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2018 FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING AND DRESSAGE FINALS feiworldcupfinals-paris.com
11 -15 APRIL
PRESS KIT
AccorHotelsArena.com
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FORWARD BY SYLVIE ROBERT,
PRESIDENT OF GL EVENTS EQUESTRIAN SPORT
Dear friends of the media,
It is with great joy and immense happiness that we welcome you here in this brand-new
AccorHotels Arena in Paris for the 2018 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping and the FEI World
Cup Dressage Finals. We have dreamt of this global event; equestrian sport returning at the
highest international level to one of its historic birthplaces, we have wished for this with all
our hearts; today, I am particularly proud, on behalf of the whole team at GL events
Equestrian Sport and our key partners, amongst whom Longines, the Fédération Equestre
Internationale and the Fédération Française d’Equitation, to present the results of a great
deal of passion and work over several years to you.
Paris has not been the venue for a world equestrian event of this kind for over 25 years; now
that there is a new sporting wind blowing through the City of Light, which has its sights set
on the 2024 Olympic Games, we are thrilled by the trust that the institutions, riders, owners,
sponsors and the public have placed in us by entrusting us with the organisation of these
Finals in the AccorHotels Arena. We hope that it will be an amazing and memorable
experience. It is a huge challenge, but the celebration will be all the better for it. Bringing
together the best riders of today and tomorrow, in this renovated cauldron, where some of
the greatest pages in the history of our sport have been written: what an honour!
I would like to spare a thought for Jacinte Giscard d’Estaing who passed away a few weeks
ago. Jacinte was one of the first to see the potential of the GL events Group for organising
FEI World Cup Jumping legs. It was in Lyon in 2009. She has left an indelible mark on the
major French equestrian events and these finals in Paris are dedicated to her.
So on behalf of all your hosts, organisers, private and public partners, inhabitants of Paris
and the Parisian region, I would like to welcome you to Paris and the amazing Longines FEI
World Cup Jumping and the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals.
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THE FINALS IN A FEW FIGURES
. ALMOST 300 HORSES (COMPETITIONS AND SHOWS)
. 400 BOXES
. A VETERINARY CLINIC EXTENDING OVER 150 M²
. 3,690 M² OF SAND RINGS
. 738 M3
OF SAND, REPRESENTING 1,200 TONNES OF SAND
. 2 TONNES OF STRAW
. 25 TONNES OF BEDDING
. 200 M3 OF MANURE PRODUCED
. 5 DAYS OF COMPETITION
. 40,000 PEOPLE EXPECTED
. APPROXIMATELY 700, 000 FÉDÉRATION FRANÇAISE D’ÉQUITATION (FRENCH EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION) LICENCE HOLDERS
THIRD LEADING FRENCH SPORTING FEDERATION
5
THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING AND THE FEI WORLD CUP
DRESSAGE FINALS:
BACK TO A MYTHICAL VENUE!
Press release, April 2018
The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final and the FEI World Cup Dressage Final that bring
the 2017-2018 season to a close, will return to a venue where some of the greatest pages
in the history of equestrian sport have been written: the AccorHotels Arena in Paris. The
GL events Group, the organiser of the Equita exhibition and the last French finals which
were held in Lyon in 2014, will be in charge of the organisation. We look forward to seeing
you from 11 to 15 April 2018.
A RARE EVENT
Intense moments of sport in front of 40,000 spectators throughout the whole the event, in a
brand-new arena: this is what awaits Parisian and international audiences at the AccorHotels
Arena from 11 to 15 April 2018, thanks to the GL events Group, Longines, the Fédération
Equestre Internationale and the Fédération Française d'Equitation. It is only the third time
that France will simultaneously host both the jumping and dressage finals, which attract the
best riders on the planet every year. With regards to jumping, these "indoor world
championships" were invented in 1978, by a Swiss journalist, Max Ammann at the request of
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, the then president of the Fédération Equestre
Internationale. They were modelled on the skiing World Cup and aimed at improving media
coverage of horse riding. It is a global competition bringing together the best riders in the
world who must qualify for the event on their own continents through regional leagues. The
European league is recognised as the most difficult and the thirteen qualifying legs include
two French cities, Lyon in November and Bordeaux in February.
THE 2018 FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING AND DRESSAGE FINALS 11-15 APRIL feiworldcupfinals-paris.com
AccorHotelsA rena.com
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PARIS AND THE FEI WORLD CUPS: SOME THE GREATEST PAGES OF EQUESTRIAN HISTORY
Ever since the Palais Omnisport de Paris-Bercy opened in 1984, horses and the Jumping World Cup have written some
great pages of their history in the French capital. The first winner of a Grand Prix World Cup leg in Bercy, in April 1984, was
Fritz Ligges, riding Ramzes ahead of the Brazilian wizard Nelson Pessoa on Larramy. The venue went on to host some
magnificent sporting occasions including, in 1987, the first World Cup final ever to be held in France, won by the American
rider Katherine Burdsall and The Natural, the first jumping horse to be sold for over $1 million. Four years later, in 1991,
the first French World Cup Dressage Final saw victory of the black stallion Matador, ridden by Finland’s Kyra Kyrklund. On
the show jumping circuit, it was the era of the historic duels between Jappeloup (the winner in 1986) and Milton (victory
over Jappeloup in 1988, and winner again in 1990). Moreover, it was at the truly magical POPB that Great Britain's John
Whitaker chose to ride in 1992 to bid farewell to this horse that has left an indelible mark on its sport.
The AccorHotels Arena was renovated in 2015 and is once again ready to resonate to the sound of the hooves of this year’s
greatest horses. A sound that audiences here will soon find familiar: both the Longines FEI Jumping and the FEI Dressage
Finals are set to become regular features in Paris. The story begins again. The story continues.
PRESS CONTACTS
GL EVENTS EQUESTRIAN SPORT C/O BLIZKO COMMUNICATION
Daniel Koroloff - Juliette Feytout - Mob. : +33 (0)6 11 02 18 12
[email protected] - [email protected]
SPECIALISED PRESS - R&B PRESSE
Pascal Renauldon - Solenn Rispail - Mob. : +33 (0)6 08 75 94 07
[email protected] - [email protected]
7
PROGRAMME (subject to change)
TUESDAY 10 APRIL (INACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC)
9am to 12noon: FWC Jumping veterinarian inspection
2.30pm to 4.30 pm: FWC Jumping warm-up
1.30pm to 4pm: CSI2* veterinarian inspection
4.30pm to 6.30pm: CSI2* warm-up
WEDNESDAY 12 APRIL
8.30am to 11.10am: CSI2* temps différé (single phase) 1m35
12.30pm to 3.50pm: The Longines FEI World CupTM warm-up class temps différé
(single phase) 1m45
3.50pm to 4.20pm: show
5.15pm to 7.55pm: CSI2* Table A against the clock without a jump-off 1m40
8pm: Draw + award at Paris City Hall
THURSDAY 12 APRIL
8am to 8.45am: FWC Dressage veterinarian inspection
8.45am to 11am: FWC Dressage training session
12 noon to 2.15pm: CSI Non-WC Table A against the clock without a jump-off 1m45
2.15pm to 2.45pm: show
3.45pm to 7pm: CSI2* Table A against the clock with a jump-off 1m45
8.30pm to 10.30pm: The Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final I hunting competition
10.30pm: show
FRIDAY 13 APRIL
6am to 7.30am: FWC Dressage training session
8.15am to 10.55am: CSI2* Table A against the clock without a
jump-off 1m35 11.45 am to 2pm: CSI Non-WC Table A against
the clock without a jump-off 1m50
2pm to 2.30pm: show 3.30pm to 6.50pm: The FEI World CupTM Dressage Final I 8.30pm to 11.15pm: The Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final II Table A against the clock with a jump-off 11.15pm: show
SATURDAY 14 APRIL
6am to 8am: dressage training session + soundcheck 9am
to 1pm: CSI2* Table A against the clock with a jump-off
1m40
2pm to 5.35pm: The FEI World CupTM Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Final II
5.35pm to 6.25pm: show - combined horse motorbike carousel display
8.30pm to 11.30pm: CSI Non-WC Table A against the clock with a jump-off 1m55/1m60
11.30pm: show
SUNDAY 15 APRIL
9.45am to 12.20pm: CSI2* Grand Prix Table A against the clock with a jump-off 1m45
2pm to 3.10pm: The Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final III - First round
3.20pm to 3.40pm: show - medley performance by the French Republican Guard
4.35pm to 5.40pm: The Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final III - Second round
5.50pm: flag transmission
9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORWARD BY SYLVIE ROBERT,
PRESIDENT OF GL EVENTS EQUESTRIAN SPORT P. 3
THE FINALS IN A FEW FIGURES P.5
PRESS RELEASE:
THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING AND THE FEI WORLD CUP
DRESSAGE FINALS:
BACK TO A MYTHICAL VENUE! P.6
PROGRAMME P.8
THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW P.12
THE 2017/2018 LONGINES FEI WORLD CUPTM JUMPING CIRCUIT P.12
THE 2017/2018 WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE P.13
A FEW FIGURES P.13
GUIDE TO THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING FINAL P.14
THE GREAT HISTORY OF THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING P.16
FRENCH RIDERS AND THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING P.20
LIST OF WINNERS OF THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING P.21
MC LAIN WARD: “KEEPING THE TITLE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME,
ESPECIALLY IN PARIS” P.22
KEVIN STAUT MY KINGDOM FOR A WORLD CUP P.26
ESSENTIAL FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR A SHOW JUMPING COMPETITION P.30
QUALIFIED RIDERS P.34
THE FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW P.36
THE 2017/2018 FEI WORLD CUPTM DRESSAGE CIRCUIT P.36
THE 2017/2018 EUROPEAN LEAGUE P.36
A FEW FIGURES P.37
GUIDE TO THE FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE FINAL P.38
THE BACKGROUND OF THE FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE P.40
LIST OF WINNERS OF THE FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE P.41
ISABELL WERTH: TOWARDS A...24TH TITLE? P.42
ESSENTIAL FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR A DRESSAGE COMPETITION P.46
QUALIFIED RIDERS P.49
CSI 2* AND CSI NON-WC: NON-STOP GREAT SPORT P.51
ACTIVITIES ORGANISED AROUND THE FEI WORLD CUPTM FINALS:
FRENCH-STYLE EQUESTRIAN ART AT ITS GREATEST LEVEL P.52
WHAT TO DO IN PARIS DURING THE FEI WORLD CUPTM FINALS P.54
PARTNERS P.59
LONGINES AND GL EVENTS EQUESTRIAN SPORT: A LONG-TERM COLLABORATION
DEDICATED TO EQUESTRIAN SPORT P.60
ORGANISATION P.62
TICKETING FOR THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING AND THE FEI WORLD CUP™
DRESSAGE FINALS P.66
PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR THE PRESS P.67
TV FOOTAGE AVAILABLE ON EUROVISION P.68
11
THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING: WHAT YOU
NEED TO KNOW
THE 2017/2017 LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING CIRCUIT
Since 1979, several leagues spread over all five continents have been competing in
the World Cup. These qualifying circuits allow the 40 finalists who will battle it out at the
AccorHotels Arena from 11 to 15 April 2018 to be determined.
The Western European League is the most important since it alone qualifies 18 riders. The
nations which dominate this sport are situated in Europe (Germany, France, Switzerland,
Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria and Norway). The other great show
jumping nations are the United States, Canada and Brazil.
