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After ending second in the 14th and final leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League in Gothenburg (SWE) with his sensational King Edward, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann finished the 2023/2024 season on top of the Western European League ranking with his 86 points, ahead of Harry Charles (GBR), Peder Fredricson (SWE) and Ben Maher (GBR).
Riyadh will be the seventh Longines FEI World Cup™ Final for the 42-year-old Swede who rode his first ever Final on home soil in Gothenburg in 2013 with Gotha FRH, and in 2016 he took part at the same venue with Giljandro van den Bosrand. Third time was the charm for von Eckermann; riding Toveks Mary Lou, he finally stepped on the podium at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Omaha (USA) in 2017 and the pair went on to replicate their performance a year later in Paris (FRA), taking another podium finish. With Toveks Mary Lou, von Eckermann took part at three Finals, placing third twice. However, it wasn’t until 2023 that the double World Champion, team Olympic and European Champion and current World number one stepped on top of the podium at a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final. In Omaha in 2023, von Eckermann and King Edward took the sought after title, and head to the 2024 Final in Riyadh as the title defenders.
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™-series holds a special place in von Eckermann’s heart; it is a competition he grew up watching, and an event that originally sparked his love for the sport of showjumping. “It all started for me in Gothenburg,” he recalls. “I remember my first time there, watching Ludger Beerbaum win with Ratina. That is my first memory from the World Cup series, and from there on, I would be in Gothenburg every year to watch it. I saw Hugo Simon winning, I saw Baloubet du Rouet and Rodrigo Pessoa, there was Shutterfly and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum… The FEI World Cup™ competitions are what some of the best horses and riders in the sport have won. Seeing them compete in Gothenburg made me want to be there as well one day.”
Even though as a title defender, von Eckermann was automatically qualified to take part in Riyadh, he still prioritized the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ competitions and took part with six different horses during the 2023/2024 season, picking top placings with all of them: Dzara Dorchival came 11th in Oslo and 3rd in Helsinki, Iliana jumped in Lyon (FRA) and Verona (ITA), placing 11th in Verona, Calizi placed 5th in Madrid (ESP) as did Glamour Girl in La Coruña (ESP). In Mechelen (BEL), von Eckermann and Iliana were the runners-up, just like at the very final stop of the season on their home soil in Gothenburg with King Edward.
“For me, it was important to compete at the World Cup shows this indoor season, because in my opinion, those are some of the nicest shows we have on the international calendar. Wherever you go, it’s always a real horse show: There are no empty seats and the audience is very enthusiastic. And of course, Gothenburg is one of a kind; that type of atmosphere – especially for myself as a Swede – we don't have anywhere else! I really, really like the World Cup series.”
“I was already pre-qualified because I won the final last season, but I did quite many of the qualifiers anyway,” von Eckermann continues to explain about his 2023/2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ season. “I rode different horses, all the horses that I have at the moment, actually. I competed with each of them and they were all placed and with that, I am very happy. Their consistency has been a great testament to the work my team does. I have options for the final, but in the end, I think I will most likely bring King Edward and Iliana to Riyadh.”
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final consists of three competitions, and every rider can enter two horses, but can only ride one horse in each of the competitions. The first competition is a Table C over a Table A course over fences set at 1.60m, while the second competition is a 1.60m Table A against the clock with a jump-off. The 30 best horse-and-rider-combinations after the two days of competition continue to the third and final competition, which is jumped over two 1.60m rounds, with the top 20 taking part on the second and deciding round.
“I think it's a good and fair format,” von Eckermann says. “About my plan for the Final, I can say that I will probably take two horses. That's the first plan, but anything can happen and plans can change. Ideally, I would want to do the Final with Iliana and King Edward, because the Paris Olympics are coming later this year as well and I've been working them both with that in mind. There's no pushing down King Edward, but I do want to have options for Paris and jumping a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final – which is a major championship – would be a good experience for Iliana.”
“It depends on who will be on the final entry list,” von Eckermann says when asked who he believes will be his biggest rival in Riyadh. “But for sure, if Julien Epaillard is there, he will try his best and he is always hard to beat. If I would have to name a top favourite for the win, I would say Julien. However, for sure I'm going to Riyadh with the aim of winning the Final again – that's no secret.”
Saudi Arabia, renowned for its equestrian heritage, proudly welcomes the FEI World Cup™ Finals in 2024. Riyadh, the vibrant capital, hosts this prestigious event, uniting riders, spectators, and exceptional horses worldwide. With state-of-the-art facilities and warm hospitality, Riyadh epitomizes Saudi Arabia's commitment to equestrian excellence and cultural heritage.
The Finals of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ and the FEI Dressage World Cup™ will take place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center between 16 – 20 April 2024 and will mark the conclusion of the 2023–24 Dressage and Jumping FEI World Cup™ Seasons.
It will be the first time in history that the FEI World Cup™ Finals will be held on the Asian continent for Dressage and for the second time for Jumping after the Finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2006. It will be the first time that the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ and the FEI Dressage World Cup™ are taking place in the Middle East region.
The hosting of the FEI World Cup™ Finals reflects Saudi Arabia's dedication to promoting the equestrian arts and celebrating competition. Join us in Riyadh to celebrate the enduring legacy of Saudi Arabia's equestrian heritage and experience the captivating future of this remarkable city.
For more information and updates on the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Riyadh, please visit https://riyadh2024.fei.org/ or contact media@feiwcriyadh.com
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