Excitement builds ahead of FEI World Cup Jumping final in Las Vegas

It promises to be one of the most exciting ever in the 37-year history of the world’s most prestigious indoor jumping tournament as 42 riders from 20 nations will compete for the one title every showjumping rider wants to take, placing them amongst the greats of the sport.

Since Austria’s Hugo Simon first triumphed with Gladstone at the inaugural finale in Gothenburg in 1979, the battle for this trophy has thrilled audiences all across the globe. It is an event which never fails to spring a few surprises, as spectators witness previously unexposed talent rising to the challenge of the big occasion.

The bright lights of the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas will be where it all takes place for what will be the sixth time final is to be staged in the proverbial entertainment capital of the world and the 10th time it has been held in the USA.

If you are looking for any pointers to follow, Germany holds the record for most wins in the FEI World Cup Jumping series with 10 in total, most recently by defending champions Daniel Deusser and Cornet d'Amour. They emerged winners at the 2014 final in Lyon, France and could not have picked a better time to have recently been confirmed as the new world No. 1 in the Longines Rankings.

Riders from the USA have claimed the title on nine occasions, but as we have seen over the years once the curtain is raised, all sorts of scenarios are likely to once again be played out.

In the competition's history, only four riders have claimed the FEI World Cup Jumping title on three occasions. Austria's Simon, went on to record a back-to-back double of victories with ET FRH in 1996 and 1997 after his inaugural Final success in Gothenburg, Sweden. Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa and his horse Baloubet du Rouet hold the record as the only horse-and-rider partnership to post three back-to-back wins in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Then come two German successes. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was also a three-time winner with Shutterfly - at Las Vegas in 2005 and 2009, and in Gothenburg in 2008, whilst Marcus Ehning - winner in Las Vegas in 2003, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2006 and in Geneva, Switzerland in 2010, will be attempting to become the first four-times champion.

Two men who will also be chasing down that trophy hoping to go one better will be Switzerland’s Olympic champion Steve Guerdat, and Pius Schwizer, who have both made it onto the podium in recent years but not quite managed to secure that top step.

Of the eight women in the starting line-up, the USA’s Beezie Madden looks a powerful contender once again. The experienced American – who was the last female champion after beating Guerdat into runner-up spot in a thriller at Gothenburg two years ago - has followed on from her bronze medal individual finish at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy with a great winter on the Florida circuit, and can expect some strong home support as can the four other rider who will fly the stars-and-stripes.

The youngest rider ever to clinch the trophy was Canada’s Mario Deslauriers who had just turned 19 when coming out on top with Aramis in Gothenburg in 1984, and there are two talented 19-year-olds on the start-list again this year who could emulate that feat.

Belgium’s Jos Verlooy who will turn 20 in December and Ireland’s Bertram Allen, who celebrates his 20th birthday in August could well feature prominently, in particular the young Irishman, who produced two stunning wins to challenge for the leadership of the super-tough Western European League over the winter months.

Allen’s seventh place finish at the WEG in Normandy last summer was backed up by winning the Longines Grand Prix on home soil in Dublin a few weeks earlier. Some superb form over the winter has seen Allen force his way up to 10th in the Longines rankings, and together with his grey mare, Molly Malone, he is one to watch out for when the action gets underway.

There is a certain poignancy about the presence of one horse-and-rider combination. When New Zealand’s Katie Laurie rides into the arena with Kiwi Iron Mark, she will be realising the hopes and dreams of her late friend, Melanie Purcell, whose great ambition was to see her horse qualify for the final. Melanie died of cancer three years ago, but Katie never lost sight of her target, and it will be an emotional occasion when the pair enter the fray.

Thursday is dedicated to warm-up classes before the excitement goes into over-drive with a rapid-fire opening day when the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Grand Prix gets the action underway at noon and the opening competition of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping takes place at 19.00 local time.

Early on Friday morning the dressage riders and horses have the opportunity to rehearse their freestyle, and at 19.00 the second jumping competition take place. Saturday brings the much-anticipated freestyle which will bring the Reem Acra final to a close, starting at noon.

Then on Sunday it all draws to a close when the new Longines FEI World Cup Jumping champion will be crowned following the top-30 final.