Campus
Disciplines
Your Role
About the FEI
Jumping is the best known – and probably most readily understood – of all the FEI disciplines and is one of the three Olympic equestrian sports, along with Dressage and Eventing. As in all equestrian disciplines, men and women compete on equal terms in Jumping in both individual and team events.
Jumping is a spectacular mix of courage, control and technical ability that takes horse and rider over 10 to 13 “knockable” obstacles, some of which may be double or treble combinations, with penalties incurred for each obstacle knocked down or refused. Jumping has also produced some of equestrian sport’s most memorable Olympic moments.
An example of this came in 1956 in Stockholm when Halla, still the only horse to have won three Olympic Jumping gold medals, threw her rider, Hans Günter Winkler, into the air after taking off for a fence too early. Winkler landed awkwardly back in the saddle, tearing a groin muscle in the process, but he knew that failure to continue in the competition would eliminate not only Halla and himself but the whole German team. He carried on valiantly despite being unable to give Halla direction, Halla completed the course without any faults, Germany won the team gold medal and Halla and Winkler the individual gold.
Winkler went on to become the only rider to win five Olympic Jumping gold medals, while household names associated with Jumping are Winkler’s fellow German multi-Olympic gold medallists Alwin Schöckemöhle and Ludger Beerbaum. Canada’s Ian Millar, meanwhile, equalled the record for the most Olympic appearances by any athlete in London in 2012, his tenth Olympic Games.
The Longines Rankings n 273 for September 2023 have been published here.
The Swiedish rider Henrik Von Eckermann keeps once again his first place of the 273rd Longines Ranking with 3410 points, as well as Julien Epaillard for the 2nd place.
We have now Ben Maher entering the top 3 at the 3rd place.
The Longines Rankings n 272 for August 2023 have been published here.
The Swiedish rider Henrik Von Eckermann keeps once again his first place of the 272nd Longines Ranking with 3410 points, as well as Julien Epaillard for the 2nd place.
We have now Steve Guerdat jumping back in the Top 10 at the 3rd place with his fantastic Gold Medal at the European Championship in Milano.
We wish to remind you that in accordance with Art. 112 of the FEI General Regulations, the dates for all 2024 International Events must be entered into the FEI online Calendar through FEI Database before 01 October. Exceptionally this year, the deadline is postponed to Monday, 02 October 2023 midnight CEST.
At 23:59 CEST on 02 October 2023, the 2024 online Calendar will be blocked. Any modification requested after the deadline will need to be addressed to the FEI by email (calendar@fei.org) using the Calendar Form available on FEI Documents.
You will find the full Memo which can also be accessed via the FEI Calendar here.
The FEI Board held a teleconference on 29 August. The main resolutions taken on this occasion are listed below.
Allocation of FEI-Named Events
Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – Western European League, 2024/25 – 2027/28 (Qualifiers)
The Board allocated the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – Western European League Qualifiers for the seasons 2024/2025 – 2025/2026 – 2026/2027 – 2027/2028 to the following Organisers:
The final Calendar for the 2024/25 season will be published shortly.
Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – North American League, 2024/25 – 2027/28 (Qualifiers)
The Board allocated the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – North American League Qualifiers for the seasons 2024/2025 – 2025/2026 – 2026/2027 – 2027/2028 to the following Organisers:
The final Calendar for the 2024/25 season will be published shortly.
FEI Jumping Youth Nations Cup™ 2024 (Qualifiers and Final)
The Board allocated the FEI Jumping Youth Nations Cup™ 2024 to the following Organisers:
Qualifiers:
Final: Lier (BEL), 12-15 September 2024
FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy 2024 (Qualifiers and Final)
The Board allocated the FEI Jumping Ponies Trophy 2024 to the following Organisers:
Qualifiers:
Final: Mechelen (BEL), 26-30 December 0224
FEI Annual Report 2022
The Board approved the FEI Annual Report 2022. The Annual Report will be published online here in the coming days.
The FEI has today confirmed the shortlisted bidders for the FEI World Championships 2026. The shortlist comprises five Organising Committees who have applied to host events in various disciplines, as follows:
The FEI Board will allocate the FEI World Championships 2026 at its in-person Board Meeting on 18 November 2023 in Mexico City (MEX), following a thorough review by the FEI Evaluation Commission and taking into account recommendations by the Technical Committees.
Following three decades of a unique host formula for senior World Championships under the FEI World Equestrian Games™ format, in 2022 the FEI returned to a more flexible approach accepting single and multiple World Championship bids with a focus on catering to the needs and specificities of each discipline. Herning (DEN) hosted hugely successful events in Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, and Vaulting whereas Eventing and Driving Four-in-Hand competitions took place at Pratoni Del Vivaro (ITA), venue of the 1960 Olympic equestrian events. The FEI Endurance World Championships 2022 were held at Butheeb (UAE) last February.
