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Wednesday, 10 January, 2018
Last year, we took a look back at 2017 (article to be read here). The Seaver team will keep you up to date with all the equestrian news not to be missed in 2018.
Here you'll find all the important events not to be missed in the new season. And don't miss out on the latest news and changes, especially in the show jumping discipline.
First of all, Asia Horse Week. This is a major new feature of the year. It will take place from February 8 to 11 in Hong Kong. Organized by EEM, it will be held at the same time as the 6th edition of the Hong Kong Longines Masters. This is the second stop on the Longines Masters circuit, following the one in Paris last December. This new event is intended to be an annual gathering of the entire international equestrian community in Asia. All disciplines, professions and cultures of the equestrian world will be represented. The week will thus contribute to the development of equestrian sports in the Asia-Pacific region.
Another new feature: the third and final leg of the Longines Masters will be held in the legendary city of New York. Previously held in Los Angeles, this year's event will take place in the heart of Manhattan. The world's best riders will meet there from April 26 to 29.
New for 2017, the Versailles jumping competition will not take place in 2018. Due to a busy schedule, the competition could only have taken place on two dates: the CSI 5* in New York (April 26-29, 2018) and the CSIO 5* in Rome (May 24-27, 2018). However, the organizers of these two competitions refused to have to compete with Jumping de Versailles. The event is not completely cancelled, however, and will take place in 2019. The date has already been set: April 26 to 28, 2019.
On the list of competitions to be discontinued in 2018 is the Lummen Nations' Cup. Once the opener of the European junior circuit, it has been discontinued for financial reasons. The La Baule competition (May 17 to 20, 2018) will therefore be the new first leg of this circuit. Incidentally, it has been renamed "Longines FEI Nations Cup Jumping" for this new season. For Division 1, the major change is in the competition schedule; the Nations Cups will be contested on Sunday and no longer on Friday or Saturday as before (the Grand Prix will therefore be brought forward). The circuit final will still be held in Barcelona, at the beginning of October.
The circuit is set to change again for the 2018 season, following the introduction of the Global Champions League last year. Indeed, the big news this year: a "play off" will be organized in Prague (capital of the Czech Republic) from December 14 to 16. This will be the first indoor competition on the Global Champions Tour / League circuit. The top 16 teams in the Global Champions League will be able to take part, with the top 4 qualifying directly for the semi-finals.
The winning team will share the incredible sum of 3 million euros. As far as the Global Champions Tour is concerned, a Super Grand Prix will be held during the play-off, where the Grand Prix winners from all stages of the circuit will be able to compete for a highly endowed victory. The overall prize fund for the circuit (GCT, GCL, and the new play-off) will be 35 million euros in 2018, with no less than 10 million for the Prague competition alone. That promises some great sport!
Shanghai, Paris, London, Miami, Berlin, Rome, Madrid and Monaco will host the circuit again this year, and the final will still be held in Doha (Qatar) in November. Finally, the circuit is set to move to new destinations next season. For now, we know that a new stop has been added: the CSI 5* in Saint-Tropez (Athina Onassis Horse Show, May 31 to June 5), which will join the circuit in 2018.
An important event of the year, and a particularly exciting one for the French, this year's World Cup Finals for show jumping and dressage will take place from April 10 to 15 in Paris (Accor Hotels Arena - formerly Paris Bercy, which hasn't hosted a show jumping event since the 1987 World Cup Final). France last hosted the dressage World Cup Final 4 years ago, in Lyon.
Last year, American Mclain Ward won the show jumping competition ahead of Switzerland's Romain Duguet and Sweden's Henrik von Eckermann. In dressage, Isabell Werth (GER) took the title, with Laura Graves (USA) and Carl Hester (GBR) completing the podium.
France is also hosting the 2018 European Championships for Children, Juniors, and Young Riders in show jumping, dressage and eventing this year. This will be in Fontainebleau in July 2018, at the Grand Parquet equestrian stadium. Belgium and the Netherlands were also candidates for the show jumping championships. This will be the first time that a country has brought together all three Olympic disciplines at the same time and in the same place for such a competition.
Another major event of the year is the World Equestrian Games, which take place from September 11 to 23 in Tryon, North Carolina. For the first time, the World Championships will be privately funded. Important information to note: this event will be the first of two opportunities for riders to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo.
Eight official disciplines will be represented: show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, reining (the only western discipline present), acrobatics and para-dressage.
The last edition of the 2014 World Equestrian Games was held in Normandy (France). A brief summary of the 2014 World Champions in teams and individuals for each discipline:
This year's CCI 4* in Pau (October 24-28) promises to be another great show. After three consecutive French victories in the last three editions, we can't wait to see if France can win again on home soil. Michael Jung, world number 1, is expected to be on hand to try and win one of the few titles missing from his trophy cabinet. Of course, we're also looking forward to the other major events. Here are the dates of the season's other 4* events: the CCI 4* in Badminton (UK) will take place from May 2 to 6, the one in Lexington (USA) - which is changing its name this year to become the ''Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event'' - from April 26 to 29, the complete event in Luhmühlen (GER) will be held from June 14 to 17, and the one in Burghley (UK) from August 30 to September 2.
There are no new international dressage events this year. For the first months of 2018, you can note in particular the CDI-W in Amsterdam (Netherlands) from January 25 to 28, which will be the first major competition of the year, the one in Neumünster (Germany) from February 15 to 18, the one in Gothenburg (Sweden) from February 21 to 25, and the one in 's-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands) from March 8 to 11, where Isabell Werth who was beaten during the 2017 edition will be expected. These competitions are the last World Cup stops before the Paris finals.
I'll see you soon,
The Seaver Team
