Seven weeks until teams head to Hickstead for penultimate Nations Cup leg
Thursday 08 June 2023
 Elli Birch.jpg "Seven weeks until teams head to Hickstead for penultimate Nations Cup leg")
Eight teams will take part in the British leg of the prestigious Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series, which takes place at Hickstead on Friday 28 July.
The Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Great Britain forms the feature class of the five-star Longines Royal International Horse Show (26-30 July). It sees teams of four riders compete over two rounds, with the aim of finishing on the lowest team total score. The Nations Cup course is always very high and very technical, with riders seeking to claim their share of the €200,000 prizemoney as well as taking the honours for their country.
Five countries will be competing for points at this leg, including hosts Great Britain, France, Germany, Ireland and Italy; while Brazil, Sweden and USA will complete the line up. All the teams apart from Brazil and USA are part of European Division One, from which the top seven teams qualify for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona.
“We’re expecting the competition to be particularly strong this year, with a number of recent winning nations among the line-up of teams, including last year’s victors France and the 2019 winners Sweden,” says Hickstead Director Lizzie Bunn. “The British team haven’t won the Hickstead leg since 2010, so a strong performance here would not only delight the home crowd but also give the team a huge confidence boost ahead of this summer’s European championships in Italy.”
Other international highlights of the Longines Royal International Horse Show include the Longines King George V Gold Cup, one of the most coveted Grands Prix in world showjumping, and the high-octane Speed Classic. The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a national championship open to the highest British-based riders in the rankings, while the Ashby Underwriting Eventers’ Challenge sees event riders tackle a course of cross-country fences in the Longines International Arena. Hundreds of showing championships take place during the show, culminating in Sunday’s Supreme Horse and Pony Finals.
Tickets start from £20 with advance discounts and concessions available; including free admission to all under-15s when booked in advance. British Showjumping members can receive 20% off Members’ Enclosure tickets for Friday 28 July, using the discount code BJUMP23. Offer ends Friday 21 July. Visit the Box Office at www.hickstead.co.uk.
Image: Elli Birch
452zjdyzr5uc.jpg "STX UK Pony British Novice & Pony Discovery Second Rounds – Venue Update")
