Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The countdown is on for the inaugural Longines League of Nations™ qualifier to be held at Al Forsan International Sports Resort on the 11th of February. The FEI’s new series reimagines the storied history of the FEI Jumping Nations Cup, and its 100-plus-year legacy, with a unique, unified, and global format.

The qualifying class runs as part of a wider show jumping festival, the prestigious President’s Cup, which will see the world’s best compete in the UAE’s capital over four days from the 8th to 11th February for a prize fund of over €1.3 million. Now in its 13th year, the festival will host top riders from around the globe and will welcome vast crowds to witness show jumping’s elite compete in the capital.

The competition starts at 08:00 on Thursday 8th February, kicking off with two CSI2* classes in the morning, followed by the first of the CSIO5* LLN classes, a CSIJ-A 120cm class, and culminating with the CSIO5* Grand Prix Qualifier with a €105,500 prize fund.

Friday sees the day start with another chance for riders to qualify for Saturday’s CSI2* Grand Prix from 08:00, followed by the two phase and the Children’s class. The CSIO5* begins at 15:30 with the 145cm class, before the 160cm class gets underway with riders competing for a share of €308,600.

Saturday morning’s classes are dedicated to the future generations of show jumping elite, with the Children’s class underway from 08:00, followed by the Juniors at 09:00. The CSI2* 135cm class follows at 11:00, before the CSI2* Grand Prix final gets underway at 15:30.

The show’s final day starts at 08:30 with the CSIO5* Winning Round over a 150cm course before the grand finale from 13:30 – the Longines League of Nations™ class – which will see the top ten teams on the Longines League of Nations™ Ranking, along with the UAE’s team, go head-to-head over a complex 160cm course for a share of the mammoth €700,000 purse.

A further three qualifying rounds will follow in Ocala (USA), St. Gallen (SUI) and Rotterdam (NED) to secure a sport at the coveted final in Barcelona (ESP), where the top eight nations will battle for the title and be the first team in history to lift the Longines League of Nations™ trophy.

Confirmed for the series is Ireland (IRL), United States of America (USA), France (FRA), Germany (GER), Switzerland (SUI), Great Britain (GBR), Netherlands (NED), Belgium (BEL), Sweden (SWE) and Brazil (BRA). As the host nation, the UAE will also field a team in this qualifier, following a convincing win at the recent CSIO4* Nations Cup in Sharjah.

Alongside the show jumping, the President’s Cup will feature a dedicated family village and heritage centre, providing a whole host of activities for all the family including face painting, pony rides and food trucks. There will be traditional Emirati displays such as Ayala and Al Harbiya throughout the event, showcasing the country’s rich cultural tapestry. Local horse whisperer Ali Al Ameri will showcase his unbreakable bond with his team of Arabian horses at 18:30 on Thursday 8th – a display not to be missed.

The show will begin at 08:00 each day and run through to the evening, with free admission for all. Exclusive hospitality tables are available starting from AED6,000 per day, with full catering by the renowned team at Emirates Palace, VIP parking, and the best ringside seats to witness the action. For all table enquiries, please contact Caroline Kettle on +971 (0)52 9090444.

Follow @uaelonginesshowjumping on Instagram to stay updated with the latest news.

Notes:

  • The show runs from the 7th (vet checks only) to 11th of February 2024 at Al Forsan International Sports Resort
  • Hospitality tables are available from AED6,000 per day, bookable by contacting Caroline Kettle 
  • Event sponsors include:
    • Longines
    • Abu Dhabi Sports Council
    • FBMA
    • Al Shira’aa Stables
    • Cavalor
    • Al Forsan International Sports Resort

About the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation

The Federation was established under the guidance of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the United Arab Emirates, in accordance with the Ministerial Resolution No.61 (1992), under the name ‘United Arab Emirates Equestrian and Racing Federation’.

The Federation supervises and regulates all equestrian activities throughout the country to build a broad base for sport and prepare future generations.

https://uaeerf.ae/en/
@uaeerf / @uaelonginesshowjumping

About Longines League of Nations™

The Longines League of Nations™ is an exciting new chapter in the history of the Nations Cup, equestrian sport’s oldest and most prestigious series which as a concept – the nation vs nation competition – has existed since 1909!

Ready to be launched in 2024, the Longines League of Nations™ represents the best of equestrian sport featuring a unified and global format, unique to the series, where the top 10 nations compete at 4 qualifiers in order to secure their spot at the Final where the best 8 teams go head-to-head for the highly coveted Longines League of Nations™ Trophy!

In short: it’s the best 10 teams, competing over 4 qualifiers, with the top 8 teams from the qualifiers competing in 1 Final.

https://leagueofnations.fei.org/
@longinesleagueofnations

For all media enquiries, please contact:
Dark Horse Communications
Hannah McCabe
hannah@wearedarkhorse.co
UAEERF Media Department
Ahmad Wagdy
awagdy@uaeerf.ae