The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping is an annual competition which takes places during the
winter season (exclusively indoor, at least in Europe). The World Cup is won during a final
over three days of competition. The winner is crowned “the Longines FEI World Cup
Champion”. This should not be confused with the “World Champion” title. The current
titleholder is America’s McLain Ward.
Each league (16 leagues and sub-leagues) has its own ranking, determined by adding the
points together accumulated over the legs (13 in Western Europe this season). The slates
are been wiped clean for the final and should not be confused with the Longines World
Rankings.
R&
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The 2017/ 2018 Western League:
1- Oslo, Norway, 15 October 2017 (winner: Daniel Deusser GER)
2- Helsinki, Finland, 22 October 2017 (winner: Jur Vrieling, NED)
3 - Verona, Italy, 29 October 2017 (winner: Maikel Van der Vleuten NED)
4- Lyon, France, 5 November 2017 (winner: Simon Delestre FRA)
5- Stuttgart, Germany, 19 November 2017 (winner: Steve Guerdat, SUI)
6- Madrid, Spain, 25 November 2017 (winner: Roger–Yves Bost, FRA)
7- A Coruña, Spain, 10 December 2017 (winner: Edwina Tops-Alexander, AUS)
8 - London, Great Britain, 17 December 2017 (winner: Julien Epaillard, FRA)
9- Mechelen, Belgium, 30 December 2017 (winner: Harrie Smolders, NED)
10 - Leipzig, Germany, 21 January 2018 (winner: Christian Ahlmann, GER)
11 - Zurich, Switzerland, 28 January 2018 (winner: Stephanie Holmen, SWE)
12 - Bordeaux, France, 3 February 2018 (winner: Pieter Devos, BEL)
13 - Gothenburg, Sweden, 25 February 2018 (Henrik von Eckermann, SWE)
A FEW FIGURES
10 World Cup Final victories for the United States and Germany
4 World Cup Final victories for Austria and Switzerland
3 World Cup Final victories for Brazil, Canada and Great-Britain
1 World Cup Final victory for France and the Netherlands
4 Three-time winners of a World Cup Final: Hugo Simon, AUT (1979, 1996, 1997); Rodrigo Pessoa, BRA (1998, 1999, 2000);
Marcus Ehning, GER (2003, 2006, 2010); Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, GER (2005, 2008, 2009)
5 women winners of a final, (almost) all are American: Melanie Smith in 1982, Leslie Burr Lenehan in 1986, Katharine
Burdsall in 1987, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (she adopted German citizenship, but was born in the United States) in
2005, 2008 and 2009, and Beezie Madden in 2013
7 years old - the age of the youngest horse to win a final, Aramis, ridden by Canada’s Mario Deslauriers in 1984
19 years old - the age of the youngest rider to win a final, the same Mario Deslauriers
16 years old - the age of the two oldest horses to win a final, Shutterfly (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, GER) and Flexible
(Rich Fellers, USA)
54 years old - the age of the oldest rider to win a final, Austria’s Hugo Simon
21 finals competed in by Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum
13
GUIDE TO THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING FINAL
The forty finalists that will perform in the AccorHotels Arena have been qualified all year
long through sixteen “regional” circuits. The Western European League and the North
American Western Sub-League will be providing the biggest contingent for this final: 28
riders. After this long assault course, the slates will be wiped clean and then the real
championship in three legs will begin. These rules haven’t changed since 1978 and the first
victory for Hugo Simon. Get your calculators out!
Day one (Thursday): the hunting competition!
What was still called the "Hunting Competition" up until recently, where faults on the
obstacles are penalised in seconds (now 4), is more a Grand Prix 1m50/1m55 Table C course,
than a speed class. Course designers often slip in one or two options (to reduce the length of
the track), which can play a decisive role and make this first event even more exciting.
At the end of this prologue, competitors are awarded points based on their rankings. The
leading rider is awarded a number of points equivalent to the number of starters + 1,
subsequent riders are given points based on their reverse ranking.
For example, with 40 starters, the first placed rider is awarded 41 points, the second, 39 and then 38, 37 etc. Eliminated riders or those who have retired get no points, but are allowed to compete on the second day.
Day two (Friday): The classic Grand Prix
One round, one jump-off as in the qualifying legs (1m60).
Riders are awarded points using the same system as day one, (get your calculators out),
which are then added to the points from the first day.
Points differences are then turned into penalty points that are carried over into day three.
The first-placed rider in the provisional rankings starts with 0 points. The others carry over
the difference between their provisional total and that of the leader, divided
by 2. (Half points do not count here, only whole numbers are used for the calculation).
Let's imagine that after the Grand Prix, Kevin Staut (chosen at random) is leading with a total of 80 points. On Sunday, he
will start with 0 points. McLain Ward is second with 78 points, 2 points less than Staut, so we divide that by 2, so he starts
on Sunday with 1 point.
The rider in 10th place for example, with 53 points, will have 80 – 53 = 27 points, divided by 2 = 13.5, but we subtract the
0.5 so he then goes into Sunday’s class with a 13-point handicap. With us so far?
To be honest, it’s not that easy. But don’t worry, Longines Timing will print out the provisional rankings at the end of each
day!
Day three (Sunday): the grand final in two rounds
There will only be about thirty riders (2/3 of the total number of competitors) starting in the first round of the grand final,
and around twenty (50%) in the second round. The riders start in reverse order of the rankings. The final is a Table A
without jump-off in which faults incurred in the two rounds are added to the points carried over from the first two days.
There'll be plenty of suspense with an occasional spectacular comeback (like Marcus Ehning’s in Geneva in 2010) and high
drama with leaders falling from grace (Mario Deslauriers the same year).
There will be no jump-off in the actual class, but there is an outside chance of a jump-off for the title or a medal in the
unlikely event of different riders tying with the same number of points over the three days. This happened in the first year
of the competition in 1979, then again in 1996 and in 2001 when Markus Fuchs deprived Rodrigo Pessoa and Baloubet of a
fourth consecutive title, and again more recently in 2012 and 2013. Five times in thirty-nine finals.
One last thing, the same rider can ride two different horses in the same final (as long as the horses in question have won
points on the qualifying circuit). This is the strategy that Kevin Staut and Harrie Smolders are planning for the AccorHotels
Arena. Marcus Ehning is the only rider in history to have won this World Cup with this particular tactic in 2010.
15
THE GREAT HISTORY
OF THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING FINAL
From 11 to 15 April, the AccorHotels Arena in Paris will host the final of the Fédération
Équestre Internationale’s most prestigious circuits: the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping
Final. It will be the 40th final in history and only the 3rd in France.
The World Cup was created in 1978. The first final took place in the Scandinavium Arena in
Gothenburg, Sweden in April 1979. Austria’s Hugo Simon was the first winner of this
competition on the legendary Gladstone.
The following year in Baltimore, America’s Conrad Homfeld began a period of American
domination of the event that lasted exactly ten years. Homfeld won the World Cup Final
again in Berlin in 1985 on the legendary Abdulah, at the same time as Pierre Durand
achieved the best ever result for a French rider when he came third with Jappeloup.
Philippe Rozier in Paris in 1987 and Pierre Durand again in Gothenburg in 1988 and then in
Dortmund in 1990, still on Jappeloup, both improved on that performance by coming
second. In the same year, 1990, the trophy returned to Europe thanks to the wonderful
combination of Great Britain’s John Whitaker and Milton.
Like Conrad Homfeld (1980 and 1985) and Canada’s Ian Miller (1988 and 1989), John
Whitaker became the third two-time winner in 1991 in Gothenburg. Eighteen years after his
first victory, Austria’s Hugo Simon, riding the extraordinary E.T FRH in Geneva, joined the
club of two-time winners. The following year, the fourth man to win the competition twice
became the first three-time winner in the history of the World Cup, with a victory once again
on E.T in Gothenburg. The World Cup stayed in Europe until 1998, the year that it took off to
an entirely new continent, South America. This was when the most European of Brazilians,
Rodrigo Pessoa, lifted the trophy in Helsinki in April 1998 and kept it in 1999, achieving two
victories in a row, that became three in 2000 in Las Vegas.
For his last two victories with the Selle Français stallion Baloubet du Rouet, Rodrigo Pessoa was in the lead from start to
finish.
The Brazilian set himself the challenge of achieving a fourth victory, and it was clearly within his grasp. Baloubet was just
the horse to rise to the occasion in Gothenburg in April 2001. But the French stallion, which hadn’t needed to win
qualifying points on the circuit, arrived in Sweden having taken part in few competitions beforehand. Nevertheless, Rodrigo
Pessoa came very close to achieving his goal, but was forced to give in to pressure from Switzerland’s Markus Fuchs and
Tinka’s Boy on the last day when they got the better of the titleholders in the jump-off.
The 2002 final was a great success on both the organisational and sporting fronts, with suspense right up to the last
minute. Germany of course had high hopes for the world number one, Ludger Beerbaum, but it was Otto Becker who put in
a steadier performance on his superb Holstein stallion, Dobel’s Cento.
In 2003, the finalists came face to face at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Marcus Ehning with Anka, his second
mare, dominated the competition, bringing back a third title for Germany after a superb battle with Rodrigo Pessoa and
Sweden’s Malin Baryard. Apart from the Rodrigo Pessoa years, the trophy stayed firmly in Europe up until 2011… Twenty
years!
During the first twenty-five years of its history, no French rider managed to win the title, despite the fact that all the best
riders gave it a go including Durand, Rozier, Balanda, Bost and Godignon, sometimes only narrowly missing out. A glimmer
of hope came with a humble rider from France’s Nord department, a former heating engineer who had sacrificed his
income and free time to dedicate himself to his passion and his hunger for high-level competition. Through hard work and
sheer perseverance, Bruno Broucqsault made it into the French team in 2002. Then in 2004, from Berlin to Bordeaux and in
Scandinavia and Italy, with his little Dilème de Cèphe, Bruno earned his ticket to Milan where he snatched victory from the
rider who would become the first woman World number one several months later, Germany’s Meredith Michaels-
Beerbaum. This historic victory was accompanied by Eugénie Angot’s superb fourth place with Cigale du Taillis. 25 April
2004 is a date that will forever be inscribed in the annals of French riding.
17
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was victorious again the following year in Las Vegas on a dazzling Shutterfly. In 2006,
Germany continued to reign supreme in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Marcus Ehning, befitting to a World number one,
put in a dazzling performance with one of the most irresistible horses on the circuit, the stunningly handsome Sandro Boy.
In 2007, it was back to Las Vegas where Meredith came within a hair’s breadth of winning a second title before she and
Shutterfly decided to go their separate ways on the final turn! A misunderstanding, unusual for such a usually inseparable
combination, that gave victory to Switzerland’s Beat Mändli and Ideo du Thot. But Meredith got her own back the
following year in Gothenburg, and went on to achieve a hat trick in Las Vegas in 2009. Shutterfly was only the second horse
after Baloubet du Rouet to win three times, and Meredith joined Hugo Simon and Rodrigo Pessoa in the “three-time
winners’ club”.
A tight-knit circle to which Marcus Ehning gained entry the following year in Geneva where for the first time a rider won
the World Cup with two different horses. He competed in the first class, the hunting competition, on the whimsical
Küchengirl, and finished the final in style on Plot Blue, with Mario Deslauriers failing to withstand the stress through to the
last minute. The American rider, who was then still Canadian, had been the youngest winner of this final at the age of
nineteen in 1984.
