Before the action even begins the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are already unforgettable. Running a year later than scheduled and with multiple challenges along the way, the best of the best are now putting in their final preparations ahead of the Opening Ceremony on 23 July 2021.

It has been a difficult lead-in period, with so many interruptions due to the pandemic that has affected the entire world and the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) impacting Mainland Europe. Then this week’s news that there will be no spectators at any of the venues in order to ensure safe and secure Games. But the statistics for equestrian sport are more impressive than ever, with a record number of countries fielding teams and individuals in the three disciplines of Dressage, Eventing and Jumping. 

The Tokyo 2020 sport entries (FEI Definite Entries) reveal that the flags of 50 nations will fly high during two weeks of spectacular sport. A total of 200 athlete-and-horse combinations are listed, along with an additional 48 Alternate/Reserves. 

Formats

The new three-member format has changed the dynamic of the team competitions. Not only is the pressure more intense as each individual performance will count for so much, but it has also opened the door for many more countries to take part.

At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games a total of 27 nations lined out in Jumping, with 15 of those sending teams, while this time 20 teams and individuals from a further 15 countries will take part to boost the number of National Olympic Committees (NOC) represented in Tokyo to 35. In Eventing the number of participating countries has increased from 24 to 29, with 15 teams compared to 13 in Rio, and in Dressage the numbers jump from 25 to 30 nations and from 11 teams to 15. 

Centred

The equestrian events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be principally centred at Baji Koen Equestrian Park in Setagaya. This is a public park owned by the Japan Racing Association, which was also the venue for Dressage at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games,. 

Back then Eventing was staged in Karuizawa and Jumping took place at the National Olympic Stadium. For the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the fully refurbished Baji Koen will host Dressage, Jumping and two of the three phases of Eventing. 

Course designer, Derek di Grazia (USA), has spent the last five years creating the Eventing Cross Country course on what was previously a landfill site at the waterfront at Sea Forest with a stunning backdrop of Tokyo Bay and the city. Equestrian shares the venue, which will become a public park after the Games, with Olympic rowing and canoeing.

The Games of the XXXll Olympiad promise to be like nothing that has gone before and equestrian sport is already breaking records. 

EQUESTRIAN SPORT IN THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT

Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912.

Team and individual medals are awarded in three disciplines - Dressage, Eventing and Jumping.

A three-per-team format applies for the equestrian events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

In Tokyo 1964 Jumping and Dressage teams consisted of three athlete/horse combinations but there were four on Eventing teams.

Canada’s Ian Millar holds the record – 10 – for the most Olympic appearances by any athlete in any sport. He first competed at the Munich Olympics in 1972 and his last Olympic appearance was at London 2012 at the age of 65. He won team silver at the Beijing Games in 2008.

German teams claimed gold in both Jumping and Dressage at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 while Italy clinched the Eventing team title. 

French star, Pierre Jonqueres d’Oriola, won individual Jumping gold with Lutteur B, Switzerland’s Henri Chammartin and Woerman took the individual Dressage title and Italy’s Mauro Checcoli and Surbean were the individual Eventing gold medallists.

At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, France won team gold in both Jumping and Eventing, while Germany took the Dressage team title for the 13^th time.Great Britain took individual gold in Jumping - Nick Skelton with Big Star - and in Dressage - Charlotte Dujardin with Valegro.

Individual gold in Eventing went to Germany’s Michael Jung with Biosthetique Sam. 

Tokyo 2020 equestrian statistics:

Jumping: 35 countries, 20 teams, 75 horse/athlete combinations

Eventing: 29 countries, 15 teams, 65 horse/athlete combinations

Dressage: 30 countries, 15 teams, 60 horse/athlete combinations

The Tokyo 2020 sport entries (FEI Definite Entries) also include additional reserve horses and riders.

The 50 NOCs represented in equestrian sport at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are:

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Republic of South Africa, ROC, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Taipei, Ukraine and USA.

 

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

In this case, the horse Lucky Boy Du Jugant (FEI ID 106PN38/UAE), ridden by Ajamal Jamsaid Alam (FEI ID 10114848/UAE) and trained by Musab Saleh Al Marzooqi (FEI ID 10113747/UAE), tested positive for the Banned Substances Nandrolone and its metabolite 5α-estrone-3β, 17α-diol, following samples taken at the CEI1*100 - Bou Thib (UAE), on 6 January 2021.

