FORM favourites, the occasional dark horse surprise and naturally, for their owners, riders and connections, horses of a lifetime all appear amongst the roll call of World Cup final winners.

First held in 1979, the FEI World Cup Finals are an annual showdown among the world’s best show jumping and dressage horses and is the brainchild of Swiss journalist and author Max Amman.

Having secured the sponsorship of Swedish car manufacturer Volvo in the final’s earlier years, Gothenburg featured prominently as the final’s host city and this year, for the first time, the finals move to the Lone Star State (April 8th-12th).

This is the 12th time that the United States has hosted the World Cup finals and Fort Worth follows previous host cities, such as Baltimore, Del Mar, six-time host city Las Vegas, two-time venue Omaha and Tampa.

Donatello D’Auge (show jumping) and Glamourdale (dressage) will not be defending their 2025 titles won in Basel and, with many riders focusing on this summer’s World Equestrian Games in Aachen, some of the European favourites have opted to stay at home.

Steve Guerdat is fortunate to have had several horse of a lifetime candidates in his career, including his three World Cup champions - Albfuehren’s Paille (2015), Corbinian (2016) and Alamo (2019). The Swiss legend now aims to become the first rider to win four World Cup titles with Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte (Bamako de Muze x Tinka’s Boy).

McLain Ward is the previous homeground rider to have won a World Cup final - that happened in Omaha (2017) with HH Azur and his hopes to bridge that gap this year rest on Jordan Molga M (Etoulon VDL x Dulf van den Bisschop).

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Steve Guerdat on Albfuehren’s Paille, winners of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in 2015, the first of three Finals the Swiss man has claimed

Pick one

Laura Chapot, whose horse of a lifetime Gem Twist (Good Twist x Noble Jay) featured in the series last week, nominated the grey home-bred thoroughbred as the horse she’d most like to compete in a World Cup final.

“I would definitely want to ride Gem. He had all the characteristics necessary for that kind of championship. He was agile and speedy enough to win the first day and had the scope and mentality to come back for the second day and the final rounds.”

Of all the U.S World Cup victories, which one stands out? “Having been so closely involved with the American team, especially when my father [Frank] was chef d’equipe, I think the Finals we won stand out the most in my mind.

“In particular, Beezie [Madden] winning with Simon in a jump-off in 2013 and McLain winning with Azur in 2017, because that was a long time coming and very much deserved.

“I also have to add Meredith [Michaels Beerbaum], who formerly rode for America, winning with Shutterfly three times. They were an incredible partnership and the kind of horse I would enjoy riding.”

Two of those wins happened in Las Vegas (2005, 2009), with the interim victory taking place in Gothenburg (2008).

Gothenburg was also the stage for the 1999 final, when Cruising recorded one of his best results, finishing runner-up with Trevor Coyle, beaten that year by Rodrigo Pessoa and Baloubet du Rouet.

13 years later, Cruising’s son Flexible won the 2012 final for Rich Fellers (USA) becoming the sole Irish Sport Horse to record a World Cup title win to date in the process.

Irish hopes

That was also a special year for Joanne Sloan-Allen, as the family’s Pepper Pot appeared in vintage company in that final. “The most memorable World Cup Final for me would be when Pepper Pot (Fortunus x Diamonds Are Trumps) qualified with Sam [Sameh El Dahan, Sycamore Stables rider], and that was really cool.

“Predictions for the 2026 winner? I’d like to see Abdel Said do well in it. He’s a good friend of ours, so I would love to see him do well,” she said about the Belgian rider, who has qualified Quaker Brimbelles Z (Quicksilver x St Simeon) for Fort Worth.

And what about any horse she’d most like to ride in a World Cup final? “Probably would not like to ride in it! But if I was, I would think Ermitage Kalone, because I think he’s lovely. Sam would probably want to ride Oscar A, his big horse that he has at the moment, because I think there’s nothing he won’t jump.”

Joining Quaker Brimbelles Z and the other World Cup hopefuls on the plane journey to the US is Good Star du Bary (Rock n’Roll Semilly x Oberon du Moulin), who has fulfilled Jessica Burke’s wish in qualifying for a World Cup final. Their place was guaranteed after Jessica became the first lady rider to win the World Cup qualifier at Bordeaux.

The Gort native wouldn’t choose any other horse to make her World Cup debut on, saying: “Obviously, I wouldn’t actually like to be going to any World Cup finals on a different horse than the one I’m going on at the moment. Good Star du Bary. So, if I was to go again or on another horse, I think I’d still choose this one, because I have so much faith in him. Ideally, maybe if he had a championship under his belt or had a little bit more experience, but I absolutely love the horse I’m riding at the moment.

“Actually, last year’s final stood out to me. When Julian won with Donatello, I think it was very strategic, the way he didn’t jump the jump-off class the second day. I just thought it was really, really well written, and the whole thing was executed really well. So that definitely stood out. Years ago, I grew up watching the World Cups when they were on Eurosport, so I would have watched a lot of finals. I remember Rodrigo Pessoa and Marcus Ehning winning a couple of times in a row, but last year really stood out.

“For this year, obviously, I’m going there with a lot of confidence myself, really hoping I can produce a good result there. Richard Vogel is in there, Steve Guerdat is looking to win four times; McLain Ward, so there’s a lot of incredible competitors in there. We’ll give it our best shot.”

Another Irish rider to qualify, this time from the extra athletes add-on to the North American (East) league is Daniel Coyle.

Two Irish riders amongst the Fort Worth start list, more horses of a lifetime candidates amongst the Longines FEI World Cup horsepower at this year’s finals to follow some of the greats in both sports.

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Sameh El Dahan and Joanne Sloan Allen, pictured at Longines CHI Classic Basel, have fond memories of their World Cup campaigns. Max Kuhner’s horse pictured in the background is EIC Cooley Jump The Q, bred by Pam Walshe \ Susan Finnerty

Did you know?

  • Gothenburg has hosted the show jumping final 15 times, more than any other host city.
  • Eddie Macken and Carrolls Of Dundalk finished joint-third in the inaugural final.
  • Previous US host cities for the FEI Jumping World Cup Finals include Baltimore (1980), Tampa (1989), Del Mar, CA (1992), Las Vegas (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2015), and Omaha (2017 and 2023).
  • The 2027 World Cup final returns to Basel.
  • Five riders have won the show jumping final three times: Hugo Simon, Rodrigo Pessoa, Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Marcus Ehning and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat.
  • Guerdat’s trio of wins took place in Las Vegas (Albführens Paille, 2015) and twice in Gothenburg with Corbinian (2016) and Alamo (2019).
  • Tinka’s Boy, the damsire of Steve Guerdat’s 2026 hope Albfuehrens Iashin Sitte, won the 2001 final with Markus Fuchs.
  • Back-to-back World Cup champion John Whitaker (1990,1991) is one of the inspectors at this week’s Horse Sport Ireland stallion inspections at Cavan. His winning horse? None other than Milton.
  • Flexible was runner-up to Shutterfly in the 2008 final in Gothenburg. The evergreen veteran appeared at two more finals - seventh (2015) and 22nd (2016).
  • TSF Dalera was officially retired last year and, earlier this month, the dual Olympic and World Cup champion produced her first foal: Dolce Vita BB. The filly is by Vitalis.
  • Touchdown, one of James Kernan’s nominations for his horse of a lifetime, is also the name of Patrik Kittel’s 2024 dressage final champion. This Swedish pair head to Texas hoping to regain the title.
  • Top country for producing World Cup champions to date? Germany (19 show jumpers/22 dressage horses).

    • By the numbers

    36 – riders will compete in this year’s World Cup finals.

    19 – countries will be represented in Fort Worth, Texas.

    12 – Fort Worth makes it a dozen times for US-hosted World Cup finals.

    Five – mares have won the World Cup show jumping final: Ratina Z (Comme Il Faut’s dam), Dollar Girl, Anka, Albführen’s Paille and HH Azur.

    Four – mares, including triple champion Weihegold OLD, Fabienne, Brentina and dual champion TSF Dalera BB, have won the World Cup dressage final.

    Three – The two show jumping horses that have recorded a World Cup final treble win? Baloubet du Rouet and Shutterfly. Weihegold OLD is a World Cup triple champion in dressage.

    Two – Irish riders in this year’s show jumping final: Jessica Burke and Daniel Coyle.

    One – Irish Sport Horse has won a World Cup final: Flexible (2012).

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    Germany's Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB won the 2023 FEI Dressage World Cup Final in Omaha, successfully defending the title they won the previous year\ Tomas Holcbecher