FEI Nations Cup

The FEI Nations Cup, called Longines FEI Nations Cup since 2013 because of sponsorship reasons, is the most prestigious Show Jumping series for national teams in the world.[1] It is organized by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI).

FEI NATIONS CUP

Sporting and dynamic importance of the FEI Nations Cup

Since its creation in 1909, the FEI Nations Cup has established itself as the leading series of international team show jumping competitions, reflecting the evolution of show jumping into a high-level sport combining history, strategy and performance. The team format, in which each nation fields four riders and their horses, highlights not only individual skills, but also tactical cooperation and collective preparation.

From a sporting perspective, performance in show jumping relies on complex interactions between riders and their mounts. Academic studies show that in this unique sport, performance factors include not only technical skills but also strategic coordination under pressure, which is particularly relevant in team events such as the Nations Cup. An analysis of the scientific literature indicates that the interaction between horse and rider directly influences competition results, highlighting the importance of integrated preparation for international competitions.[2]

Furthermore, analysis of show jumping competitions highlights that aspects such as course design and fault management require significant strategic adjustments. These elements reinforce the idea that the FEI Nations Cup is not just a series of compétition but a driving force for professionalisation, sporting strategy and the ongoing development of show jumping on a global scale.[3]

History

The Nations Cup has been held since 1909 and it has been under Fédération Équestre Internationale supervision since 1930.

After World War II it changed names several times: Queen’s Trophy, President’s Cup and Prince Philip Trophy. In 1987 the tournament established its first commercial sponsor and was named Gucci Trophy after Italian fashion and leather goods brand Gucci. It was followed by the Dutch technological brand HCS in 1990, and changed again in 1997 when Samsung overtook sponsorship. The Cup was named Samsung Nations Cup from 1997 to 2002 and Samsung Super League between 2003 and 2008.[4] In 2009 and 2010 the Nations Cup series was sponsored by the Meydan Group (the builder of the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai) and called Meydan FEI Nations Cup.[5] In 2011 and 2012 commercial sponsorship was dropped and it was called only FEI Nations Cup,[6] to retake a commercial name in 2013 as Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup.

2009–2012

Between 2009 and 2012 it consisted of the Top League and the Promotional League. In the Top League, each of the ten participating teams consisted of four riders who rode the first course. The riders of the eight best-placed participating teams (after the first round) rode the second course. Each team's lowest score for each round was dropped. Teams scored points for their placings in each event. There was no Final event,[7] and the two teams with the lowest score at the end of the series were to be relegated to the Promotional League, while the two best-placed teams in the Promotional League Final would start in the Meydan FEI Nations Cup of the next season.

After the 2009 season, Belgium and Great Britain were both tied for eighth place in the final ranking. The rule book had no answer for this situation. The FEI decided that Belgium, Great Britain and the tenth-placed team, Italy, had to be relegated to the 2010 FEI Nations Cup Promotional League. The British Equestrian Federation went to court because of this decision and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) allowed the appeal of the British Equestrian Federation and, after all, only Belgium and Italy were relegated.[8]

After the 2009 season the rule book was changed: in 2010 teams from ten nations (projected: nine nations, see CAS decision) competing in the Meydan FEI Nations Cup; starting with the 2011 season eight teams would compete in the Meydan FEI Nations Cup. So at the end of the 2010 season, four teams were relegated to the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Promotional League.[9]

Year Winning team Relegated teams
2009  France  Belgium,  Italy, Great Britain*
2010  France  Spain,  Sweden,  Switzerland,  Poland
2011  Germany  Netherlands,  United Kingdom
2012  Germany  France,  Ireland

* Great Britain was not relegated, see CAS decision

2013–present

The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup no longer has a Top League and a Promotional League. Instead, there are seven groups: Europe I, Europe II, North and Central America, South America, Near East, Asia/Australasia, and Africa. The best 18 teams compete in a final event in Barcelona, Spain.

Year Winner Runner-up Third
2013  France  Brazil  Ireland
2014  Netherlands  Canada  Sweden
2015  Belgium  Great Britain  Netherlands
2016  Germany  Great Britain  France
2017  Netherlands  United States  Belgium
2018  Belgium  France  Ireland
2019  Ireland  Belgium  Sweden
2021  Netherlands  Ireland  Belgium
2022  Belgium  France  Switzerland

Notes

  1. ^ Meydan - the new sponsor of the FEI Nations Cup, Equestrian Australia (www.equestrian.org.au)
  2. ^ Rudmieze, Svetlana; Fernate, Andra (3 July 2023). "Horse and Rider Factors of Performance in Show - Jumping Discipline". Society. Integration. Education. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference. 2: 656–669. doi:10.17770/sie2023vol2.7161.
  3. ^ Sobotková, Eva; Mikule, Vladimír; Kuřitková, Dana; Jiskrová, Iva; Sládek, Libor (January 2022). "Analysis of the current situation in international show jumping and assessment of the influence of the proportion of Thoroughbred in the pedigree, horse demographics and sport season on the performance of horses". Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 47: 12–21. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2021.09.010.
  4. ^ New Era Dawns as 2009 Meydan FEI Nations Cup Opens at La Baule, www.meydanfeinationscup.org, May 7, 2009
  5. ^ MEYDAN FEI NATIONS CUP - FEI announces major new sponsorship Archived 2009-03-07 at the Wayback Machine, www.meydan.ae
  6. ^ 2011 FEI Nations Cup Top League Will Continue Without Meydan, Chronicle of the Horse, April 20, 2011
  7. ^ result of the 2009 Nations Cup St. Gallen as example for the rules of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup
  8. ^ CAS hat FEI-Urteil aufgehoben: Groß-Britannien verbleibt im Nationenpreis Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine, www.equi-news.de (German / English)
  9. ^ MEYDAN FEI NATIONS CUP™ 2010, www.meydanfeinationscup.org, May 13, 2010
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