The positive finding was initially notified as an Atypical Finding (“ATF”) following which further investigation was carried out, resulting in the decision by the Atypical Findings Panel, that this ATF should be pursued as an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. 

Both athlete and trainer admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences proposed by the FEI. In its Consent Award, the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse and athlete from the event, and imposed an 18-month suspension on the athlete and the trainer. The period of the provisional suspension of athlete and trainer, which came into effect on 3 March 2021, shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period, meaning both will be ineligible until 02 September 2022. They have each also been fined CHF 5,000.

The full Decisions are available here. 

The case of the horse Hermes (FEI ID: 105SD82), ridden by Dutch athlete Dinja Van Liere, is unfortunate but regrettably was totally avoidable had the straightforward checks been carried out by the Dutch National Federation and owner before the 15 January 2021 deadline.

The FEI General Regulations are very clear that the responsibility on the ownership of horses lies with the National Federation, therefore it is the responsibility of the Dutch National Federation to ensure that any horse entered for the Games to represent The Netherlands is registered in Dutch nationality and that all entries are up to date and accurate.

Please refer to Article 139 of the FEI General Regulations which states: Owners and Lessees of Horses

National Federations must keep a register of the Owners and lessees of Horses with official passports. Changes of Owners and records of leasing agreements must be entered in the FEI and/or national passport and authenticated by the stamp and signature of an National Federation official.

The rules in relation to the nationality of horses that compete in the Olympic Games and the deadline to ensure all horses meet the nationality requirements are extremely clear and all National Federations were specifically advised of the requirements well in advance of the deadline(s). For your information the original deadline was 15 January 2020, and due to the postponement of the Olympic Games, this deadline was updated to 15 January 2021.

All National Federations, horse owners and athletes had ample opportunities to ensure that the correct nationality was entered in the FEI database and FEI passport and these requirements need to be fulfilled for horses to be eligible to compete at the Olympic Games. In this case, the information was not updated despite the clear reminders issued by the FEI in advance of the deadline.

The FEI understands the disappointment that the opportunity for selection for the Olympic Games is no longer a possibility for Hermes and Dinja Van Liere, due to the fact that the horse was not registered with a Dutch nationality by 15 January 2021 as per the requirements. However, this rule is based on fairness and transparency and is not simply a formality. The rule does not provide for exceptions to be granted, and it must be applied consistently to all National Federations, Athletes and Horses to ensure a level playing field.

The full reasoned FEI Tribunal decision is available here.

The Dutch National Federation and the owner of the horse each filed separate requests for provisional measures to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Sunday 4 July 2021. Those requests were both dismissed by the CAS around midday on Monday 5 July 2021. According to the FEI Statutes, the FEI Tribunal and the CAS are the only bodies with authority to rule on this matter; therefore the FEI now considers the matter to be closed.

A horse nationality case involving the Israeli athlete Daniel Bluman and the horse Gemma W (FEI ID: 105RR80) was also appealed to the FEI Tribunal and the CAS. The full reasoned FEI tribunal decision is published here.

In the presence of the former Queen of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix, Rob Ehrens’ Dutch team did themselves proud when coming out on top in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ in Rotterdam (NED) this evening. 

There was a super-sharp edge to this fourth and last leg of the 2021 series as the 10 teams took on the 12-fence track set by Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games course designer Santiago Varela. Just three days ahead of the Olympic Definite Entries deadline every rider was out to impress, and it was the home side that proved most equal to the challenge.

A final tally of seven faults gave Maikel van der Vleuten (Beauville Z), Willem Greve (Zypria S NOP), Marc Houtzager (Sterrehof’s Dante NOP) and Frank Schuttert (Lyonel D) a narrow victory over Swedish runners-up Douglas Lindelow, Angelie von Essen, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Peder Fredricson who completed with nine faults on the board. It was only a foot in the open water for Fredricson’s Catch Me Not S that prevented the Swedes from making it a double in this year’s shortened series following their win at the opening leg at St Gallen, Switzerland just four weeks ago.

France pipped Germany for third place when combined times separated the two teams that finished on 12 faults apiece, while Ireland was close behind in fifth with 13. And the Tokyo Olympic hosts from Japan gave a great account of themselves. Reduced to a three-man side when Taizo Sugitani withdrew before the competition began, Daisuke Fukushima, Koki Saito and Eiken Sato racked up just 14 faults for sixth place, and Sato and his fabulous Saphy des Lacs produced one of the five double-clear rounds posted on the day.

