Ireland’s Lynch drawn first in Final opener

At a draw during which the song, dance and traditions of Native American tribes were celebrated, the starting order for tomorrow’s opening competition of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023 took place at the CHI Health Centre in Omaha (USA) this evening, and Ireland’s Denis Lynch will be first of the 40 athletes to enter the arena. 

America’s McLain Ward, winner with HH Azur when the Final was last staged at the Omaha venue back in 2017, was joined by 2022 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ champion Martin Fuchs from Switzerland to pull the names and numbers out of the hats. Ward is drawn in 32nd spot, this time riding Callas, while Fuchs will follow him into the ring when 33rd to go with Leone Jei.

Fuchs was asked how he felt about defending his title and replied, “I’m very grateful that I could win the World Cup Final once. Obviously I would wish to win it again but I’m here to do my best, my horse is in great shape so I hope to be able to beat McLain this year!”

Omaha 2023 presents the 43rd FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in the history of the series that dates all the way back to 1978. 

Tomorrow’s action gets underway at 19.15 local time, so don’t miss a hoofbeat…

Full starting order here

Facts and Figures

Defending champion Martin Fuchs rode both The Sinner and Chaplin to claim the trophy in 2022. This year he brings just one horse, Leone Jei.

There have been five three-time champions - Austria’s Hugo Simon (1979, 1996 and 1997), Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa (1998, 1999 and 2000), Germany’s Marcus Ehning (2003, 2006 and 2010), Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (2005, 2008 and 2009) and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat (2015, 2016 and 2019). 

The first FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final took place in Gothenburg in 1979 where Austria’s Hugo Simon won with Gladstone.
 
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. 

It was previously staged in Omaha (USA) in 2017 when the host nation’s McLain Ward came out on top with the brilliant mare HH Azur.

Ground Jury President is Harry Braspenning (NED), and the Ground Jury members are David M. Distler and Neil O’Connor (USA), Frances Hesketh-Jones -Trulzi (ITA) and Norma Angelica Rodriguez (MEX). Foreign Technical Delegate is Ireland’s Alan Wade and Course Designer is Portugal’s Bernardo Costa Cabral.