Red, white and blue eye the gold as USA gets set for the Longines League of Nations™

With the inaugural season of the Longines League of Nations™ kicking off this weekend, over the past few weeks we've been taking a closer look at the 10 nations that have qualified to compete and be the first to hoist the new trophy at the Final in Barcelona.

Today, we look at the USA...

Despite being 3-times Olympic Champions (1984, 2004, 2008) and 2-time Team Jumping winners at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ (1986 and 2018), the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ title has evaded the US team, who will be looking to bring the heat for this inaugural 2024 series. There are four qualifiers over three continents, and only the top 8 teams will see the final in Barcelona in a year that the Olympic Games in Paris are also a consideration. 

Starring as Chef d’Equipe is former Olympian and Course Designer of the Year winner Robert Ridland. Since accepting this role in 2013, he has led the U.S. team to team bronze medals at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ and Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, as well as silver medals in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the 2017 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final, and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. His enormous experience and analytical approach to the sport is credited with the team being the current Pan American Games Champions, fresh from Santiago 2023, bringing the US team into this series on confidence. 

"We have always believed that Nations Cups form the bedrock of the sport of Jumping, and from the beginning we have been tremendously supportive of the FEI’s initiative to revitalise and strengthen the Longines League of Nations™ series,” says Ridland, who spoke to us about the upcoming series:

The USA has a strong tradition of national pride. How do you envision the Longines League of Nations™ becoming a source of pride for the American public and inspiring a sense of unity among fans?

"From the point of view of generating larger public visibility and a more invested audience base, the Longines League of Nations™ is a series with the same ten teams every time. I believe it was always the intent to make this series more in alignment with other sports, where you’re encouraged to follow what’s going on throughout the season to get a better picture of the concept and enjoy following the results. In the past it’s been hard to really understand the connection between the Nations Cup events, and in that sense, this will create more camaraderie across the teams we field to represent the U.S., and for our fans of USA Jumping.

Everyone is working towards the same goal with each qualifier, ultimately aiming for the Final. It’s something our supporters can follow and engage with throughout the year. We’re very much in support of the FEI and Longines in producing a concept that’s fresh and new for the sport. We needed more innovation in how we showcase these marquee events, so we’re excited to be a part of the new venture." 

Do you have any specific team-building strategies that contribute to your team's success in competitions like the Longines League of Nations™?

"There are two main reasons we are excited for this new series, the first being that we will use these events to prepare our potential team combinations for major championships. The other is by giving experience to the younger generation of riders who can’t get this experience unless they do it and learn to feel the pressure of these team-format competitions.

"There’s no amount of practice at home that can get you comfortable with riding into the arena when it really counts with the U.S. flag on your saddle pad. It’s always our goal to be on the podium and that will be our main aim looking at the season of events ahead".

Robert Ridland

(USA)

As a team manager, how do you personally approach the responsibility of leading your nation's team in such a prestigious competition, and what are a couple of core values you instil into your riders?

"With the format moving slightly away from the traditional Nations Cup, and knowing that there’s no discard score in the second round, this will really help us give experience to athletes in a format which is somewhat like the Olympic Games. That’s very valuable for us as a program in building towards preparation for this summer and the future. We have a lot of great owners, athletes, horses, and supporters behind us, and the cohesion of this series can give us a real sense of togetherness throughout the year, especially when we are building toward a major championship run this summer."

Follow the thrills on FEI.tv as the first leg kicks off on 11 February in Abu Dhabi.