Close-run thing

It was a close-run thing at the halfway stage when France, Sweden, Germany and the USA all shared the lead on a zero score followed by Ireland and the eventual Dutch winners carrying just a single time penalty each.

But when the course was raised and the fences widened for the second round, and the evening light drew long shadows across the arena, then the competition took on a completely different complexion. 

The Americans lost their grip when Beezie Madden withdrew and they had to count 16 faults, while the Germans and French also slipped when adding 12 to their scorelines. 

French pathfinders Penelope Leprevost and GFE Excalibur de la Tour Vidal produced a superb double-clear and it seemed possible their side might stay in front if anchorman Kevin Staut could bring Visconti du Telman home clear for a second time. But the pair were one of many to fault at the open water in the fading light and when they also lowered the oxer at fence seven then that had to be added to the four picked up by Gregory Cottard’s mare Bibici who, also like many before her, clipped the oxer at the end of the penultimate line this time out.

Strong

The Dutch also kicked off the second round with a double-clear from Van der Vleuten, and when Greve added just a single time fault to his first-round foot-perfect run then they began to look strong. Houtzager and Sterrehof’s Dante faulted at the narrow vertical at fence 10 and also collected a time fault however, and when Schuttert’s Lyonel D racked up the discard score of 12 faults then they had to add six second-round faults to the single first-round time penalty for a total of seven. 

As Sweden’s Peder Fredricson set off it seemed that might not be good enough. Because a clear from the World No. 7 would mean one of the four-fault results racked up by Lindelow and Von Essen could be dropped because Bengtsson and the hugely impressive Ermindo W, who clinched that St Gallen win in a thrilling jump-off, had collected just a single second-round time fault so they could finish with just five faults in the final analysis.

But Catch Me Not S put a foot in the water in an otherwise effortless round, so it would a Dutch celebration tonight.

Happy

Talking after the prizegiving, Van der Vleuten pointed out “a water jump is always difficult but I was happy with my horse because he jumped it nice and stretched well over it both times today”.

He was really pleased with the 11-year-old Beauville Z. “He jumped fresh and it’s always nice to be double-clear. He jumped even easier in the second round”.

Talking about the increased level of faults in the second half of the competition he said, “we started late (17.00 local time) so the shadows were maybe a factor but also the course was bigger in the second half - the middle of the combination (fence 8) was taller and the triple bar (fence 9) went up one hole and was 10cms wider, and the next vertical went up and the last oxer was wider too - all that makes a big difference”.

Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens said he didn’t get much sleep last night. The Dutch last won in Rotterdam in 2016, but they were waiting a long time for that to happen. 

“I tried to win here so many times so I was a bit angry with the course designer after the first round because they were so many clears! But of course you win a Nations Cup over two rounds”, he said with a smile. And course designer Santiago Varela agreed. “More mistakes in the second round is typical in a Nations Cup”.

Meanwhile Ehrens has to be feeling positive after today’s great result because, as Varela added, “this was a perfect Nations Cup to get a good feeling before the Olympic Games”. 

The Dutch should indeed be feeling good, not just about Tokyo but also about their chances at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2021 which will take place in Barcelona (ESP) in October where all 10 teams from Division 1 will be eligible to compete. 

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decisions in a number of equine and human anti-doping cases.  

This first case involves an adverse analytical finding for the prohibited substance Clenbuterol, a “Non-Specified Substance” listed in Class S1.2, Other Anabolic Agents, under the 2019 WADA Prohibited List. It is prohibited at all times, in-and out of competition.

A sample taken on 4 June 2019, out-of-competition, from the Mexican athlete Abraham Gaspar Ojeda Serrano (FEI ID 10012274/MEX) returned positive for Clenbuterol. The athlete was notified of the violation of the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA) on 2 April 2020 and was provisionally suspended.

