Off and running! 2019 Longines FEI Nations Cup season springs into action

The Nations Cup series is known as equestrian sport’s oldest (more than a century) and most prestigious team challenge, with national teams from around the world competing for one of the best-known prizes in this Olympic discipline. Belgium won last year’s jumping title, with France and Ireland rounding out the podium.

Eighteen teams (plus the home nation Spain if not qualified) are eligible to participate in the Nations Cup Final from October 3–6 at the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona: seven teams from Europe Division 1, and two each from Europe Division 2 and North and Central America will be among those facing off for the title. In addition, two teams will be eligible for the CSIO5* showdown from the regions of South America, the Middle East and Asia/Australasia, as well as one from Africa.

This year’s season began last weekend at the $290,000 Longines FEI Nations Cup of the United States of America, where a young Mexican squad topped veteran Americans Beezie Madden, Laura Kraut, McLain Ward and others to pick up the 100 points for their victory. A visiting Irish team of Shane Sweetnam, Cormac Hanley, Paul O’Shea and and Conor Swail were fourth, and Ireland will also be competing as visitors at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup of the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, February 23, alongside Germany.

The two European powerhouses in the sport are set to take on five other nations from the region: the host UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria and Egypt. While the Germans and Irish can not pick up any points towards a place in the Final at the competition in Abu Dhabi, taking part in the Nations Cup as a visiting team can also provide valuable experience and practice to athletes, particularly for countries which have many horses and riders. Seeing different pairs in high-level action also provides national chefs d’equipe more choices when selecting their group for the Final in the Catalan city.