Competition for the start of the Longines League of Nations™ event opened at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) on Wednesday, March 20, in Ocala, FL. “It’s one of the most horse-friendly facilities we have anywhere in the world,” said Todd Hinde, Director of Jumping, Fédération Equestre Internationale, of WEC – Ocala’s inclusion in the Longines League of Nations™ series.
International show jumping competition got underway on Wednesday, highlighted by the $62,500 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida Grand Prix Qualifier CSIO5*. While all 40 athletes competing in the Longines League of Nations™ are guaranteed a starting spot in Thursday evening’s $330,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSIO5* under the lights, 10 more individuals were able to qualify based on their performance in the qualifier.
Course designer Alan Wade of Ireland set a friendly opening speed track that saw a total of 16 horse-rider combinations jump clear. None could catch the time of 65.41 seconds set by Simon Delestre of France riding Dexter Fontenis Z, an 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Diarado x Voltaire) he owns in partnership with Eric Hochstadter. World number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden came the closest, stopping the clock in 66.11 seconds aboard Calizi, an 11-year-old DSP mare (Cellestial x Stakkatol) owned by Dufour Stables AG.
“I had a very good feeling with Dexter today,” said Delestre, 42, who is competing in the Longines League of Nations™ as a member of the French team. “It is my first time in the arena. It is really beautiful and great for the horses. The ground is really nice also.
“My first impression of WEC is fantastic,” continued the number-seven-ranked rider in the world. “I think everything is done for the horse, and everything is perfect for the horse. You can feel even a really, really sensitive horse would like it. Here they feel so good, almost like they’re at home, which is great for them.”
Eight of the top 10 athletes in the Longines World Rider Rankings have made the trip to Ocala as part of the Longines League of Nations™ event. The home team of Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut, Aaron Vale and McLain Ward of the United States will face off against Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland in the $770,000 Longines League of Nations™ team competition in a two-round format. Each country will put forward all four horse-rider combinations in the opening round and drop the worst score, but only three riders per nation will return in round two where no one will have the luxury of a drop score.