The athlete established, on a balance of probabilities that the prohibited substance entered his body through the ingestion of meat contaminated with Clenbuterol. He had visited several restaurants and food stands where he consumed a significant amount of meat, despite being aware of the risk of contamination in the region. Therefore, the FEI Tribunal ruled that the athlete bore no significant fault or negligence.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal ruled that the athlete is suspended for a period of 16 months, starting from the date of the FEI Tribunal Final Decision (30 June 2021). The Provisional Suspension served by the Athlete as of 2 April 2020 shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period, meaning, the Athlete is suspended until 1 August 2021.

Additionally, the athlete has been fined CHF 3,000.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision.

The full text of the FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision is available here.

 

The second case involves the horse Blue Diamond (FEI ID 106HE36/JOR), ridden by Fahad Alkharmani (FEI ID 100725647KSA) and trained by Anas Al Saied (FEI ID 10185797/JOR). Samples taken from the horse at the CEI2* 120 – Wadi Rum (JOR) on 14 November 2019 tested positive for the Banned Substance Diisopropylamine.

Both the athlete and the trainer of the horse were unable to give any plausible explanation for the presence of the Prohibited Substance in the horse’s sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal imposed a two-year Period of Ineligibility on the athlete and the trainer. The Provisional Suspension, which came into effect on 13 January 2020, is credited against the Period of Ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning both the athlete and trainer will be ineligible until 12 January 2022. Each were was also fined CHF 7,500 and asked to each pay costs of CHF 2,000.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision.

The full text of the FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision 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 (doping) 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 FEI Tribunal has issued two Final Decisions in equine and human anti-doping cases.

A sample taken from the El Salvadoran athlete Paulo Sergio Mateo Santana Filho (FEI ID 10027830/ESA) on 9 June 2018 at the CSI5* Spruce Meadows (USA) returned positive for the Prohibited Substance Boldenone, a class S1 anabolic agent on the 2018 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.

The athlete was notified of the violation of the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA) on 11 July 2018 and was provisionally suspended from that date.

In its Final Decision of 25 April 2019, the FEI Tribunal imposed a four-year period of ineligibility on the athlete who appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In its ruling announced earlier this month, the CAS upheld the FEI Tribunal Decision in its entirety, meaning the athlete remains ineligible until 10 July 2022.

The full Decision is available here.

The second case involves Saudi Arabian Endurance athlete and trainer Rafea Alamri (FEI ID 10102507/KSA) following three separate, consecutive anti-doping rule violations (ADRV).

Samples taken from the horse Walfan (FEI ID 104ZY27) at the CEI2* 120km in Al Ula (KSA) on 2 February 2019 tested positive for the Banned Substances Reserpine and Heptaminol, and the Controlled Medication Phenylbutazone and its metabolite Oxyphenbutazone.

Walfan was provisionally suspended as of 4 March, but on 9 March 2019, samples taken from the horse at the CEI1* 110 in Al Qaseem (KSA) also returned positive for Phenylbutazone and Oxyphenbutazone.

Rafea Alamri was both the athlete and registered trainer at the event in Al Ula, while in Al Qaseem, the horse was ridden by Ali Alhashem (FEI ID 10020258), with Rafea Alamri registered as the trainer. The FEI imposed a six-month suspension against the athlete Ali Alhashem in separate proceedings for the Equine Controlled Medication Rule violation.  

The third anti-doping rule violation for Rafea Alamri involves the horse Ankor Class (FEI ID 106JN74) at the CEI2* 120 in Al Ula (KSA) where he was the registered trainer. Samples taken from the horse on 1 February 2020 tested positive for Phenylbutazone and Oxyphenbutazone.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal suspended Rafea Alamri for seven and a half years for these three consecutive anti-doping violations. The ineligibility period begins as of the date of the Final Decision on 24 June 2021 as there was a breach of the original Provisional Suspension effective from 4 March 2019, meaning Alamri remains ineligible until 23 December 2028. He has been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 35,000 and to contribute CHF 4,000 towards costs incurred by the FEI during the proceedings.

The full Decision 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 those that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) 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.

Specified Substances

The FEI introduced the concept of Specified Substances in 2016. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances (i.e. whether Banned or Controlled). Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.

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

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a case involving Prohibited Substances.

The case involved the horse Cybele de L’Oule (FEI ID 105VH42/UAE) ridden by Sh. Tahnoon Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan (FEI ID 10093006/UAE) and trained by Mohd Salem Abdulla Al Ameri (FEI ID 10081586/UAE). Samples taken from the horse at the CEI1* 80km in Bou Thib (UAE) on 2 November 2019, tested positive for the Banned Substance Arsenic and the Controlled Medication Flunixin.

