Two of the biggest names in showjumping are shunning the FEI’s flagship series in 2025 over disagreement with its choice of venues.
London 2012 Olympic individual gold medallist Steve Guerdat and former European champion Martin Fuchs will not be competing in the Longines League of Nations this year.
The Longines League of Nations, which starts this week in the UAE, is a revamp of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup series and ran for the first time in 2024. Hickstead and Dublin were among the longstanding host venues that did not make the cut to hold legs of the new series.
The two riders cited the calendar and locations of the Longines League of Nations stages as reasons for their boycott.
“The Nations Cups are very important to me. I am critical of the fact that the best traditional tournaments that have shaped the history of our sport are not included in the Longines League of Nations calendar in order to support tournaments that, in my opinion, have few spectators and few reputations,” said Martin, who is currently ranked fifth in the world.
“I will be available to Switzerland for all other Nations Cups this season and am looking forward to a successful year.”
Longines League of Nations qualifiers will run at Abu Dhabi (15 February), Ocala (22 March), Rotterdam (20 June) and Gassin – St Tropez (21 September), with the final at Barcelona (2 to 5 October). The St Gallen leg, which was on the original calendar and was cancelled in 2024 owing to weather, has been replaced by the St Tropez fixture.
Switzerland will be contesting the Longines League of Nations in 2025.
Chef d’equipe Peter van der Waaij said: “The Longines League of Nations competitions bring additional pressure with the new format; we experienced that in 2024. It is crucial to be strong as a team and to support each other. These are key aspects for Nations Cups and with a view to the European and World Championships. An important goal within the Longines League of Nations series is of course to qualify for the final in Barcelona.”
During a press conference at Bordeaux, where he won the Longines World Cup jumping qualifier with Connor Jei, Martin added: “I’m really pleased to have the opportunity to talk not only about this win, but also about more serious topics than just this competition.
“For us, it’s really the competitions such as this in Bordeaux, Falsterbo, Dublin, Dinard, La Baule, which have this tradition, the crowd, a buzzy atmosphere of a top competition – we think it’s really important to support these competitions.”
He added that “of course it is great that there are new competitions”, giving the examples of Abu Dhabi and Ocala, but the traditional ones – “those that are the best in the world” – should be supported, rather than prioritising the new.
“I think the new ones need to prove themselves first. If they are better, if they do prove themselves to be better, then let’s discuss again a change in the calendar,” he said. “But we don’t agree with the way it’s been done and are very, very disappointed for the sake of our sport and the Nations Cup.”
World number two Steve Guerdat said Nations Cups are “very important to me” and that it is “always a great honour to represent Switzerland at a Nations Cup”.
“I am also 100% behind Swiss Equestrian,” he said. “The atmosphere at the Swiss Nations Cup in St. Gallen, for example, or at other traditional tournaments in equestrian countries is incomparable.
“There are fantastic tournaments with a great atmosphere all over the world. It is precisely this atmosphere that I miss at tournaments that are organised less for the horse-loving public than for a select audience – I cannot understand the FEI’s strategy regarding the Longines League of Nations.”
Swiss Equestrian sports manager Evelyne Niklaus added: “We have had extensive discussions with Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat. We respect this wish. Both will be part of the team at other Nations Cups and will give their all for Switzerland.”
Dublin and Hickstead are among the historic former Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup venues that now hold their own legs, independent of an FEI series.
An FEI spokesperson told H&H: “The FEI regrets the absence of these two top athletes at the Longines League of Nations, but fully respects the right of each competitor to make decisions based on their own priorities and circumstances.
“While St Gallen was initially part of the Longines League of Nations series, the decision to remove it was based on safety concerns and the need for venues to meet certain standards. This decision, though regrettable, was made in the best interest of the sport and its participants.”
The spokesperson added: “While the participation of top athletes like Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat is certainly valued, the strength of the series lies in the calibre of competitors from around the world, which we are confident will continue to attract passionate spectators to these prestigious events.”
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