“We are very pleased with the variety of bids we have received,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “Following the outstanding FEI World Championships 2022 organised in Denmark, Italy and the UAE, we are confident this flexible approach with single and multiple bids serves not only the sport, but also the fans and the development of equestrian around the world, allowing different nations and venues to bid to host a major FEI event.”
Olympic qualifications
The FEI World Championships 2026 in Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, and Eventing will be the first qualifying events for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A bit of history
The FEI World Championships have a long history.
Dressage is the FEI discipline with the longest tradition of Championships. A Grand Prix de Dressage, organised in Lucerne (SUI) as early as 1927, had hosted 12 riders representing five nations.
Official FEI Dressage Championships were organised on all non-Olympic years between 1930 and 1939 in Switzerland, France, Austria, Hungary, Germany, and Great Britain. The last such event took place in August 1939, only days before the outbreak of World War II.
The FEI tried to revive the event after the war with limited success. Participation gradually improved and European Championships were organised in 1963, which led to the first FEI Dressage World Championship held in Bern (SUI) three years later.
The first Para Dressage Championship, which took place under the leadership of the FEI, was held in July 2007 only a year after Para Equestrian came under the FEI umbrella. The event enjoyed a truly international representation gathering 133 athletes from 35 nations. Since 2010, FEI Dressage and Para Dressage Championships are being held concurrently.
The first FEI Jumping World Championship was organised in June 1953 at the Parc des Princes stadium in the south west of Paris (FRA). The event was drastically different from its modern equivalent as only 19 athletes from 11 countries, including Yugoslavia, Cambodia and the USA, competed. No women took part since female riders would not be able to enter Jumping competitions until 1956.
The first FEI Eventing World Championship was organised in 1966, the same year as the first FEI Dressage World Championship, at the beautiful estate of Lord Burghley in Lincolnshire, Great Britain. The Championship gathered 39 athletes representing five nations: Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, USA, USSR.
The previous year the FEI had established the configuration according to which World Championships in the Olympic discipline of Jumping were held every four years in the non-Olympic even years and continental championships were organised in the odd years. This pattern is still in use today for all the FEI Olympic and Paralympic disciplines.
The non-Olympic disciplines
The first edition of the FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hand was held in 1972 in Münster (GER) two years after Driving had become an FEI discipline. Since then, the event continues to be organised every two years.
Endurance became an FEI discipline in 1982, one year before Vaulting. The championship histories of these two non-Olympic disciplines have run in parallel from the start with World Championships organised every other year on even years.
FEI Endurance European Championships had been held in 1984 and 1985 until the first FEI Endurance World Championship was organised in September 1986 at Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA).
In 1983, one year after Driving, Vaulting also joined the FEI. In 1984 the first FEI Vaulting European Championship was organised and was followed by another European edition in 1985. This second European edition was open to the rest of the world. A strong showing from the USA convinced the FEI the time had come for a World Championship. The first FEI Vaulting World Championship took place in in the small Swiss town of Bulle from 18 to 20 July 1986.
FEI World Equestrian Games 1990 - 2018
The inaugural FEI World Equestrian Games™ were held in the Swedish capital Stockholm with the 1912 Olympic stadium as the main venue. On the initiative of the then-FEI President HRH Prince Philip, the World Championships in all the FEI discipline were held in the same city from 14 July to 5 August 1990. Given the smooth organisation and success of these Games, what should have been a one-off event, was extended and seven more editions took place in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez de la Frontera (ESP) in 2002, Aachen (GER) in 2006, Lexington, KY (USA) in 2010, Normandy (FRA) in 2014, and Tryon, NC (USA) in 2018. Please click here to visit the FEI History Hub where you will find more details about FEI World Championships.
The Longines Rankings n 271 for July 2023 have been published here.
The Swiedish rider Henrik Von Eckermann keeps once again his first place of the 271st Longines Ranking with 3575 points, which is more than 500 points than Julien Epaillard at the 2nd place and Harrie Smolders for the 3rd place.
However, notable update in the new ranking include Ben Maher jumping back in the Top 10.
The FEI Board has confirmed unanimously the allocation of the Qualifiers and Final of the Longines League of Nations™ for the 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027 seasons to venues across Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
Please find below for your information the press release announcing this decision.
FEI PRESS RELEASE
The Longines League of Nations™ prepares for launch as Qualifiers and Final are confirmed for inaugural seasons 2024 to 2027
The FEI Board has unanimously confirmed the allocation of the Qualifiers and Final of the Longines League of Nations™ for the 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027 seasons to venues across Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
The Longines League of Nations™ venues for the 2024 - 2027 seasons will be as follows:
Qualifiers:
Final: CSIO5* Barcelona (ESP)
The allocations were made further to a bid process, which began on 22 May, with extensive consultation between the FEI, the bidding Organisers and their National Federations in accordance with the Allocation of FEI Named-Events Policy.