Under the terms of the Final Decision, the horse and athlete have been disqualified from the event, and a two-year period of ineligibility has been imposed on the athlete and the trainer. The period of provisional suspension, effective from 2 December 2019, has been credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in this decision, meaning the athlete and trainer remain ineligible until 1 December 2021. As with all cases involving banned substances, the horse was provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification (2 December 2019).

The athlete and trainer are each required to pay a fine of CHF 7,500 and to contribute CHF 2,000 towards costs incurred by the FEI during the proceedings.

The full Decision is available here.

The Longines eJumping World Tour 2021, equestrian’s latest game development is set to transform the global online Jumping community. Fans can now connect with each other in a virtual competition arena as they play for the top spot on the leaderboard.

Created by GoGallop Studios, a leading publisher in the mobile game world, the eJumping virtual series follows the Eventing version, the FEI Equestriad™ World Tour where horse and athlete combinations compete across the three tests of Dressage, Cross Country and Jumping.

With FEI Top Partner Longines lending its name to this newest eSeries addition, GoGallop has released the Shanghai leg in the first of four virtual events that will form the Longines eJumping World Tour 2021.

“The partnership between Longines and the FEI, has been based on our mutual values of elegance, tradition and performance with the disciplines we support,” Longines Vice President Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner said.

“Our relationship with the FEI has evolved greatly since 2013 and our support for this eGame initiative is just a natural progression in our brand awareness and digital growth strategy. We are excited to have the Longines eJumping World Tour as part of our sponsorship portfolio and are proud to play a part in the development of this new chapter in the FEI’s digital activities.”

The Jumping events in the fantasy venues of Sydney, New York and Paris will round off the Longines eSeries World Tour, with gamers able to compete against each other for their place on the virtual Longines eJumping World Tour Rankings. As players move up on the global game leaderboard they unlock challenges and rewards in the game, adding ribbons and trophies to their in-game display cabinet.

“These eGames are an excellent example of the way in which technology and brands can come together to enhance the development of equestrian,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus said.

“With the support of our Top Partner Longines and GoGallop’s gaming expertise, we are able to take equestrian sport to a truly global audience and offer a level of engagement and immersion that traditional outreach methods have been unable to provide so far. Gaming is an agile market with tremendous potential for broadening equestrian’s reach and attractiveness and we look forward to seeing where this journey takes us.”

Since the FEI entered into a five-year licensing agreement with GoGallop in April 2021, the Australian-based company has been hard at work developing a series of FEI branded and FEI Nations Cup™ virtual events in the three Olympic disciplines. The eGames target horse lovers of all ages, from beginner pony club to more experienced riders. The company’s motto of “Made for horse lovers, by horse lovers” plays a key role in their approach to their eGame development.

“On the sport side, our aim is to create an online competition experience which allows gamers to increase their knowledge and understanding of the sport,” CEO of GoGallop Craig Laughton said.

“To compete, gamers have to learn the rules of each discipline, with feedback and positive reinforcement provided to them along the way through real-time commentary. By working with the FEI and their partners, we have been able to add a greater sense of realism and to enhance the whole gaming experience for fans.

“But equestrian is not just a sport, it is also a lifestyle choice and first time players receive a brief tutorial on the fundamentals of horsemanship and horse care. All these elements must come together for players to earn the necessary points that take them to the next level.”   

The Sydney, New York and Paris legs of the Longines eJumping World Tour 2021 will be rolled out over the coming months, and plans are also underway for the release of an eDressage Series.

The Longines eJumping World Tour is now available for download on the Apple Store and Google Play.

On the morning of 19 June 2021, at the Montalcino CEI1* 100 ride in Italy, Tuscan Endurance athlete Gianfranco Nassini suffered a heart attack whilst on the field of play. He received medical treatment immediately and was transferred by helicopter to Siena hospital, but unfortunately did not survive.  

Gianfranco Nassini, aged 61, was a well-established member in the Endurance community with a great passion for the sport.

The FEI expresses its sincere condolences to Gianfranco Nassini’s family and friends, the Italian Equestrian Federation and the global equestrian community.

The weather was hot and the excitement was intense as Team Germany won through at the third leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2021 series at Sopot in Poland this afternoon.