After a German victory in Leipzig in 2011, where Christian Ahlmann won the qualifying leg every year when he was riding
Taloubet Z, the trophy returned to North America the following year in Den Bosch with Rich Fellers and Flexible. An
“Americanisation” once again that was reinforced by Beezie Madden with Simon in Gothenburg in 2012, the year that
France stepped up to the podium once again in this legendary competition thanks to Kevin Staut and Silvana*HDC’s third
place. For three years, 2014, 2015 and 2016, the trophy returned to Europe with victory in Lyon for Germany’s Daniel
Deusser and Cornet d’Amour in 2014 and two wins for the 2012 Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat in 2015
and 2016.
At the AccorHotels Arena, the rider defending his title is decidedly American, none other than McLain Ward, who was
victorious last year in the US. France is in with a strong chance: French riders have won several of the legs on the Western
European qualifying circuit in the past few months. All will be revealed on 15 April!
FRENCH RIDERS
AND THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING
In 1987, the FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Paris proved lucky for France as Philippe Rozier
was second. Both before and after him, other French riders have excelled on this top
international indoor riding circuit: Pierre Durand, Roger-Yves Bost, Bruno Broucqsault, Kevin
Staut, Pénélope Leprevost, etc. Olympic champions Pierre Durand and Jappeloup have been
the most consistent and combative in this competition, winning three medals and twice
coming close to victory, beaten each time by a grey horse, Abdullah (Conrad Homfeld) in
1985 and the great Milton (John Whitaker) in 1991. There is still room for improvement
from French riders, who in forty years have won a total of eight out of 120 possible medals.
Will a French rider follow Bruno Broucqsault, the man from Northern France and winner in
Milan in 2004, on to the podium top spot in Paris in 2018?
French riders on the World Cup Jumping Final podiums, 1979-2016:
Pierre Durand, Jappeloup, 3rd, 1985, Berlin
Philippe Rozier, Jiva, 2nd, 1987, Paris
Pierre Durand, Jappeloup, 2nd, 1988, Gothenburg
Pierre Durand, Jappeloup, 2nd, 1990, Dortmund
Roger-Yves Bost, Norton de Rhuys, 3rd , 1991, Gothenburg
Bruno Broucqsault, Dileme de Cephe, 1st , 2004, Milan
Kevin Staut, Silvana*HDC, 3rd ,2013, Gothenburg
Pénélope Leprevost, Vagabond de la Pomme, 2nd, 2016, Las Vegas
© P
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WINNERS’ LIST
1979 Hugo Simon (AUT), 36 years old, with Gladstone
1980 Conrad Homfeld (USA), 28 years old, with Balbuco
1981 Michael Matz (USA), 30 years old, with Jet Run
1982 Melanie Smith (USA), 32 years old, with Calypso
1983 Norman Dello Joio (USA), 26 years old, with I Love You
1984 Mario Deslauriers (CAN), 19 years old, with Aramis
1985 Conrad Homfeld (USA), 33 years old, with Abdullah
1986 Leslie Burr Lenehan (USA), 29 years old, with McLain
1987 Katharine Burdsall (USA), 28 years old, with The Natural
1988 Ian Millar (CAN), 41 years old, with Big Ben
1989 Ian Millar (CAN), 42 years old, with Big Ben
1990 John Whitaker (GBR), 34 years old, with Milton
1991 John Whitaker (GBR), 35 years old, with Milton
1992 Thomas Frühmann (AUT), 41 years old, with Genius
1993 Ludger Beerbaum (GER), 29 years old, with Ratina Z
1994 Jos Lansink (NED), 33 years old, with Libero H
1995 Nick Skelton (GBR), 38 years old, with Dollar Girl
1996 Hugo Simon (AUT), 53 years old, with E.T.
1997 Hugo Simon (AUT), 54 years old, with E.T.
1998 Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), 25 years old, with Baloubet du Rouet
1999 Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), 26 years old, with Baloubet du Rouet
2000 Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), 27 years old, with Baloubet du Rouet
2001 Markus Fuchs (SUI), 45 years old, with Tinka's Boy
2002 Otto Becker (GER), 43 years old, with Dobel's Cento
2003 Marcus Ehning (GER), 29 years old, with Anka
2004 Bruno Broucqsault (FRA), 45 years old, with Dileme de Cephe
2005 Meredith M.-Beerbaum (GER), 31 years old, with Shutterfly
2006 Marcus Ehning (GER), 32 years old, with Sandro Boy
2007 Beat Mändli (SUI), 37 years old, with Ideo du Thot 2008 Meredith M.-Beerbaum (GER), 34 years old, with Shutterfly
2009 Meredith M.-Beerbaum (GER), 35 years old, with Shutterfly
2010 Marcus Ehning (GER), 36 years old, with Plot Blue & Küchengirl
2011 Christian Ahlmann (GER), 37 years old, with Taloubet Z
2012 Rich Fellers (USA), 52 years old, with Flexible
2013 Beezie Madden (USA), 50 years old, with Simon
2014 Daniel Deusser (GER), 33 years old, with Cornet d’Amour
2015 Steve Guerdat (SUI), 32 years old, with Albfuehren’s Paille
2016 Steve Guerdat (SUI), 33 years old, with Corbinian
2017 McLain Ward (USA), 42 years old with HH Azur
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MCLAIN WARD (USA) :
“KEEPING THE TITLE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME, ESPECIALLY IN
PARIS”
New Yorker McLain Ward is one of the greats when it comes to winners of the Longines FEI
World Cup Jumping. One of the rare riders who was in the lead from start to finish,
winning each of the three classes, without knocking down the slightest rail, thanks to a
particularly brilliant Belgian mare, HH Azur. After a career littered with setbacks, in
particular a questionable elimination in 2010 during the final in Geneva, where he was in
lead, McLain became one of the most important riders in this sport, on Sunday, 2 April
2017 in Omaha. Interview with the 42-year-old who has recently become a father.
How did you become a professional rider? Who are you thankful to for becoming one of
the best riders in the world?
The short story is I did not know how to do anything else! The longer story is both my
parents were professionals, my father was a top Grand Prix rider, so it was definitely in the
family genes. As I became a young teenager I started to have some success that has
propelled me to want to pursue it to the highest level I could. That set the course. As far as
people to thank, the list is endless, that could be a whole book in itself. None of us gets to
where we are without incredible support and education and people from various walks of
life behind us. The desire to do the sport and to be in the business of horses also was in me
from very early on.
Where are you based and how are you organized with your horses?
We are based in Brewster, New York, about an hour north of New York City. We spend the
winters in Wellington, Florida, where we have a smaller operation. We run a kind of very
nice boutique size sales business, somewhere between 20 and 30 horses. It is a size that
allows me to pursue the sport at the highest level while dealing as well. I typically ride 5 to 8
horses a day. The life of a rider now is taking on a lot of different responsibilities, so
sometimes I ride less, sometimes more. The sport has grown and I have a lot of good people
behind me, particularly French staff at the moment actually.
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I have also two barn managers who I have worked with for years and make things run. Everybody pulls their weight in my
operation.
Do you deal a lot?
Yes, we sell between 40 and 50 horses a year.
Do you train youngsters for yourself, for high level?
We do but we would like to do more of that actually. Unfortunately the model for producing young horses in the United
States is not as good as it is in Europe. The system here is more based on amateurs and young riders. It is a struggle to be
able to train young horses but we do because you obviously need a pipeline for the future.
As owner of your top horses Double H is your main sponsor, do you have other sponsors as well?
Double H Farm is our primary sponsor but Sagamore Farms has also been a great supporter of ours for many years, they
are the owner of Rothchild and many other top horses. I also have few private people like Susan Heller and Tom Grossman
who was a part owner of Sapphire. We have people who contribute in different ways and try to support us and be part of
what we are doing.
How is the final in Paris shaping up?
The plan is to take Azur. She started competing at the beginning of February and – touch wood – she feels good. So the
plan is to build her up for the final in Paris. Keeping the title is very important for me. The horses are in the prime of their
career. Nothing would make me happier than not only to defend my title but to do it in a place like Paris! From a horse side
of things, France has always been a very supportive country for me in the sport; not only with the business that I have done
or because it is where a lot of my horses come from but even the difficult moments, like in Geneva, which is close to
France, where I got a lot of support from everyone, I always feel very welcome and at home.
What is the most important for you this year: the World Cup Final in Paris or medals at the World Equestrian Games
which will be held in the United States?
They are both very important. They are the two major goals for this year for myself, everything is getting ready for that.
When we sat down at the end of last year and really thought about this season those were the underlined moments.
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You are currently preparing your horses outdoors in the sun in Wellington. Will it be challenging to suddenly compete
indoors? Aren’t you going to prepare the indoor event beforehand?
It depends on the horse. HH Azur handles the transition quite well and she will not need to do an indoor competition
beforehand. In Wellington we are competing on sand so the surface is similar. We compete at night so we
have that indoor atmosphere. Yes, the ring is bigger but it is the same size as in Geneva for example. The mare just handles
any venue well, she does not get bothered by changes. Last year we did the same thing.
How do you prepare a horse for a World Cup Final?
The most important thing is to keep the horse fresh and healthy. She will be doing three shows in Wellington to make sure
she is in a groove, ready to go so to speak. Then we will give her a little rest, she will not compete for the last three weeks
between her last show and the final. We have a plan, try to stick to it and not make too many changes.
Who will be your biggest challenger in this final? Who are you most worried about?
I respect many of my competitors. I think with this horse right now, my focus is on being the best we can be and if we are
the best we can be, we have a very good chance to win. I do not worry too much about what the others are doing because I
am confident that if we are at our best, we are going to be a problem for them.
Are you fulfilled by this sport? Could you imagine yourself doing any other sport at the top level? Which one?
At this point at my age, I do not think I could do any other sport at the top level, so I am quite happy with where I am. Of
course, I have some other interests. My wife and I, for example, have developed some properties and houses and we enjoy
it as a hobby and the creative side of it. At the end of the day, I very much love what I do, it is always interesting and
changing, we get to work with another living being, it obviously brings a lot of dimension to our life. Now we do this as a
family with our daughter and our friends; it is a nice existence.
McLain is an unusual first name, where does it come from?
I was named after a gentleman my mother and father both knew. He was a member of the McKinney family, they were a
very famous skier family here in the United States. Tamara McKinney skied in the World Cup. She was the first American to
win a World Cup season title. The whole family rode horses and my mother was involved in helping them at different times
and from there comes the name.
1: When he was in the lead in the 2010 World Cup Final in Geneva with Sapphire, McLain Ward was eliminated after the
second class following a thermography exam.
2:: In this famous family, Steve McKinney, a speed skier, was the first to break the 200 km/h barrier in 1978, in Portillo.
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KEVIN STAUT: MY KINGDOM FOR A WORLD CUP
The French number 1 arrives at the AccorHotels Arena as the best French rider after the
qualifying legs of the Western European league. Will he finally manage to win a Longines
FEI World Cup Jumping Final? Kevin Staut loves this circuit and adores this particular
event, and would surely be ecstatic with a win. He tells us why he loves it so much.
What is it that makes you so passionate about the Longines FEI World Cup?
There are two circuits that mean a lot to me, the outdoor Nations Cup and this one. They are
both long-standing FEI series that became part of established competitions with their own
loyal and supportive following. A lot of thought went into how this was done. Our sport is
currently experiencing tremendous momentum with new sponsors and a lot of money, but
these competitions are becoming more audio-visual events and less places where sports
fans come together. You only need to see and hear the public at the French legs of the
World Cup in both Lyon and Bordeaux to realise that you are at a major sporting event, and I
love that. You get the same feeling during the outdoor season at established CSIO events like
La Baule, Aachen, Calgary and Dublin. For me, that's what sport is really about, and that's
where you get the kind of atmosphere that pushes you to go one better. You feel as if you're
being "carried" by something that has become increasingly rare in our sport. It's wonderful
that every weekend we can take part in competitions with major prize money but they just
don't have the atmosphere of the big events, like the one we can look forward to at
AccorHotels Arena.
