After a five-month hiatus, this Sunday, September 15 marks the return of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ series with the first North American League (NAL) qualifier of the season.

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Traverse City will kick off the season this weekend in Williamsburg, Michigan, at the Traverse City Fall International (September 11–15). There, a start-list of international horse and rider combinations will vie for preliminary points up for grab this season ahead of next year’s Final in Basel, Switzerland (April 2-6, 2025). 

Once again last year, North America’s speedy Irish contingent dominated (we see you Daniel Coyle). Yet at the close of three days of competition at the World Cup™ Final, it would be American Olympian Kent Farrington that would take fourth place aboard mares Greya and Toulayna, earning the highest ranking for an NAL rider in 2024.

What’s at stake

Following the same format initiated three years ago, the NAL will offer just eight qualifying legs as opposed to the 14 classes previously held. This year, however, will feature a mix of venue types—5 outdoor and 3 indoor—a change-up from last year’s mostly indoor shows.  

Here’s a look at the 2024/2025 lineup, which looks notably different from the schedule of the last two years: 

  • Williamsburg, MI (USA) — Sept. 11-15, 2024 (Traverse City)
  • Upper Marlboro, MD (USA) — Oct. 21-27, 2024 (Washington, D.C.)
  • Toronto, ON (Canada) — Nov. 4-9, 2024
  • Las Vegas, NV (USA) — Nov. 11-17, 2024
  • Arcadia, CA (USA) —  Nov. 20-24, 2024 (Los Angeles)
  • Thermal, CA (USA) —  Jan. 29-Feb. 2, 2025
  • Puebla (Mexico) — Feb. 4-9, 2025
  • Ocala (USA) — Feb. 11-16, 2025 (WEC)

Each rider’s best four results at World Cup Qualifier competitions determine how they rank in the overall standings, with more points awarded to higher placings on the results list (i.e. the winner is awarded one more point than the total number of starters; second place gets three fewer points than the winner, third and fourth place get two fewer points, and down the list it goes, with each remaining placing getting one less point than the placing ahead of it). 

In the end, the top seven riders from the USA’s East Coast, the top three riders from the West Coast, the top two Canadian riders, and the top two Mexican riders in the standings are invited to attend. 

What about the rest of the world?

Things get slightly more complicated across the pond, and even more so when it comes to the rest of the globe. The highly competitive Western European League, for example, holds a total of 14 qualifiers, with 18 placings up for grabs determined by each rider’s seven-best results. 

Other regions are divided into combined leagues as follows: 

  • Central Europe – 3 places
  • South America (South) – 2 places
  • Australia – 2 places
  • Central America, the Caribbean Islands, Japan, South America (North), New Zealand, China, South East Asia, and South Africa – 1 place
  • The Arab League (including Sub-Leagues in the Middle East – 3 places; and North Africa – 2 places)
  • Korea – 1 place
  • Eurasia – 3 places

A full breakdown of the qualification process by league is available on page 14 of the FEI Jumping World Cup™ Rules here.  

Who will shine this year during the NAL’s fall and winter seasons? And will their luck hold in the Final next year? Stay tuned to find out!

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares