Already two qualifications for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Lyon.

After the fourth stage of the World Cup European league, two riders already have their qualification for the final! The advance bookings for Lyon are already open … one should not wait too long!

On November 17th, the German Hans-Dieter Dreher won the most recent European stage of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Stuttgart. His runner-up, the Swiss Steve Guerdat, was yet able to benefit from it and took the lead of the current ranking. With 51 points, the Olympic champion is statistically certain to be qualified for the final of this prestigious circuit that will find its culmination in Lyon next April. The winner in Oslo at the beginning of the season, Scott Brash, totals 42 points, which is also enough for the Scotsman to look forward to spending his Easter holidays in Lyon. Within the French fraction, Patrice Delaveau will still have to make a bit of an effort with his 23 points and thus 7th place. There are two qualifying stages left in 2013 (London and Mechlin), then four more in 2014 (Leipzig, Zurich, Bordeaux and Gothenburg).
In the USA (East Coast), Kent Farrington and Leslie Howard (who won this mythical competition in … 1986) can already pack their bags for a transatlantic journey to accompany the current title holder, Beezie Madden. The French-American Brianne Goutal is not far from reaching the required amount of points, either. She could be the first “French” rider to qualify for Lyon!
In dressage, the Swiss Marcela Krinke Susmelj remains the head of the ranking thanks to the points she collected in the central European league. Meanwhile, the German star Isabell Werth made a big step towards her qualification by placing second in Stuttgart, right after the current holder of the title, her compatriot Helen Langenhanenberg and her spectacular Damon Hill.
Things are likely to speed up at the beginning of the year, especially for those who won’t have managed to save enough points, as this World Cup is a title that all great champions dream of taking home. It’s an exceptional event that will attract equestrian media (350 journalists expected) and spectators from all over the world; it is the first time since 1987 (and 1992 for dressage) that the event takes place in France!
An entire horse planet will exist for five whole, intense days in Lyon: an exhibiting village that will match that of a certain… Equita, but will be completely different in terms of its room layout, an opening ceremony that will unite all great institutions and renowned equestrian artists that are famous beyond the French borders, a CSI and an arena dedicated entirely to riders of all levels are part of this magnificent gift that the finals of the FEI World CupTM in jumping and dressage 2014 are to France.