’s nominations for the Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award reflect that unfailing determination and commitment which characterises the sport’s often most valued yet unsung heroes. Representing four different nationalities and disciplines, four highly respected and experienced grooms who work with some of the top equestrian athletes in the world, have been shortlisted this year. 

Wherever they come from, and no matter their sporting discipline, they all share a common trait: total dedication and passion for the horses they groom and the athletes they work for. 

As is always the case, some of the most incredible and inspirational stories come from the FEI Against All Odds and FEI Solidarity categories. From New Zealander Trevor Harris who overcame 5% odds of ever walking again after a car accident, to the Horse Charity Barbados, who rescue and rehabilitate horses for equine therapy purposes - these are the stories that touch the heart and highlight the determination, drive and passion that can bloom from being involved with horses.

The shortlisted nominees have been selected for their outstanding achievements on the field of play, inspirational outlook and unparalleled dedication to equestrian sport.

The amazing stories of all the nominees in the five categories can be found here.

The public now has 10 days (6 to 16 October) to cast their votes for their heroes. Make sure you have your say and vote here!

The shortlisted nominees for the FEI Awards 2022 are:

Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete - paying tribute to the athlete who over the past year has demonstrated exceptional skill and taken the sport to a new level.

·    Charlotte Fry (GBR) – Dressage
·    Lambert Leclezio (FRA) – Vaulting
·    Sanne Voets (NED) – Para Dressage
·    Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) – Jumping

Longines FEI Rising Star – for the athlete aged 14 to 21 who demonstrates outstanding sporting talent and commitment.

·    Alice Casburn (GBR) – Eventing
·    James Derwin (IRL) – Jumping
·    Sam Dos Santos (NED) – Vaulting 
·    Karla Dyhm-Junge (DEN) – Para Dressage

Cavalor FEI Best Groom - for the behind-the-scenes hero who ensures the horses they look after are given the best possible care.

·    Kerryn Edmans (NZL) - Eventing groom for Tim & Jonelle Price 
·    Emma Olsson (SWE) - Driving groom for Boyd Exell 
·    Sue Schlegel (USA) - Jumping groom for Elizabeth Madden 
·    Lars Seefeld (GER) - Dressage groom for Daniel Bachmann Andersen 

FEI Against All Odds - for an inspiring individual who has pursued their equestrian ambitions and overcome challenges and obstacles along the way.

·    Trevor Harrison (NZL) – Former jockey
·    Estiven Palacio Hernandez (COL) - Vaulting
·    Muthoni Kimani (KEN) - Jumping
·    Mia Rodier-Dawallo (USA) - Para Dressage

FEI Solidarity - for an FEI Solidarity or equestrian development project, an individual or organisation that has used skill, dedication and energy to expand the sport.

·    Zuzana Baciak Masarykova (SVK)
·    Horse Charity Barbados (BAR)
·    The Big Food Ride (SWZ)
·    The Dressage SA Solidarity Stars Project (RSA)
·    
The winners will be decided by combining 50% of the public’s vote and 50% of the judges’ vote for the final result. The nine expert judges for this year’s FEI Awards are:

·    Ingmar De Vos (BEL), FEI President
·    Matthieu Baumgartner (SUI), Longines Vice President of Marketing
·    Peter Bollen (BEL), Founder and chief nutritionist of Cavalor
·    Martin Atock (IRL), Managing Director of Peden Bloodstock
·    Amanda Bond (GBR), Head of Equestrian Affairs at The Hong Kong Jockey Club
·    Luiz Roberto Giugni (BRA), FEI Board Member and Chairman of Group VI
·    Michelle Wang Qiang (CHN), Founder and CEO of Equuleus Corp.
·    Professor Natalie Waran (NZL), BSc (Hons), PhD (Cantab) International equine behaviour and welfare scientist
·    Sharlene Venter (RSA), Secretary General of the South African Equestrian Federation

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org
The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.

The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.

The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.
 

FEI Media contact:
Paul Stretton
Senior Manager, Sport Communications & Media Operations
paul.stretton@fei.org
+41 78 661 66 53

All eyes will be on North America for the 2022-2023 World Cup season. The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final is set to return to Omaha (USA) in April 2023, and the first points toward qualification will be available at the North American League’s leadoff event, set for Saturday, 08 October in Sacramento (USA).

The Murieta Equestrian Center, known for the enthusiastic crowds that pack its stands to the rafters, will play host to the first of eight events in the NAL season, which has produced two World Cup Final champions in the last five years. The NAL will weave in all directions across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with four events each on the west and east coasts of the geographically diverse continent. A total of 14 qualifying places are available, 10 of which will be awarded to U.S. athletes (seven east coast U.S. riders and three west coast-based U.S. riders); four additional berths will be awarded to the top two performing Canadian and Mexican athletes.

Sacramento will feature its defending champion. Now ranked among the top five riders in the World, Conor Swail (IRL) led the NAL from start to finish in the 2021-2022 qualifying season, winning events in Vancouver (CAN), Sacramento and Fort Worth, ultimately finishing eighth in Leipzig (GER) at the Finals.

Swail’s winning mount in Sacramento was Vital Chance de la Roque, and the exuberant, barefoot Selle Francais gelding will return this year looking to defend his rider’s title. Last year’s third-place finisher Natalie Dean (USA) will also be back in the lineup with her sensational mare, Chance Ste Hermelle. Dean, 23, will have her eyes set on competing in her first senior championship in Omaha. Swail’s longtime student Vanessa Mannix (CAN) will be a leading contender for Canada, while Mexico will have to wait to accrue its first points, with no athletes entered in the NAL kickoff.

Following Sacramento’s opening leg, the NAL will continue to Upper Marlboro, MD (USA) and Lexington, KY (USA). Toronto, Ontario (CAN) will return to the NAL calendar after two years of cancellations due to the global pandemic, and the Royal Horse Show promises to be a special event as it celebrates its centennial.  Las Vegas, NV (USA), Fort Worth, TX (USA), Puebla (MEX) and Ocala, FL (USA) will complete the 2022-2023 North American League season.

Athletes’ four best results from NAL events will count for points, requiring great strategy and execution. Those plans will be put forth into action in just a few days’ time.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…

Details here.