Abu Dhabi to host all-new Longines League of Nations qualifying series

Gulf Today, Sports Reporter

The countdown is on for the inaugural Longines League of Nations qualifier to be held at Al Forsan International Sports Resort on Feb.11.

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 February 8-11 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 on Thursday, 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, followed by the two phase and the Children’s class. The CSIO5* begins 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 followed by the Juniors. The CSI2* 135cm class follows, before the CSI2* Grand Prix final gets underway.

The show’s final day with the CSIO5* Winning Round over a 150cm course before the grand finale – 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 are Ireland, US, France, Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain (GBR), Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Brazil.

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.