What is your best personal memory of this Longines FEI World Cup Jumping?
I put a lot of energy into the qualifying circuit and usually do very well, but I haven't yet
managed to create that "good memory" with a significant result in the finals, although I did
come third in Gothenburg in 2013. I came 7th in my first final, followed by 6th, then 5th,
then 3rd but it hasn't gone any further than that. However, each time I am qualified for the
Final, I
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still go back there with the same motivation. I haven't given up, I know that it will happen one day and I’ll create that
“best memory”. My personal history with the World Cup is more about loyalty to the event than anything else. When a
new World Cup season gets going, I hear riders moaning about having to travel to Oslo, Helsinki and so on, but I really look
forward to going into battle again, even though they're the same competitions and the same venues. I find it both
comforting and exciting. I'm totally captivated by this circuit. It has changed in many ways, but that just adds a certain
novelty factor. For example, the Basel leg replacing the Zurich one next year. But each competition on the circuit has its
own particular appeal, its own audience, history, authenticity and identity. It's this kind of diversity that makes the circuit
so well balanced.
What did you think of this particular event before you became a key player?
I used to be a big fan, and I would watch the coverage of the national legs broadcast on French television as well as
coverage of a competition that I'm particularly fond of, the one at Olympia in London that’s shown on Eurosport. All these
competitions had, and still have, their own very personal stamp. For example, in London there is the puissance and the
Christmas atmosphere. All the legs had the World Cup class in common and each then put its own personal stamp on the
rest of the programme, and when I was a kid, I used to really enjoy watching that.
In your opinion, who has been the best winner in the history of the World Cup?
Steve Guerdat in Gothenburg in 2016 with Carbonian. With several weeks to go, here was a horse that had us wondering if
he was going to be ready. That's when we saw Steve the competitor, the real warrior. His performance transcended
everything else. He led the class from start to finish. He wanted to make up for the previous year’s victory in Las Vegas with
Albfuehren's Paille that he considered undeserved and frustrating; he knocked down two rails in the final class. He felt that
he had not ridden in a manner befitting a win and wanted to redeem himself as a great champion in Gothenburg. Redeem
himself from a win!
France has only had one winner who remains the biggest outsider in history at this World Cup: Bruno Broucqsault in
2004. There's been no one else. None of our great champions, yourself included, with a string of other titles, has
managed it. How do you explain that?
There is perhaps a technical reason for this. As a country, we don’t have a very highly developed indoor circuit, except for
the 5* shows. There are some indoor shows, but much fewer than in Germany, Holland and Belgium where from a very
young age, horses gain experience at 1* and 2* shows. We don't have any winter series, we wait for the outdoor season to
start on the big grass arenas. Indoor competitions aren’t really part of our culture in France.
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Will the fact that this final is being held in France at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris be an extra motivating factor for you?
Of course. We had the maximum number of French riders qualify, all determined to give of our best in front of a Parisian
crowd. It's very important for us that this final is taking place in Paris.
Have you already planned your strategy and which horse you'll ride in the final? Rêveur de Hurtebise?
It hasn't yet been completely decided, I may opt for a 2-horse plan with the idea of conserving his energy a bit for the
World Equestrian Games this year. In that case, I would use another horse first to get the maximum performance in the
hunting competition.
Is McLain Ward with HH Azur on top form unbeatable?
Of course McLain Ward is indisputably one of the favourites, but he won't be the only one. Harrie Smolders, for example,
is showing top form at the moment with Zenius and Emerald, both of which he will probably ride in Paris.
ESSENTIAL FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
FOR A SHOW JUMPING COMPETITION
To understand and appreciate a show jumping competition, you need to be familiar with
certain terms and what they mean. If you don’t understand equestrian jargon, chances are
you’ll feel like the announcers and commentators at a Grand Prix are speaking
gobbledegook. The following list will help you understand the basics to be able to follow a
horse show like an expert.
Athlete: Equestrianism is the only sport in which two living beings, a horse and a rider,
compete together.
Horse: A horse is the result of many years of work by breeders who have studied equine
genetics in detail before breeding it. A young horse begins its sporting career at the age of 3
with light work once it has been broken in (the first time it is ridden). It generally starts
competing at the age of 4. When it is 6 years old, it is possible to detect if it has the talent to
become a top competitor, and it can then begin its international career. From then on,
stallions, geldings and mares compete in the same classes. A good horse becomes successful
at the age of 8, and the peak of its career is between 10 and 15 years old, with some horses
competing up to the age of 20. Most show jumping horses are bred in France, Germany, the
Netherlands and Belgium.
Rider: The rider is not just someone who sits on a horse and does nothing. He or she does
more than just ride the horse. Generally speaking, riders start very young. The rider is the
brains of the combination. In the first instance, the rider has dexterity and talent: he or she
has a good eye, but also a sense of balance so as not to upset the horse. He or she is the
person who “moulds” the horse through many years of work, training, dressage and most of
all, patience. On the course, the rider’s eye and his or her ability to make quick decisions are
just as important as the horse’s qualities, physical aptitude and carefulness, etc.
Table: There are different penalty systems used to rank competitors at the end of a class. The most common is Table A, in
which rails knocked down and refusals result in a 4-fault penalty. Faults for exceeding the time limit can also be added to
the final result; 1 fault is added for every 4 seconds over the time limit. Under Table C rules, which will be used to judge the
first class of the World Cup final, rails knocked down are converted into seconds which are added to the time that the
horse and rider combination take to finish the course. Generally speaking, one rail down results in a 4-second penalty.
Jump-off: This is the equivalent of a tie-break in show jumping: the jump-off is the decider between competitors with the
same score after a Table A class. The jump-off is different and shorter than the original course, and is against the clock.
Course designer: Part artist, part architect, the course designer builds a course by designing the track and placing the
obstacles in such a way that riders really have to think about their round. Obstacles are placed at certain distances for
horses to demonstrate their obedience and their desire to clear them, and riders to demonstrate their technique. The
course designer has to take into account the level of competitors, the type of class, the table and any specific rules. His
objective is to achieve a level of difficulty that allows the best riders to display their skills while ensuring the safety of all
participants. For this final, the job has been entrusted to Spain’s Santiago Varela Ullastres, assisted by France’s Grégory
Bodo.
Five stars: International show jumping competitions are classified by the FEI from one to five stars, depending on the level
of the classes. Five stars is the highest level.
Combination: A combination is a series of two or three obstacles separated by just one or two cantering strides. If the
horse refuses to jump one of the elements in the combination or leaves the combination between two obstacles, the horse
and rider have to go back and jump all two or three obstacles in the combination again. A combination counts as a single
obstacle on the course (with two or three difficulties).
Warm-up area or paddock: This is the ring beyond the main arena where the riders and grooms can warm up their horses
before they start their round in the main arena, where no “trial session” can be conducted. It is also the place where the
riders go with their horses to recover after their performance. There are at least two obstacles (and more rarely 3 or 4) in
this ring. The height of the obstacles must not exceed the height of those in the main arena.
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Prize money: Riders are awarded prize money according to how they are placed in competitions. The first 30% receive
prize money and the winner of the class wins 30% of this amount. The prize money of the first class of the final amounts to
€100,000, the second one, €150,000 and the third one, €300,000, in addition to the €750,000 awarded to the first 16 riders
in the overall rankings of which €172,000 is solely for the winner. Thus, last year, in winning the three classes and the Cup,
McLain Ward was awarded €263, 214. He had to share the prize money of the third class with six other riders who had two
clear rounds. A good weekend, but far from the 2.1 million dollars which the winners of the French Open receive or
Neymar’s monthly salary which amounts to 3.1 million euros!
Elimination: After a second refusal, or if the horse and/or the rider falls, the combination will be eliminated from the class,
but not from the final, since the rider will be able to compete the next day.
Strides: One of the hardest things in show jumping is how the riders manage their horses’ strides on the approach to the
obstacles. A cantering stride covers roughly 3.5m. The rider can get his horse to extend its stride or shorten its stride, to
adjust the number of strides between two obstacles allowing the horse to jump in the best conditions.
Mixed: Show jumping is the only Olympic sport where men and women (just like the mares and stallions / geldings)
compete in the same classes. The World Cup has been won seven times (out of thirty nine) by women, including three
victories by the same person, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, originally from California and now representing Germany.
Obstacles: There are two main types of obstacles: spreads and verticals. A vertical is an obstacle that has at least two rails
one above the other. Spreads can be the same height and width. Oxers have two verticals that are spread out. They can
also be wider than they are higher, lower at the front than behind (this is called an ascending oxer) or the rails can be equal
height (a square oxer). An ascending oxer consisting of three elements is called a triple bar or spa. In a Grand Prix, the
obstacles can stand up to 1.6 m high and 2 m wide or more in the case of a triple bar. A typical course consists of between
11 and 14 obstacles, and up to 18 difficulties to jump when you include the combinations. A combination counts as a single
obstacle on the course.
Arena: This is where all the action takes place. The AccorHotels Arena is 80 metres by 40. The footing is a sophisticated mix
of fibres and sand that has been specially developed to protect the horse’s legs, feet and joints. Around the AccorHotels
Arena are the stands, accommodating 12,000 spectators, and the nine television cameras that will be broadcasting this
final across the planet. In the arena itself, the obstacles are decorated with flowers and plants that can disturb the horses’
concentration.
Course walk: Once the course has been built by the course designer and his team, riders are allowed to walk it with their
trainers to memorise the track, the order of obstacles, calculate the number of strides between the closely placed
obstacles, as well as finding short cuts and other ways of saving time for speed classes or in the event of a jump-off.
Refusal or disobedience: A penalty is incurred when the horses stops dead in front of an obstacle and “refuses” to jump it
or goes around it (a run out).
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RIDERS QUALIFIED FOR
THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING FINAL
(list on 2 April 2018, likely to be modified)
. GERMANY
Daniel Deusser
Marcus Ehning
. SAUDIA ARABIA
Abdulrahman Alrajhi
. AUSTRALIA
Jamie Kermond
Billy Raymont
. BELGIUM
Pieter Devos
Olivier Philippaerts
. BRAZIL
Felipe Amaral
. COLUMBIA
Carlos Enrique Lopez
Lizarazo
. SPAIN
Eduardo Alvarez Aznar
. ESTONIA
Rein Pill
Urmas Raag
. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Jamie Barge
Charlie Jacobs
Andrew Kocher
Elizabeth Madden
Jenni McAllister
Alison Robitaille
Devin Ryan
Sarah Scheiring
Richard Spooner
Kristen Vanderveen
Mclain Ward
. FRANCE
Roger Yves Bost
Simon Delestre
Julien Epaillard
Kevin Staut
. GREAT BRITAIN
Robert Whitaker
Michael Whitaker
. IRELAND
Denis Lynch
Mark McAuley
. JORDAN
Ibrahim Hani Bisharat
. LATVIA
Kristaps Neretnieks
. MEXICO
Gustavo Ramos
. THE NETHERLANDS
Harrie Smolders
. SWEDEN
Douglas Lindelöw
Henrik Von Eckermann
. SWITZERLAND
Steve Guerdat
THE FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
THE 2017/2017 LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE CIRCUIT
The FEI World Cup™ Dressage is entering its 33rd season. This circuit, created in 1985,
comprises four leagues, Western Europe, Central Europe, North America (including Canada)
and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Asia). Each FEI World Cup™ Dressage qualifying leg
consists of a Grand Prix which qualifies riders for a Freestyle to Music test whose results
award qualifying points for the Final.