The 1,200 spectators permitted to attend the event at the sun-soaked Baltic seaside venue enjoyed a great day of sport in which the result was undecided until the last man rode into the ring. A clear from Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels would force a jump-off with the eventual winners, but it wasn’t to be as poles down saw his side having to settle for runner-up spot leaving Maurice Tebbel, Marcus Ehning, Christian Kukuk and Andre Thieme standing on the top step of the podium.

German Chef d’Equipe, Otto Becker, was well pleased with his side’s performance. “I’m a very happy man because we were the only team to stay clear today, and to have three double-clears is amazing!”, he said.

On the cards

At the halfway stage it seemed likely that a jump-off could be on the cards, because Germany, Ireland, Norway and Belgium were all on a zero scoreline. But today’s competition really was a game of two halves, and the Irish and Norwegians lost their grip when each added 16 faults second time out.

The course designed by Poland’s Szymon Tarant was big but relatively uncomplicated, and although some riders suspected the yellow wall at fence eight would prove daunting it went almost unnoticed until the USA’s second-line rider, Bliss Heers, took a flying fall there when Antidote de Mars tumbled through it. Horse and rider seemed none-the-worse afterwards but the Americans finished on a total of 20 faults along with the French and had to settle for seventh place in the line-up of 10 teams at the end of the day.

The British however proved competitive to the very last. Carrying just four faults into the second round their prospects dramatically improved when Alexandra Thornton (Cornetto K) and Harry Charles (Romeo) both delivered lovely clears. And although Joseph Stockdale (Equine America Cacharel) had three fences down they looked set to stay well in the frame if anchorman William Funnell (Equine America Billy Diamo) could leave the fences up and keep them on that four-fault tally.

But his big chestnut gelding had already hit the opening vertical and the middle element of the triple combination at fence four before knocking the following oxer at five and unseating his rider who was stretchered out of the arena with an ankle injury. So the British would finish fifth behind Norway in fourth and Ireland in third when all three sides completed with 16 faults on the board and were separated only by their combined times in the second round.

Slogged it out

Meanwhile the Germans and Belgians slogged it out at the sharp end. 

Germany’s Tebbel and Don Diarado kicked off round two with a second fabulous clear, but Ehning added four to the eight faults he picked up in the first round with Funky Fred. He competed wearing a yellow armband in memory of young Irish Eventing athlete Tiggy Hancock whose tragic death at a training session in Ireland last Wednesday has deeply saddened the equestrian community. Marcus was Tiggy’s hero, and all the Irish team also wore a similar armband today.

Then Kukuk set off with the stunning grey stallion Mumbai who, for the second time, made the course look very elementary indeed and when Thieme’s mare, DSP Chakaria, was fault-free once again this kept his side on a zero scoreline and all the pressure was now piled onto Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels. 

His team-mates Jos Verlooy with Varoune and Nicola Philippaerts riding Katanga v/h Dingeshof hadn’t put a foot wrong all day, and although Pieter Devos’ mare, Claire Z, hit the final vertical second time out, the Belgians could also finish on a zero and force a jump-off if Brynseels and Delux van T&L could leave the course intact when last to go. 

It wasn’t to be however when the oxer at fence two and the first element of the double at six, which became quite a bogey in the second round, both hit the floor. Now the four picked up by Devos would have to be counted and the German win would be clear-cut.

Weather conditions

Christian Kukuk was thrilled with the performance of his nine-year-old stallion Mumbai and said the weather conditions were highly influential in deciding today’s result. 

“In general this was a fair course as you could see when four teams were clear at the end of the first round. But we were competing at the hottest time of the day, it was over 30 degrees, and you could see how that affected horses at the end of the course in the second round when there were many mistakes. 

“I wasn’t worried for myself and Mumbai though because he has a lot power and I knew he wouldn’t get tired. The more he jumps the better he gets!”, he said of the grey stallion who, although still only nine, shows maturity well beyond his years. He has high hopes that Mumbai will take him to the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer but admits that qualifying for the German team is never easy because the competition for places is so strong.

Sopot Show Director, Kaja Koczurowska Wawrzkiewicz congratulated the German team on their victory today. “After two wins for Belgium we have a change this year! This show is very important for the Polish Equestrian Federation and it’s great to have the riders back in Sopot after the difficult year we have all experienced”, she said.

Result here