Jumping stars head for world cup final

The Longines FEI Jumping Cup Final returns to the USA with two riders to look out for 

The last time the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup was held in Omaha, USA, was in 2017 when McLain Ward took victory on his home soil. Can he do it again or will Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann take first place this year?

Over the past two years, the number of North American League qualifying events has shrunk from 14 to just eight, making qualification harder as a result. The 2022-2023 season has concluded and has produced 10 qualified athletes from the USA, along with two qualified athletes each from Canada and Mexico. McLain Ward is currently the third-ranked East Coast US athlete in the North American League standings, thanks to a runner-up finish at Fort Worth’s qualifier in December.

Over in the Western European League, World No.1 Henrik von Eckermann has become the finals favourite. He is the first athlete to pass 100 points in a single qualifying season, having accumulated 102 points. He will be competing at the World Cup Final on King Edward, his gold-medal-winning partner from both the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and the Denmark FEI World Championships 2022.

Speaking about his preparation with King Edward for the finals, Henrik said: “He will have five weeks off and he will do the World Cup Final. The final is really my goal this year.”

Henrik von Eckermann riding Cantinero, photo credit: Romain Biard