The FEI World Cup™ Dressage judges technical and artistic aspects and combines equestrian
art, sport and the bond between the rider and his or her horse. Every year this competition
draws more and more spectators who have the greatest esteem for this discipline.
The 2017/2018 European League:
1- Herning, Denmark, 22 October 2017 (winner: Catherine Dufour, DEN)
2- Lyon, France, 3 November 2017 (winner: Isabell Werth, GER)
3- Stuttgart, Germany, 18 November 2017 (winner: Isabell Werth, GER)
4 - Salzburg, Austria, 10 December 2017 (winner: Dorothee Schneider, GER)
5- London, Great Britain, 13 December 2017 (winner: Patrik Kittel, SWE)
6- Amsterdam, The Netherlands 27 January 2018 (winner: Isabell Werth, GER)
7- Neumunster, Germany, 18 February 2018 (winner: Helen Langehanenberg, GER)
8- Gothenburg, Sweden, 23 February 2018 (winner: Catherine Dufour, DEN)
9- Den Bosch, The Netherlands, 10 March 2018 (winner: Isabell Werth, GER)
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37 qualifying legs, spread over 3 continents
1 three-time winner of a World Cup Final: Isabell Werth, GER (1992, 2007, 2017)
4 men who have won a final (versus 28 feminine victories): Sven Rothenberger, GER, in 1990 ; Steffen Peters, USA, in 2009 ;
Edward Gal, NED, in 2010 ; Hans Peter Minderhoud, NED, in 2016
13 World Cup Final victories for the Netherlands
8 World Cup Final victories for Germany
2 World Cup Final victories for Great Britain, Switzerland and the United States
1 World Cup Final victory for Denmark, Finland and Sweden
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GUIDE TO THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE FINAL
It was the World Cup that turned the Freestyle to Music test, or Kur, into an institution.
Before that, the big-name dressage riders saw it as very much a secondary class. They
gradually started coming to this World Cup, and Freestyle was eventually introduced into
other major Championships and the Olympic Games.
There are just four qualifying leagues during the winter season. They qualify 18 finalists: 9
from Western Europe, 2 from Central Europe, 2 from North America, 1 rider from the Pacific
league, and 1 non-league rider who must qualify with at least 68% (an average of 6.8/10) in
one of the four leagues, the titleholder (Isabell Werth this year) and 2 riders selected by the
Fédération Equestre Internationale, who must have reached the required threshold of 68%
in the class.
Day 1 (Friday): compulsory figures
The Grand Prix is performed to background music rather than set to a specific piece, and is a
pre-defined sequence of low and high school figures. The programme consists of 33 figures,
which are scored from 0 to 10 (in half-point increments), with a coefficient of 2 applied to
some of the more difficult moves like piaffes, passages, pirouettes, collected walk, extended
walk, and lead changes. This is then added to an overall score (coefficient of 2) given for
posture and adjustment of the rider’s aids.
The results from this first class are used to split the riders into two groups of 9 for the
following day (the 9 best riders will be the last to perform) and to eliminate any riders who
have not achieved a minimum 60% score.
Day two (Saturday): Freestyle programme
It is free in terms of the sequence of the test, but it must include sixteen compulsory
technical difficulties including, of course, the full range of high school figures such as
cantering pirouettes, passage and piaffe, which all have a coefficient of 2. This part
comprises the A score, which is a technical score like the one in figure skating.
The sequence of the figures, notably the transitions, are chosen by each individual rider who send his / her programme to
the FEI prior to the event so that the judges have a copy. The FEI technicians evaluate the programme’s DOD (degree of
difficulty) prior to the event, which is then approved or not by the judges on the day. The DOD score is then added to the
artistic scores, which comprise rhythm, energy and elasticity; harmony between horse and rider; choreography, use of
space and creativity; choice and interpretation of the music. Four scores with a coefficient of 4 added to the DOD produce
the B score.
Score A and score B are added together to give the final result and, in the event of a draw, the artistic score (B) takes
precedence.
The Freestyle to Music record is held by the 2012 Olympic champion, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and the
unforgettable Vallegro, who scored 94.3% in the qualifying rounds in London in December 2013. They then went on to win
the final in Lyon in April 2014, with a score of 92.18%. Will Isabell Werth and Weihegold beat this record in the AccorHotels
Arena?
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THE BACKGROUD OF THE FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE
The AccorHotels Arena in Paris will also host the FEI World Cup Dressage Final. It will be
the 33rd final in its history and here again only the third in France, 22 years after the last
final at Paris-Bercy (1992).
This second FEI World Cup has a more recent history than the Jumping World Cup, with the
first final taking place in 1986. At the time, dressage had a smaller audience consisting
mostly of people involved in the sport, and the German public. There was greater interest
around the time of the Olympic Games but this quickly faded away.
Purists had some reservations about the Kür or Freestyle to Music. However, whenever the
Freestyle to Music test was programmed at major events, it went down extremely well with
the public. In 1985, the first World Cup Dressage circuit was organised in the shadow of its
big brother, the Jumping World Cup. This led to a victory in 1986 for Denmark’s Anne-Grethe
Jensen with the light-footed Marzog. Although the German greats of the period stayed
away from these first editions, the disciplines’ big names were featured on the World Cup's
list of winners: Christine Stückelberger (Switzerland, in 1987 as part of the Equitana
exhibition and in 1988), Margit Otto-Crépin (France, in 1989 in Gothenburg), Kyra Kyrklund
(Finland, in 1992 at Paris-Bercy). Realising that the phenomenon of the Freestyle to Music
test was an advantage for the popularity of their sport, the major German riders decided to
embrace the movement with their leading horses such as Monica Theodorescu, who won
the title in 1993 and in 1994 with the Olympic champion Ganimedes.
The following year, a young Dutch rider dominated the circuit: a certain Anky van Grunsven
who was making her debut internationally with the famous Bonfire. Anky went on to
dominate Freestyle to Music tests at world level, winning nine World Cup titles and coming
second twice with Bonfire and then the great Salinero. Her reign lasted until the advent of
the new Dutch generation Edward Gal who won in 2010 with the amazing Totilas and then
Adelinde Cornelissen in 2011 and 2012 with Parzival.
In April 2013 Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill won the title. 2014 and 2015 underlined the supremacy of
the British, and one combination in particular, on the world dressage circuit. Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro were heads
and shoulders above the competition at the finals in Lyon and Las Vegas. In 2016, the Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud
took the crown back to the Netherlands, but lost it the following year to Germany represented by none other than Isabell
Werth, who made a major comeback to the very top of the competition.
In comparison to jumping, the American continent is a more discreet presence in these competitions: only two riders have
won this particular World Cup: Debbie McDonald in Gothenburg in 2003 and Steffen Peters in 2009.
WINNERS’ LIST
1986 Anne-Grethe Jensen (DEN) with Marzog
1987 Christine Stückelberger (SUI) with Gaugin de Lully
1988 Christine Stückelberger (SUI) with Gaugin de Lully
1989 Margit Otto-Crepin (FRA) with Corlandus
1990 Sven Rothenberger (GER) with Andiamo
1991 Kyra Kyrklund (FIN) with Matador
1992 Isabell Werth (GER) with Fabienne
1993 Monica Theodorescu (GER) with Ganimedes
1994 Monica Theodorescu (GER) with Ganimedes
1995 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Bonfire
1996 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Bonfire
1997 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Bonfire
1998 Louise Nathhorst (SWE) with LRF Walk on Top
1999 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Gestion Bonfire
2000 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Gestion Bonfire
2001 Ulla Salzgeber (GER) with Rusty
2002 Ulla Salzgeber (GER) with Rusty
2003 Debbie McDonald (USA) with Brentina
2004 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Gestion Bonfire
2005 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Keltec Salinero
2006 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with Keltec Salinero
2007 Isabell Werth (GER) with Warum Nicht FRH
2008 Anky van Grunsven (NED) with IPS Salinero
2009 Steffen Peters (USA) with Ravel
2010 Edward Gal (NED) with Moorlands Totilas
2011 Adelinde Cornelissen (NED) with Jerich Parzival
2012 Adelinde Cornelissen (NED) with Jerich Parzival
2013 Helen Langehanenberg (GER) with Damon Hill NRW
2014 Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) with Valegro
2015 Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) with Valegro
2016 Hans Peter Minderhoud (NED), with Glock’s Flirt
2017 Isabell Werth (GER), with Weihegold OLD
41
ISABELL WERTH : TOWARDS A...24TH TITLE?
Isabell Werth is a global sporting phenomena, but that's not something she worries about
much. She is first and foremost a horsewoman who, it has to be said, likes winning, but
whose desire to win comes from her passion for coaching, training and the exhilarating
feeling of seeing her horses progress. She manages a stable of forty to fifty horses, from
youngsters just starting out to Grand Prix champions. Seven of her horses compete in
Grand Prix events, with three at international level! A very small number of her horses are
destined to be sold, and she spends a similarly small proportion of her time coaching
whenever her competition schedule allows. To keep the stable going, she relies on a staff
of ....fifteen people! Not counting her eight-year-old son, Frederik: “But for the time being,
he's more of a farmer than a rider. He prefers driving tractors to riding horses!"
Do you know exactly how many Championship and Olympic medals you have won in your
career?
(Laughs). This question should be easy to answer because I've been asked it so many times,
but I don't know the exact number! I think it's about 30, isn’t it?
If I told you that it was 40 international medals and three World Cup titles...
Forty??? Well… That's not bad, is it? (laughs)
That makes you the top medal winner in the world in any sport. How do you feel about
that?
I don't really think about it, and if I do, I don't think about it for long. Of course, when
someone mentions it I feel proud. But it's not really important because what is important for
me is the next show and how well my young horses are progressing: because that's what I
love most of all, helping horses develop. I've been in the sport for a while now and have got
these good results so of course I'm proud, mostly for having won all these medals with
different types of horses. For me, the best thing about all these achievements is having
obtained the results as the trainer and coach of these horses.
R&
B P
ress
e
You won your first World Cup title in the 91-92 season: how do you manage to maintain your enthusiasm and drive to
win over a 26-year career?
Thanks to the horses! I'm really driven by the desire to train and take horses to the top level so that I can show the results
of all this work in a competitive context. That's where my motivation for competing comes from.
Which one of your 23 gold medals is the best one, the most important one for you?
It’s really hard to say. Each medal has its own story. But okay: the first one (Ed. note: team gold at the 1992 Barcelona
Olympics) was really very important, it showed me that it was possible. But at the end of the day, it turned out to be the
easiest because there was no pressure, it was just about going into the arena and doing the best I could. I had to fight for it
of course, and show that I was capable of reaching that level. After that, my first individual Olympic medal (Atlanta
Olympics 1996) meant something to me but the most important was the one at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in
Aachen. It was a comeback with Satchmo after a long barren period, and to make that comeback in front of 45,000 people,
a mostly German crowd, and winning in such an unexpected way was a very emotional moment.
Which has been the most important horse in your career?
Gigolo, of course. He was such a kind, honest horse. He was a real athlete, and was always on my side. He showed me the
way forward. Then, for me as a rider and trainer, Satchmo has definitely been the most complicated horse, but he's given
me lots of pointers about how to work with my other horses.
You're still young, especially for this particular sport and you were only 23 years old when you won your first Olympic
title: how long do you think you will carry on with your career, what are your goals?
I can't say how long I'll carry on. I want to go on for a few more years, but I can't say if that will be three, four or five years
or more. It all depends on my horses and how competitive I feel. At the moment, everything is go go go because after
Weihegold, Emilio and Don Johnson, I've got some very good mares coming through. I'm busy consolidating my team and
trying to make my stable less dependent on me, but that's going to take a few years yet. In the meantime, I’ll carry on
competing.