The FEI Headquarters and the FEI Jumping Committee reviewed the bids and presented their recommendations to the FEI Board. Longines, the FEI’s Top Partner and Title Sponsor of the new Series, who has committed to a very significant financial contribution, was consulted throughout the entire process.
“We have made a historic decision for the future of equestrian sport,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “This series is about inspiring individuals and nations around the core values of our sport – camaraderie, team spirit, horsemanship and excellence - and for over a century it has played an invaluable role in the development of equestrian globally.
“We were very pleased with the large number of organisers eager to host a Longines League of Nations event in the coming seasons.
“We undertook the task of selecting the events with great responsibility and I believe we have made a difficult but fair choice, striking a good balance between continuity and evolution. This fresh and exciting Series gives us the opportunity to display the very best of team equestrian sport to large audiences in key territories and we are looking forward to working closely with these Organisers to continue the Nations Cup legacy and inspire future generations of equestrians.
“Due to the quantity of bids received, which illustrated the appetite for the new Series, there were difficult decisions to be made. We knew from the start that we would be unable to accommodate all of the organisers, who have made tremendous contributions to the FEI Nations Cup series in the past. We will always be grateful to them and wish them every success for the future.
“Our work is far from finished. It is only just beginning with the next phases focussing on logistics, branding, and promotion to prepare for the inaugural season of the new Series.
“I would like to thank all the organising committees for their dedication and hard work in submitting such impressive applications and to congratulate the winning bidders. Our very special appreciation goes to Longines, the FEI’s top partner, for their trust and their unwavering support to equestrian sport,” President De Vos concluded.
“The Board allocated four Qualifiers for this global series in three regions – two Qualifiers in Europe, one in North America, and one in the Middle East,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez commented. “Although we originally planned to have five Qualifiers, we were mindful that next year will be particularly busy with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games taking place from 26 July to 11 August. Having four Qualifiers keeps the calendar reasonable and allows athletes, horses, and chefs d’équipe to manage horsepower and still have enough time to train, compete, and prepare for the Olympic Games.
“The Final across the upcoming four seasons will go to Barcelona, an iconic Olympic venue, which has hosted International Jumping Competitions for 111 years and which will welcome this year’s final for the 10th consecutive time in October.
“During the inaugural Longines League of Nations season in 2024, we will evaluate the new concept and together with Longines and the FEI Jumping Committee, we will work towards adding a fifth qualifier in the following seasons.”
“The Longines League of Nations is an exciting new Series, the revamped heir to historical team equestrian competitions going back well over a century,” Matthias Breschan, CEO of Longines, said. “Its rich past and dynamic new format fit well with Longines’ values encompassing tradition, modernity and excellence and it is a great honour for our brand to partner with it. We look forward to a thrilling season as the Series travels around the world.”
About the Longines League of Nations™
The Longines League of Nations was created following a six-month consultation phase with a dedicated Task Force, which was set up to review and redefine the iconic Nations Cup series and included all the key equestrian stakeholders. It will give a fresh start for the century-old equestrian team series and will see a full makeover starting in 2024.
The new series will feature a unified and global format, where the top 10 nations compete at four top venues in order to qualify for a Final where the best eight teams go head-to-head to be crowned the Longines League of NationsTM Champion.
The format, which was approved unanimously by the FEI Jumping Committee, will be unique to the Longines League of NationsTM. It consists of two rounds, whereby in the first round, all four athletes from all 10 teams (and potentially the host nation) participate with the three best scores to count, followed by a second round where the best eight teams compete in reverse order - carrying forward their penalties from the first round - however with only three athletes per team and no drop score.
The same format will be applied for the Longines League of NationsTM Final with all eight teams qualified competing across both rounds with only three riders and no drop score in the second round.
The rules for Longines League of NationsTM 2024 were approved by the FEI Board at its in-person meeting on 6 and 7 June and are available here.
Allocation of FEI Championships and FEI-Named Events
Longines League of Nations™ 2024 – 2027 (Qualifiers and Final)
The Board agreed to postpone the allocation of the Qualifiers and Final of the Longines League of Nations™ 2024-2027 due to outstanding elements, which require further clarification. It is intended to convene a further Board Teleconference by the end of July to finalise the allocations.
FEI Jumping World Challenge Final 2023
The Board allocated the FEI Jumping World Challenge Final 2023 to Polokwane (RSA).
This Final will take place from 3 to 8 October at The Ranch Equestrian Centre, a world-class venue that has recently hosted an FEI Olympic qualifier and national Eventing trials.
