To these athletes, competing in the 2005 FEI World Cup Finals not only means they’re at the top of their game – it also means they’ll be adding their names to a historical register of sorts. Sure to be one of the largest equestrian competitions of this caliber, for the first time in history, two World Cup Finals will unfold at the same venue, doubling the excitement, the fans, and the athletes. One of those finals will be in show jumping, the other in dressage, two of the three equestrian disciplines represented in the Olympics. With the Finals coming so quickly on the heels of the 2004 Games in Athens, the Olympics is sure to play a continued role in the rivalry, as our U.S. riders seek the World Cup Title and set new standards.
“The World Cup Final is my favorite competition,” says Sally Ike, Director of High Performance Show Jumping at the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). “It’s Equestrian’s version of the All Star Game, with the best athletes from all over the world competing for the honor of being World Cup Champion.”
Aside from those who are deeply versed in equestrian sport, many Americans and horse-lovers alike are wondering what the World Cup Finals are, what they mean, and how they will affect our country. That said, take a step back with us as we go through the basics – World Cup Finals 101.
For starters, the Finals, like most any world title, promise to be a who’s who of equestrian sport. Olympic medalists, and world and national champions will vie for new titles, many adding to highly acclaimed careers dotted with plenty of Golds and Silvers. The athletes, horse and human, who compete in Las Vegas, will have qualified in one of 13 leagues across the globe for jumping: U.S. East Coast, U.S. West Coast, Canada, Central Europe, West Europe, Australia, Arab, South America, South Africa, Central Asia, South East Asia, Japan, and New Zealand; or in one of five leagues for dressage: United States, Canada, Central Europe, Western Europe, and Pacific. Once qualified, athletes continue to train until they board planes for Las Vegas; horses, especially international horses, usually go ahead of their human companions for a variety of reasons including climate acclamation and quarantine.
The United States Equestrian Federation (the National Governing Body of Equestrian Sport in the country) will send as many as 16 riders to represent our nation at the World Cup, and possibly double the number of horses.
As many as 12 of those riders will compete in the Jumping Final; seven from the East Coast League, three from the West Coast League. The United States will also submit two wild card riders, an additional benefit traditionally given to the host country. More than 80 riders have been working to qualify for the Jumping Final since August of 2004, just following the Olympics. Because the spread of the United States is so vast, the riders compete in one of two U.S. leagues, based on where they live. With a total of 12 qualifying competitions in the East Coast League and nine in the West Coast League, these show jumpers have ample opportunities to accumulate “World Cup Points.” The seven East Coast riders and three West Coast riders with the most points then move on to the World Cup Final.
As many as 12 of those riders will compete in the Jumping Final; seven from the East Coast League, three from the West Coast League. The United States will also submit two wild card riders, an additional benefit traditionally given to the host country. More than 80 riders have been working to qualify for the Jumping Final since August of 2004, just following the Olympics. Because the spread of the United States is so vast, the riders compete in one of two U.S. leagues, based on where they live. With a total of 12 qualifying competitions in the East Coast League and nine in the West Coast League, these show jumpers have ample opportunities to accumulate “World Cup Points.” The seven East Coast riders and three West Coast riders with the most points then move on to the World Cup Final.
As many as four riders will represent the country in the Dressage Final, a discipline long considered the ballet of equestrian sport. To get this number, the top 12 riders as determined through a series of 17 qualifying competitions go on to compete for two slots, awarded through the U.S. League Final. In addition, the host country will submit applications for two wild card riders.
“The World Cup Final highlights the most exciting phase for dressage, the Freestyle,” says Marilyn Adams, Director of High Performance Dressage at the USEF. “The Freestyle is similar to the freestyle competition in ice skating. Spectators are entertained by horses performing difficult movements in perfect choreographed harmony.”
Once in Las Vegas, jumping and dressage competitors and their equine counterparts will compete against the best riders the world has to offer for the World Cup titles, April 20-24. While the World Cup Jumping Final took place in the United States just two years ago, this is the first time in ten years that the World Cup Dressage Final has been awarded to our country. An annual event, the Finals in both disciplines traditionally take place separately, in a variety of countries across the globe.
“Our athletes have really made names for themselves in the equestrian world, in show jumping, and in dressage as well,” Adams says. “We were the only country to win medals in every single equestrian discipline at the Athens 2004 Olympics. That’s not to say we’ll rest on our laurels though. These athletes are strong and they really push for what they want.”
This year’s indoor competition will offer some of the most challenging jumps, fancy footwork, and edge-of-your-seat excitement fans could hope to see. The United States will play host to tens of thousands of such fans, boosting not only the economy, but also morale in equestrian sport. As we join our athletes and others across the world in looking forward to this high-stakes competition, one phrase comes to mind – Viva Las Vegas!