After your first victory last year with Weihegold in Omaha, you've got the World Cup in your sights for 2018: would the
double in Paris in the legendary AccorHotels Arena that has witnessed so many of the great sporting moments in
equestrianism, be particularly important for you?
Yes, it's going to be amazing, really amazing. Coming back to this arena will be exceptional for me as I have so many
43
wonderful memories of this show with Anthony and other horses. The public is always hugely enthusiastic in this arena. We
had some great times in Bercy with Uwe Schulten-Baumer (Ed. note: her first coach), Georg Theodorescu (national coach in
the 1990s and father of Monica Theodorescu, who was then competing). It's a really wonderful competition, and we get to
go to some great restaurants between the events. They are all wonderful memories. And going back there this year will be
very special.
Which horse will you be riding in the AccorHotels Arena? Weihegold?
If all goes according to plan, yes. Emilio has also had some good results, but the plan is to ride Weihegold in Paris and then
give him a break until the qualifiers for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon. While Weihegold is resting, Emilio will take
over. It's really quite comforting to know that we have a second horse at this level.
You currently dominate the international circuit with Weihegold; your two other horses, Emilio and Don Johnson are
ranked in the world top 10: there shouldn't really be any surprises in Paris, especially with Weihegold, should there?
Ah, you never know! The advantage of having been in the sport for a certain length of time is that you know that
everything is always possible. I know that I'm one of the favourites…okay, I’m THE favourite but I’m still cautious because I
know that anything can happen. For example, you could have a small drop in form that puts a win in jeopardy. I'm not
going to go there saying that it's in the bag. For me, the next competition is always the hardest.
ESSENTIAL FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR A DRESSAGE COMPETITION
Dressage consists of performing with horses to display the elegance of their movements.
In competitions, these performances are carried as tests consisting of classical movements
in compulsory or freestyle sequences, where the horse performs at the three different
gates. Within the confines of the sport and art, dressage is one discipline which requires
concentration and a strong bond between the horse and rider to accomplish these
moments of pure grace, when the horse appears to dance in time with the music following
invisible orders.
Aids: Aids are natural or artificial measures which the rider uses to communicate with his or
her horse. Natural aids include the eyes, the weight of the body, the legs and the voice.
There are many artificial aids, involving any objects which the rider may use to supplement
or reinforce his or her natural aids. Spurs, crops and dressage sticks are artificial aids. It
should be noted that in dressage tests, the riders are not allowed to use either crops or their
voice during the tests.
Extended gaits: An extended gait is a transition in the gait which is considered to be a figure
of the dressage test. An extended gait consists of increasing the length of the horse’s stride
without changing its pace. It demonstrates that the horse can stretch its legs, back and neck
to increase its stride.
Gaits: Gaits are the different ways in which a horse moves. There are natural gaits which the
horse uses in the wild, and less common gaits, which are just as natural, which may be
developed and perfected through training. The walk, trot and canter are natural gaits which
are common to most horses. Sometimes in the field, however, some horses may naturally
perform passage and piaffe, more developed gaits which can be found in dressage tests.
Half-pass: The half-pass is an exercise in which the horse moves sideways, while flexing
towards the direction in which it is moving. The half-pass requires the horse to put its weight
into its haunches in order to free up its legs and be able to move sideways, crossing its legs.
Dressage arena: The dressage arena is a rectangle measuring 60m by 20m, in which the horses and riders perform their
test in front of the judges and the public.
Lead change: When cantering, which is a three-time dissymmetrical gait, the horse may canter on the left or right foot. In
other words, it leads with the right foreleg if it is on the right foot, and the left foreleg if it is on the left foot. A lead change
takes place when the rider asks the horse to change from one foot to the other, while maintaining the cantor. During
advanced level dressage tests, the rider may be asked to perform a series of lead changes in one-time, two-time or three-
time, which means the horse must change foot with every stride, every two strides or every three strides.
Warm-up area or paddock: This is a ring which is different from the main arena in which the riders and grooms can warm
up their horses and practice their movements and figures before entering the main arena, where no test sessions can take
place. It is also the place where the riders go with their horses to recover after their performance.
Prize money: Cash prizes are awarded to different rankings in competitions. The top 25% receive prize money and the
winner of the class takes a maximum of 33% of the prize money for the event.
Figures: Dressage figures are the patterns marked on the ground in an indoor or outdoor school. Some of the most
common figures include the diagonal, which consists of the horse tracing a diagonal line in the dressage arena, the volte,
which is a small circle measuring 6, 8 or 10 metres in diameter, and turning down the centre line, which consists of splitting
the length or breadth of the dressage arena with a straight line in a symmetrical way, etc.
Grand Prix: The Grand Prix is the most technical dressage test. It consists of figures such as the half-pass, flying lead
changes, canter pirouettes, piaffe, and passage. This is a compulsory test, and competitors are obliged to follow the order
in which they must perform the various figures.
Judges: For the FEI World Cup Dressage Final, the tests are evaluated by a jury consisting of seven judges. Their role is to
evaluate the quality of the figures performed by the horse and rider combination in the arena.
Kür is the German word for Freestyle to music: is not an event in which the series of figures is imposed, as in the Grand
Prix. In other words, as its name indicates, riders are free to choose the order in which they want to perform the figures in
their test, accompanied by music in keeping with the movements. In this event, the judges must also evaluate the creative
and artistic aspect of the competitors’ tests.
47
Scoring: All figures in the test are evaluated by the various judges. Each one is ranked from 0 (not performed) to 10
(excellent); an overall score is also awarded for the rider’s position and the effectiveness and correctness of aids. All scores
are then converted into a percentage. The horse and rider combination with the highest percentage wins the class.
Passage: The passage is a slow trot where the horse raises its legs in a slower gait which resembles that of the piaffe.
Spectators have the impression that the horse is jumping slowly and dancing, moving from one diagonal to the other.
Piaffe: The piaffe consists of trotting on the spot, with high, round, light and majestic movements in which the horse moves
from one diagonal to the other.
Pirouette: The pirouette is a dressage figure in which the horse must perform a complete circle, most often cantering. The
pirouette is on the spot, and the horse must have its entire weight on the back legs, turning on its inside back leg.
Tests: A dressage test is a series of equestrian figures, in a defined order, performed in a dressage arena.
Spectator judging: In sports involving judges, spectators always have their say. Here is a way for them
to express their views with this fun app which is easy to use. The public will evaluate the World Cup
finalists live and compare their scores with those of the official judges. The spectator who is the
nearest to the official judges’ scores will even be able to win a bottle of champagne.
Transitions: Transitions are changes between gaits or within a gait. For example, moving from a trot to a canter is a
transition (upward) between gaits, while moving from a working trot to an extended trot is a transition within the gait.
Moving from a canter to a trot, canter to walk, and trot to walk are downward transitions. Transition from passage to piaffe
or piaffe to passage are very important in dressage Grands Prix.
RIDERS QUALIFIED FOR
THE FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE FINAL
(list on 2 April 2018, likely to be modified)
. GERMANY
Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl
Dorothee Schneider
Isabell Werth
. AUSTRALIA
Mary Hanna
. AUSTRIA
Belinda Weinbauer
. BELARUS
Hanna Karasiova
. Denmark
Daniel Bachmann Andersen
. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Laura Graves
Shelly Francis
. FRANCE
Ludovic Henry
. GREAT BRITAIN
Emile Faurie
. THE NETHERLANDS
Edward Gal
Madeleine Witte-Vrees
. THE PHILIPPINES
Ellesse Tzinberg
. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Yvonne Losos De Muñiz
. RUSSIA
Inessa Merkulova
. SWEDEN
Patrik Kittel
Tinne Vilhemsson
49
CSI 2* AND CSI NON-WC
NON-STOP GREAT SPORT
Three events in one! This is what GL events is offering at the Longines FEI Jumping and FEI
Dressage World Cup Finals. On the fringes of the main events, two CSI events, a two-star
and a five-star, specifically for those who are not qualified for the Final will boast an
exceptional line-up.
The current World double silver-medallist, Patrice Delaveau, and three Olympic champions,
Philippe Rozier, Roger-Yves Bost and Kevin Staut, the recent winner of the Grand Prix
Hermès, Simon Delestre and other key members of the French team such as Cédric Angot,
Julien Epaillard, Olivier Robert and Olivier Guillon, who is also a former World team silver
medallist. In addition to these champions there will also be the young rising stars of French
show jumping: Alexandra Paillot, a solid member of the French team, Margaux Bost, niece of
Roger Yves, Edward Levy (see his interview in this press kit) and Félicie Bertrand (who is
currently successfully winning at CSI 3* level). Without forgetting some of the foreign
entrants such as the Portuguese champion Luciana Diniz, or Nicola the twin brother of
Olivier Philippaerts, all drawn to this mythical venue, the AccorHotels Arena. What a
programme! What a line-up!
The CWD-Equithème Grand Prix on Saturday evening (the day off for the Longines FEI World
Cup Jumping Final riders) is set to be a particularly top-notch event in terms of sport,
featuring the leading horses of the riders who weren't qualified for the Final, and the horses
that are no longer part of the Final after the second round, the day before. Only thirty
combinations will be invited to participate in Sunday’s class along with the “second” horses
of riders who are still in the competition. And, of course, these champions will be driven by a
thirst for revenge and a desire to excel in this temple of top level sport where some of the
greatest pages of this sport were written from 1984 to 2005. Winning in Paris this weekend
is in another league.
It is also set to be a very emotional evening, as spectators in the AccorHotels Arena bid
farewell to the great Winningmood, a stallion which started out with Ludo Philippaerts and
which was successfully ridden by Luciana Diniz for 10 years, as he retires from competition.
The son of Darco is retiring from the international stage with €720,000 of prize money, many
Grand Prix wins and 4th place in a World Cup Final.
51
ACTIVITIES ORGANISED AROUND THE FEI WORLD CUP ™ FINALS:
FRENCH-STYLE EQUESTRIAN ART AT ITS GREATEST LEVEL
The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping and the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals hadn’t been
hosted in Paris for more than 25 years. GL events Equestrian Sport, the organiser of the
event, is giving pride of place to Equitation in the French tradition, incorporated into
UNESCO’s World Heritage list, on the occasion of the return of the Finals to the capital,
from 11 to 15 April at the AccorHotels Arena. The world eyes will be focused on the French
Republican Guard, the Cadre Noir of Saumur and surprise guests, who all share values
recognised by UNESCO.
"Prestige" is the name of the equestrian concert performance which will set the tempo at
the Longines FEI Jumping and FEI Dressage World Cup Finals. It precedes the classes in which
the greatest riders on the planet will compete. The French Republican Guard’s Symphonic
Orchestra and the Chœur de L’Armée française (French Army’s Choir), the Guard's riders, the
riders of the unmissable Cadre Noir of Saumur and world-renowned artists will allow
spectators at the AccorHotels Arena to discover or rediscover equitation at its highest level,
recognised the world over.
Lightness, sensitivity, the bond between man and horse and respect will all be to the fore on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, preceding the classes which will crown the winners
of the 2018 FEI World Cup Finals. During the day, before the classes, the French Republican
Guard and its Symphonic Orchestra will perform alone on foot, on horseback or on
motorbikes to the delight of the 40,000 spectators expected.
About the military band of the French Republican Guard cavalry
The military band of the French Republican Guard cavalry keeps alive the tradition of
mounted bands and, in the minds of the French public, harks back to the panache and glory
days of the French Army’s illustrious regiments.