As one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Polokwane has a proven track record in successfully organising major sporting events and is known for its vibrant equestrian community. This is not the first time that South Africa has hosted a Challenge Final, at Kyalami, Midrand in the City of Johannesburg having previously hosted the FEI Jumping World Challenge Final in 2014.
"We are delighted to have such an experienced Organiser take charge of the FEI World Challenge Cup Final and we are confident that they will deliver a high level of competition facilities for our human and equine athletes," FEI President and Chair of the FEI Solidarity Committee Ingmar De Vos said.
“The FEI World Challenge Series has been developed to provide a structure for athletes who face constraints such as travel costs and distances to compete internationally without leaving their home countries.
“This is not just important for their development but also enables National Federations like South Africa to develop the structure around equestrian disciplines within the country, while introducing the sport to new audiences.”
The FEI Jumping World Challenge Final is open to all National Federations outside of Western Europe and North America. The two best athletes from each Regional Zone based on the 2022 rankings is eligible to take part in the Final.
During the FEI Jumping World Challenge Final, athletes compete on borrowed horses that are aged six years or more and meet stringent criteria of a minimum 1m20 level.
Twenty athletes, along with a maximum of two wild cards, have qualified for the Final with the top two athletes from each of the ten FEI regional rankings representing their countries in Polokwane.
"The FEI Jumping World Challenge Final will serve as a defining moment in the careers of many athletes, as it offers a rare opportunity for them to experience the intensity and demands of high-level equestrian competition," Chair of FEI Group IX Gigi Mathias said.
"We look forward to witnessing the growth and development of these athletes as they demonstrate their talent, dedication, and unwavering spirit on the grand stage of the FEI Jumping World Challenge Final."
Rules
FEI Jumping World Challenge Final Rules 2023
The Board approved the proposed Rules for the FEI Jumping World Challenge Final 2023.
FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy Rules 2023
The Board approved the proposed Rules for the FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy 2023.
Both sets of rules will be published on Inside.FEI.org here.
Following the successful launch of the FEI Tack, Equipment & Dress Database and its mobile version the FEI TackApp, the FEI would like to provide the community with an update and clarification, following several queries received from different stakeholder groups.
The FEI Tack, Equipment & Dress Database is still in its first phase of development, as tack, equipment and dress items are currently being entered into the system. This entails uploading existing tack, equipment and dress items with accompanying photographs and/or videos across all FEI disciplines and marking them as “Permitted”, “Not Permitted”, “Not Applicable”, with exceptions where required.
Due to the high number of tack that is being used, or is attempted to be used, in FEI Competitions, this first phase of populating the Database will continue in the following months. Please note that pending items, which have not yet had their designation processed by the FEI, are temporarily marked as “Not Applicable (N/A)”. The FEI is currently developing an additional designation “Pending Review”, which will be used for those items so that the “N/A” designation can be used for items that are truly Not Applicable, i.e. not used in certain FEI disciplines.
This first phase is the most time consuming and once concluded, the number of new items being uploaded to the Database will diminish significantly. Once the first phase is concluded, a thorough review will be carried out to ensure consistency across disciplines and a good quality of photographic and video content. Each time a new item of tack, equipment and dress is added or amended, it will appear in the “Recently Updated” section of the Database.
Following an FEI decision, all “Not Applicable (N/A)” items which will be marked as “Not Permitted” items, will be uploaded into the Database only once a month i.e. on the first Monday of each month. These items will appear in the “Recently Updated” section of the Database. This will allow all stakeholders to acquaint themselves with any new item that may be relevant to them for upcoming competitions. At a later stage, the FEI aims to develop notification alerts which users will be able to activate for their respective discipline(s), when a new item (marked “Not Permitted”) is added. All other “Permitted” items will be uploaded into the Database on a regular basis. Together with items being amended during the final review, “Permitted” items will also appear in the “Recently Updated” section of the Database.
The FEI will continue with developing new features of the FEI Tack, Equipment & Dress Database, to further enhance its practicality and usefulness. In the future, FEI Officials and others will be able to submit new items of tack, equipment and dress directly to the FEI via the FEI TackApp for review and eventual designation in the Database.
In the meantime, we are grateful for your patience while the Database is being populated and perfected. We strive to make the FEI Tack, Equipment & Dress Database and its mobile version, the FEI TackApp, an essential, indispensable and user-friendly tool for FEI Officials, Athletes, their Support Personnel and other stakeholders.
The Longines Ranking n°270 for July 2023 have been published here.
Harrie Smolders is jumping from the 8th to the 3rd place with Henrik Von Eckermann keeping his 1st place with the french rider Julien Epaillard for the 2nd place. However, notable updates in the new ranking include Kent Farrington and Shane Sweetnam entering in the top 10.
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies.