FOLLOWING a “very heated” meeting on the proposed changes to the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup held at CSIO5* Rome last week and a meeting of the FEI Jumping Committee in Lausanne, the oldest and most prestigious equestrian team series will remain as a two-round competition next year with a number of changes, including no drop score in round two.

A meeting of chef d’équipes, members of the FEI Jumping committee and members of the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) was called at the Piazza di Siena venue in Rome last weekend to discuss the proposed rules for the new Longines League of Nations, set to replace the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup from next season.

When the FEI published the bid guide for the league last week, the series was set to be a one-round format with a jump-off for first place, in contrast to the two-round format that was presented in March when the new league concept was originally brought forward.

Speaking after his team won the Nations Cup in Rome last Friday, Irish team manager Michael Blake said: “Uliano (Vezzani, course designer) hit the nail on the head when he said the Nations Cup is a competition of two rounds. We are under attack from our governing body, they are trying to dismember the Nations Cup and make it one round, and I don’t feel one bit bad about saying here that that is a cardinal and mortal sin. We cannot tolerate that.”

During the heated meeting between chef d’équipes, including Sweden’s chef d’équipe Henrik Ankarcrona who is deputy chair of the FEI Jumping committee, and Olympic riders including Kevin Staut (FRA), Laura Kraut (USA) and Nick Skelton (GBR), a unanimous decision emerged on the part of all present to request Ankarcrona to maintain the original format with two rounds plus jump-off.

An IJRC representative said: “The proposal for a single round plus jump off, which would transform the event into a normal Grand Prix, would be rejected. To make a parallel with another sport, it has been underlined that removing a round would be akin to removing the first half of a football match.”

New format

Following two days of in-person meetings of the FEI Jumping committee last Tuesday and Wednesday at FEI headquarters in Lausanne, the FEI released a devised format which would consist of two rounds, whereby in the first round, all four athletes from all 10 teams (and potentially the host nation) participate with the three best scores to count.

The second round would see the best eight teams compete in reverse order - carrying forward their penalties from the first round - however with only three athletes per team and no drop score. For the final, the same formal would be applied.

Stephan Ellenbruch, Chair of the FEI Jumping Committee, commented: “The FEI Jumping committee unanimously supports this concept and we are excited for the future of the Longines League of Nations, and look forward to presenting this to the FEI Board next week. This format is more transparent, and the second round with no drop score will really put every team to the test, as well as offering the fans and viewers with excitement and suspense throughout.”

Speaking from Vancouver, Canada, where Ireland are back in five-star Nations Cup action this week, Michael Blake said: “It is not exactly what I wanted but I can live with it and it is a much better solution than a one round competition. We wrote a very strong letter to FEI Jumping Committee to say we would have to consider our position in partaking in the series if it was put down to one round.

“As I understand it there will be no fifth rider so that rider that was getting a chance to be developed won’t have that opportunity to go to the five-star shows which is a pity. It is a liveable solution, the art of compromise has to be learned!” Blake added.

The next steps for the Longines League of Nations include the submission of the rules to the FEI Board for their approval at the in-person meeting next week, June 6th and 7th, followed by allocation of events to prospective Organising Committees as per the bid guide timelines.