With their striking traditional uniforms, magnificent trumpet pennons and kettledrum
aprons, polished and gleaming brass instruments, the cavalry’s brass band continues to
perform widely in France and abroad.
PSV
Jea
n M
OR
EL
Its repertoire comprises a long list of regimental marches that evoke artillerymen, cuirassiers, dragoons, hussars, chasseurs,
spahis, African chasseurs and of course the marches of the French Republican Guard itself, composed by successive
trumpet-majors.
The band is well-known to Parisians who often come to applaud them during important ceremonial occasions when their
role is to escort the president or foreign monarchs. The snorting of the horses, the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves on the
cobbled streets, the clinking of weapons touching one another, and all the historical king’s cavalrymen, knights,
musketeers, dragoons and cuirassiers of the Empire briefly come to life once again.
With timpanists on grey horses, and trumpeters on chestnut ones, the band is privileged to be the guardian of this tradition
and upholder of the reputation of the French Republican Guard’s Cavalry.
At symphonic concerts, the brass band joins the French Republican Guard’s Orchestra to play cavalry trumpet calls in some
of the traditional marches.
About the Cadre Noir of Saumur
The Cadre Noir of Saumur brings together riders from the École Supérieure du Cheval et de l’Équitation in Saumur.
Veritable experts in one or several disciplines, the riders' primary role is to pass on technical and theoretical knowledge.
They must also train the horses and keep them in top condition for the Reprise de Manège (indoor school performance)
and the Sauteurs (airs above the ground), as well as for the national and international competitions where they represent
the École. They also prepare the horses under their responsibility for student training.
The Cadre Noir is the most renowned representative of Equitation in the French tradition. Since 2011, it has been
incorporated into UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It can be characterised on one hand by its
objective to create a harmonious relationship between the horse and its rider and, on the other, by its specific style of
riding. It strives to reveal the grace and movements which horses naturally show when they are at liberty. The real merit
of this style of horse riding, either academically, artistically or as a sport, is less in the impressive movements and more in
the sheer lightness of the performance. The horse is said to be “light” when it easily and harmoniously obeys the rider’s
most subtle indications. Much more than a way of riding, Equitation in the French tradition can also be seen as a school of
conduct, a way of developing respect for the one another. Impulsion, grace, lightness, audacity, finesse and purity are the
hallmarks of Equitation in the French tradition.
53
WHAT TO DO IN PARIS DURING THE FEI WORLD CUPTM FINALS
HORSES IN PARIS
Courtesy of GRANDPRIX
Paris was long able to count several thousand horses among its residents: they numbered
80,000 in 1880, and 55,000 still in 1912, despite the progressive emergence of the
automobile. Although they appear to have deserted the capital these days, if you keep a
careful eye out you will see them on every street corner (well, almost). In stone, ghostly
form or their flesh and bone version, horses still gambol around the city.
An aquatic ballet beneath the Eiffel Tower
In a pool in the Trocadero Gardens, there is a sculpture by Georges Guyot called
“Horses and dog". Entirely in bronze, it depicts two horses’ heads and a running dog. The
monumental horse heads appear to be fighting a losing battle against imminent drowning.
With no bodies to support them, the two animals look already partially engulfed by the
water. With eyes wide open, they emerge from the water jets in the fountain like a
phantasmagorical vision. One of them seems panic-stricken, its mouth open in a final silent
and desperate neigh. The second, ears pricked courageously, is more stoic. They have been
performing their strange aquatic ballet since 1937.
Treasures in the stomach of the "Bronze horse"
Still known today as "the Bronze horse", this statue of Henry IV sits majestically on Pont
Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. Marie de’ Medici commissioned Jean de Bologne to create
the first statue in the 17th century, but this was destroyed during the French Revolution. At
the time of the Restoration, Louis XVIII ordered a replica. This is the statue that has stood at
the tip of the Ile de la Cité since 25 August 1818. It is one of the most famous equestrian
statues in Paris, and treasures were discovered inside it during renovation work in 2004.
Several boxes containing period documents, including a copy of Voltaire’s La Henriade, were
found in the horse’s stomach. The sovereign and his steed that overlook the Jardin Vert-
Galant, a romantic meeting spot for lovers, would surely have plenty more tales to tell.
Przewalski’s horses in the heart of Paris
Przewalski’s horses have lived in the zoological gardens in the Jardin des Plantes since 1902. They are part of a European
Endangered species Programme (EEP) which is designed to "preserve the genetic variety of this species in captivity in order
to best maintain their capacity to adapt," the park’s management explains. With their black-striped backs, erect manes and
stocky build, they look like they have stepped straight out of a Lascaux cave painting.
When the horses of the Imperial guard cantered
The manège room in the Louvre is well named. Today it houses antique sculptures, but it was once Napoleon III’s Imperial
manege. Exercises and other equestrian performances took place here in great pomp and ceremony at the time of the
Empire. Riders used to enter the room via a horseshoe-shaped ramp, which can still be seen in the Cour Lefuel at the
museum. The manège was donated to the museum in 1879, at which point it became known as the "salle du Manège”
(manège room). It still has some of its original decor from 1861, which shows the equestrian influence: horses’ heads are
sculpted into the stone pillars. If you close your eyes and concentrate, you can almost hear the rhythmic sound of
cantering, the clinking of the bits and the horses’ breath…
The Grand Palais
“Harmony triumphing over discord" on the River Seine side echoes “Immortality outstripping time” on the Champs Elysées
side. Either side of the museum, these chariots drawn by four horses gallop straight out of the poetic imagination of
sculptor Georges Récipon. They look down on the capital from a height of thirty metres as they furiously gallop, manes
flying in the wind. Created for the Exposition Universelle of 1900, these sculptures revolutionised the law of
weightlessness: the four steeds leap into the air with total abandon, despite weighing twelve tons. Mouths open, ears flat
back, they seem to be spurred on by their guides, Harmony and Immortality. At night time, the chariots lit up against the
black sky are a truly striking sight.
A horse called Vizir
“This horse crystallised many dreams,” say the curators of the modern department at the Musée de l’Armée. The Imperial
“N” on his left thigh showing that he belonged to the stables of Emperor Napoleon I, is still clearly visible. This small horse
is exactly the kind of steed that the Corsican liked to ride. Although he lost some of his lustre, Le Vizir (that’s his name) has
witnessed many historical events.
55
Memories, memories...
For centuries, horses were everywhere and used for many purposes in Paris, and they have left their mark on the capital.
Street names are a good example. Many names hark back to the past: Rue du Pré-aux-chevaux (Horse Meadow Street; 16th
arrondissement), Rue de la Cavalerie (Cavalry Street; 15th arrondissement), Impasse du Cheval blanc (White Horse Way;
11th arrondissement), Rue de l’Eperon (Spur Street; 6th arrondissement). In the tenth arrondissement for example, Rue des
Petites Ecuries (Small Stables Street) gets its name “from the small Royal stables that stood where the Cour des Petits
Ecuries now stands (...) in the second half of the eighteenth century.” (1) Strolling around the capital, there are many
horsey tales to be told. In Rue de l’Essai (5th arrondissement), formerly called Rue Maquignonne, processions of horses
could be seen going to the horse market in the 19th century. A few streets away is the Impasse du Marché aux chevaux
(Horse Market Way.) Just one story among many others.
(1) Jacques Hillairet, Dictionnaire historique des rues de Paris, Ed. de Minuit
Cirque d’Hiver
Horses once gave regular shows at this Winter Circus in the heart of Paris. Wreathed in sparkling coloured glass and a halo
of light, they would perform their routines. As the spectators looked on, they walked, trotted and cantered with trapeze
artists, clowns and dancers all around. The Cirque d’Hiver (now called the Cirque d’hiver Bouglione) opened in 1853 and is
a true institution in Paris when it comes to equestrian artistry. On the building’s façade, stone horses pay tribute to their
flesh and blood companions that once gave stunning performances in the ring.
OFFICIAL PARTNERS
GL EVENTS
LONGINES
FEI
FFE
ARIAT
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
REGION ILE DE FRANCE
MAIRIE DE PARIS
FONDS EPERON
COMITE REGIONAL D’EQUITATION ILE DE FRANCE
PARTNERS
ACCORHOTELS ARENA
BIANCHI VENDING
BONNEAU INTERNATIONAL PONEY
CHAMPAGNE POMMERY
CWD
DE SUTTER NATURALLY
DOKEVER
DANONE EVIAN BADOIT
EQUITHEME
HARAS DE MEAUTRY
HIPPODROME DE LONGCHAMP
HARAS DES GRILLONS
HERMES SELLIER
LAMBEY
MEDIATRANSPORT
RENAULT
TOUBIN & CLEMENT
MEDIA PARTNERS
GRAND PRIX
RMC
SFR SPORT
59
LONGINES AND GL EVENTS EQUESTRIAN SPORT:
A LONG-TERM COLLABORATION
DEDICATED TO EQUESTRIAN SPORT
The Official Partner of the Longines FEI World Cup leg in Lyon since 2013, Longines is
continuing its collaboration with GL events Equestrian Sport during the Longines FEI World
Cup Finals in Paris, from 11 to 15 April 2018, at the Accorhotels Arena.
The Swiss watchmaker and GL events Equestrian Sport will thus come together once again
for the 2018 FEI World Cup Finals. From 11 to 15 April, the Longines FEI World CupTM Final,
with which Longines has been associated since the 2013 to 2014 season, and the FEI World
Cup Dressage Final will return to the French capital; the last finals in Paris were held in this
same arena in 1987 for jumping and 1991 for dressage. These five days of high-level
celebrations will be a new opportunity for Longines and GL events Equestrian Sport to
promote the values of equestrian sports around the world.
Committed to equestrian sport since 1878, the winged hourglass brand has been an active
partner in show jumping, flat racing, three-day eventing and endurance, driving and
dressage competitions. Longines is also the first Top Partner and the Official Timekeeper and
Watch of the Fédération Equestre Internationale.
THE OFFICIAL WATCH
OF THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING FINAL
The Conquest V.H.P. “Very High Precision”: a new achievement with quartz
The Official watch of the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final is a new Conquest V.H.P. “Very High Precision” model,
with which the brand is marking a return to technology in which it was a pioneer and expert, particularly through its
timekeeping activities. The Conquest V.H.P. represents a new achievement in the field of quartz, combining great
precision, high technicality and a sporty look, marked by the brand’s unique elegance.
Longines’ history with quartz has been one full of technical innovation and feats. In 1954, a quartz clock developed by the
brand set a long series of precision records. It was housed in the mythical Chronocinégines, an instrument that became a
pioneer in the history of timekeeping, as it provided judges with a film strip composed of a series of prints at 1/100th of a
second, allowing them to follow the movement of the athletes at the moment they crossed the finish line. In 1969,
technological mastery led Longines to reveal the Ultra-Quartz, the first quartz movement intended to fit a wrist-watch. A
huge stride was made in 1984 with the quartz calibre fitted in the Conquest V.H.P., setting a precision record for that time.
As an extension of these historic milestones, the winged hourglass brand is presenting its new Conquest V.H.P., equipped
with a movement developed exclusively for Longines. This movement is renowned for its high degree of precision for an
analogue watch (± 5 second/year) and its ability to reset its hands after an impact or exposure to a magnetic field. These
attractive features are responsible for its exceptional movement status, to which a very long battery life, a smart crown
and a perpetual calendar must be added. Longines invites you to discover this model and many other timepieces at the
Longines Boutique located in the very heart of the Place des exposants (exhibitors’ area).
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ORGANISATION
AN EVENT ORGANISED BY
GL events Equestrian Sport- Equita Concours
HONORARY PRESIDENTS
. Ingmar de Vos, President of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI)
. Olivier Ginon, Chairman of GL events
. Serge Lecomte, President of the Fédération Française d’Equitation
ORGANISATION
. President of GL events Equestrian Sport Sylvie Robert
. General Coordination Martine Dolbeau, Christine Rigollet, Kael Feuillerac, Catherine
Clerc, Séverine Dubois, Geoffroy de Thoisy
. Jumping Consultant Michel Robert
. Dressage Consultant Georg Fincke
. Jumping and Dressage Coordination: Kaël Feuillerac, Martine Dolbeau
. Public Relations and Communication Martine Dolbeau, Astrid Thisse-Prost, Daniel
Koroloff, Pascal Renauldon
. Digital Communication Thomas Relin
. Public relations Cédric Prenat, Emilie Robert
. Business managers: Christine Rigollet, Geoffroy de Thoisy
. Logistics Manager Philippe Liucci
. Stable Manager: Geoffroy de Thoisy
. Stable Management: Anthony Léoni & the Voltigeurs (floaters)
. Riders welcome Laurane Guilloteau
. Accreditations Florence Chaury, Catherine Clerc, Chloé Terrier, Gwladys Mialon,
Mélody Marquet
. Show office and Sporting show office Catherine Clerc, Sébastien Dauvergne, Christine
Rigollet
. Protocol Anne-Charlotte Deidier, France Valbuena, Flore Genin, Sybille Hautier,
Laurane Guilloteau, Thomas Relin
. Legal advisor: Sophie Andrei
. Commentators Alison Drummond (English voice), Yannick Bichon, Arnaud Bertero
. Accommodation: Kaël Feuillerac, Laurane Guilloteau, Thomas Relin, Vincent Ellul
. Shuttle Service : Thomas Relin, Vincent Ellul
. “Prestige” equestrian show Alain Blanquet, Manu Bernard, Stéphane Juston
. Voltigeurs (floaters): Anthony Leoni, Alexis Donnadieu, Paul Mathieu, Malaurie
Bayzelon, Quentin Laveran, Etienne Grebac, Axel Demoisson, Matthieu Vidier, Romeo
Salsac, Grégoire Corduant, Hugues Favre, Jeremy Redondo, Antoine De Clavière, Pauline
Bolze
Apolline Jemin, David Arlin, Nicolas Joye, Richard Ait Aissi, Jérémy Marin and Gaëtan Refano
OFFICIALS
Jury
JUMPING
. President: Joachim Geilfus (GER)
. Jumping Final Members: Sylvie Navet (FRA), Kim Morrison (CAN), Patrice Alvado (FRA), Gilles Perrière (FRA) René
Billardon (FRA), Jean-Paul Quintin (FRA), Patrick Bartolo (SUI), Bruno Laubscher (SUI)
DRESSAGE
. President: Isabelle Judet (FRA)
. Judges: Janet Foy (USA), Irina Maknami (RUS), Gary Rockwell (USA), Evi Eisenhardt (GER), Susanne Baarup (DEN),
Mariebel Alonso (MEX), Francis Verbeek (NED), Andrew Ralph Gardner (GBR), David Hunt (GBR), Uwe Mechlem (GER),
Henk Van Bergen (NED)
. Secretaries: Tami Kramer, Gérard Medolago Tania Bonfort, Monique Sattler, Patrick Niel, Aurélie Bleuse, Mr & Mrs
Stickland, José Baud, Anna Maulet, Pirkko Charbonnet, Vivian Lindemann, Frédéric Varin, Clément Galeron, Jean-Noël
Deleage
. Foreign technical delegates
Jumping: Louis Konickyx (NED)
Dressage: Carlos Lopes (POR)
. Course Designer: Santiago Varela Ullastres (ESP)
. Assistant course designers: Isabel Fernandez de Canete (ESP), Jean-François Gourdin (FRA), Eddy Castellon (FRA), Cyril
Coeur (FRA), Cyrille Astier (FRA), Aurel Maisonneuve(FRA), Jacques Robert (FRA), Grégory Bodo (FRA),
Jean-Sébastien Brenier (FRA)
. Chief Steward
Jumping & Dressage: Gérard Longis (FRA) Foreign
steward: Stephanie Wheeler (USA)
. Assistant stewards
Jumping: Florence Gruffaz (FRA), Alain Tarrago (FRA), Cédric Longis (FRA), Michel Longis (FRA), Nicolas Martin (FRA),
Raymond Cassan (FRA), Marion Berard (FRA), Sharon de Pindray (FRA) Gisèle Toutain (FRA)
Appeal Committee:
JUMPING
. President: Freddy Smeets (BEL)
. Members: Marc Damians (FRA), Hervé Delloye (FRA), Claudine Travin (FRA)
DRESSAGE
. President: Marc DAMIANS (FRA)
. Members: Raphaël Saleh (FRA), Hervé Delloye (FRA), Claudine Travin (FRA), Freddy Smeets (BEL)
. Veterinary Commission President: Dr. Thierry Grisard (FRA)
. Foreign Veterinary Delegate Dr. Gaspard C. Castelijns (ESP)
. Assistant Veterinary: Dr Aude Gaëlle Heitzmann-Ziegler(FR)
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. Veterinary Service Manager: Dr. Aurelien Léonard (FRA)
. FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarians: Dr Aude Gaëlle Heitzmann-Ziegler(FR) Dr Fabrice Rossignol (FRA)
. Doctors: Dokever
. Farrier Gérard Moissonnier (FRA)
. Physiotherapist: Jean-Marc Gentil (FRA)
. Equine physiotherapist: Michel Gauthey (FRA)
. Timing LONGINES TIMING
. Obstacles: Jumping MM Obstacles
. Arenas and paddocks: Toubin & Clement, De Sutter Naturally
. Press Officers: Blizko Communication, Daniel Koroloff / R&B Presse, Pascal Renauldon
. People in charge of photographers: Jean Morel, Bénédicte Philippe
. TV Coordination: Claude Neyret
. Video: Erwan Ratel (Grand Prix)
. Website: Gwladys Mialon, Maud Collobert, Thomas Relin
. Photographer: PSV Jean Morel
. Volunteers: Fred Moity and the pupils of the Maison Familiale of St Flour
TICKETING FOR THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING
AND THE FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE FINALS
Wednesday 11 April: OPENING CLASS:
2nd category €10; 1st category, €15; Gold category, € 20*
• Thursday 12 April: THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUPTM JUMPING FINAL I
2nd category € 20; 1st category, € 40; Gold category, € 60*
Friday 13 April: THE FEI WORLD CUPTM DRESSAGE FINAL GRAND PRIX
& THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUPTM JUMPING FINAL II
2nd category € 40; 1st category, € 60; Gold category, € 90*
Saturday 14 April: THE FEI WORLD CUPTM DRESSAGE FINAL GRAND
PRIX FREESTYLE & CSI GRAND PRIX
2nd category € 40; 1st category, € 80; Gold category, € 120*
• Sunday 15 April: THE LONGINES FEI WORLD CUPTM JUMPING FINAL III
2nd category € 80; 1st category, € 120; Gold category, € 175*
* Subject to availability
ALL INCLUSIVE FEI WORLD CUPTM JUMPING & DRESSAGE FINALS PACKAGES
From Wednesday 11 April to Sunday 15 April
2nd category € 150; 1st category, € 250; Gold category, € 370*
* Subject to availability
www.feiworldcupfinals-paris.com and www.accorhotelsarena.com
PRATICAL INFORMATION FOR THE PRESS
ACCREDITATIONS
The accreditation form is available until 6 April 2018 on the following website:
www.feiworldcupfinals-paris.com, “Press” tab.
ACCESS TO THE PRESS CENTRE
Badges must be collected at the accreditation office, located on the corner of Boulevard de
Bercy and Quai de Bercy. Access to the press centre will by via door 32 of the AccorHotels
Arena. It will be open on Tuesday 10 April from 9am to 6pm. On the following days, it will
open one hour before the first class and close two hours after the last class.
HOTELS
Preferential rates have been negotiated with partner hotels by the organiser of the Longines
FEI World Cup Jumping and the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals. Please contact the press
department for all reservations at negotiated rates, which are possible using a voucher
distributed by the organiser.
SHUTTLE SERVICE
As the press hotels are in the immediate vicinity of the AccorHotels Arena, there will not be
a shuttle service for the media between these hotels and the competition venue.
As public transport is very well developed and simple to use, no shuttles will be organised
between the Parisian airports and the AccorHotels Arena.
ACCESS TO THE SITE FROM THE PARISIAN AIRPORTS
The Parisian airports are linked to the city centre by RER trains, buses and coaches. The
organiser of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping and the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals will
not provide shuttles for the media between the Parisian airports and the AccorHotels Arena.
From Orly Airport take: The RER B line, then metro line 6.
From Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport take: The RER B line, then metro line 14.
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TV FOOTAGE AVAILABLE ON EUROVISION
THURSDAY 12 APRIL
. First round of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final
Start of the broadcast First rider into the ring End of the prize giving ceremony
Rights holder
6.10pm GMT 6.30pm GMT 8.30pm GMT FEI
FRIDAY 13 APRIL
. The FEI World Cup Dressage Final Grand Prix
Start of the broadcast First rider into the ring End of the prize giving ceremony
Rights holder
1.10pm GMT 1.30pm GMT 4.47pm GMT FEI
. Second round of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final
Start of the broadcast First rider into the ring End of the prize giving ceremony
Rights holder
6.10pm GMT 6.30pm GMT 9.20pm GMT FEI
SATURDAY 14 APRIL
. The FEI World Cup Dressage Final (freestyle to music test)
Start of the broadcast First rider into the ring End of the prize giving ceremony
Rights holder
11.40am GMT 12 noon GMT 3.45pm GMT FEI
SUNDAY 15 APRIL
. Third round of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final
Start of the broadcast First rider into the ring End of the prize giving ceremony
Rights holder
11.40am GMT 12 noon GMT 3.40pm GMT FEI
N.B.: royalty free highlights will be available for French TV channels via Eurovision, twenty minutes after the end
of the prize giving ceremony.
Broadcasting acquisition rights contact:
IMG Media, on behalf of the FEI - Ismaïl Mouline - Tel.: +33 (0)1 73 05 96 47 - Mob.: +33 (0) 6 49 38 56 45
TV FOOTAGE AVAILABLE ON EUROVISION
-EXCLUDING THE FEI FINALS-
SATURDAY 14 APRIL
. Grand Prix Equithème (jumping)
Start of the broadcast First rider into the ring End of the prize giving ceremony
Rights holder
6.15pm GMT 6.30pm GMT 9.30pm GMT Free
N.B.: royalty free highlights will be available for French TV channels via Eurovision, twenty minutes after the end of the prize
giving ceremony.
TECHNICAL DATA
Signal: 1080 50i HD
Audio 1: international sound
Audio 2: international sound
Audio 3: English commentary (FEI supplied)
Audio 4: mix down of audio channels 1-3
Please add Audio 4 requirements into the Audio notes section.
The international signal will be available at the OB Van on the showground.
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PRESS CONTACTS
GL EVENTS EQUESTRIAN SPORT C/O BLIZKO COMMUNICATION
Daniel Koroloff - Juliette Feytout - Mob. : +33 (0)6 11 02 18 12
[email protected] - [email protected]
SPECIALISED PRESS - R&B PRESSE
Pascal Renauldon - Solenn Rispail - Mob. : +33 (0)6 08 75 94 07
