The Longines League of Nations (LLN) 2026 begins on Friday (13 February) with the primary leg going down in Abu Dhabi within the UAE.
Ten certified groups, plus host nation UAE, line up for the primary of 4 qualifying occasions for the LLN Ultimate in Barcelona in October, so which horses and riders are we going to see in motion this week? The reply is an thrilling mixture of Olympic veterans and rising stars and we are able to’t look forward to the LLN crew motion to renew.
Listed below are the shortlisted runners and riders for the primary leg of the Longines League of Nations.
Longines League of Nations: rising stars to Olympic veterans amongst key contenders
With a prize fund of €700,000 on supply at every LLN qualifying occasion and an additional €1,600,000 up for grabs within the Ultimate in Barcelona, it’s no shock to see an A-list area in motion in Abu Dhabi this week. Listed below are the groups introduced for Friday’s two-round Longines League of Nations. All 4 riders from every nation will contest spherical one, with solely the highest eight groups progressing to spherical two, the place simply three of the 4 athletes will likely be picked to leap once more, with out the luxurious of a drop rating.
Nice Britain
A “youthful quartet” is how Nice Britain’s crew is described, with Joe Stockdale (Ebanking), Jack Whitaker (Jack JL) and LLN debutant Sandy McLean (Calixte Heartbreaker Z) lining up alongside crew stalwart Tim Gredley (Medoc de Toxandria). The nation arrives in Abu Dhabi as reigning champions, having gained the Ultimate in Barcelona final 12 months.
“We’d definitely like to retain that Longines trophy this 12 months, and will likely be giving it our all to prime the rostrum in Barcelona come October,” says chef d’equipe Di Lampard. “I’d prefer to suppose we’ll begin the 12 months a bit stronger than in previous years and have sturdy hopes for a podium end in Abu Dhabi or Ocala to get some good factors within the first half of the season.
“Arriving at Rotterdam with further stress to get factors final 12 months wasn’t very best however we have been lucky and secured our spot for Barcelona earlier than the St Tropez leg,” she continues. “I discovered by watching my fellow cooks who needed to wait till Saint Tropez to see in the event that they certified for the Ultimate. As chef d’equipe, competing in your nation means every little thing – it’s why I do it. To have the ability to choose a crew to signify King and nation offers me large pleasure and I’m honoured to do it.”
Trevor Breen and Highland President soar over the water bounce within the Longines League of Nations LLN of Abu Dhabi in 2025, serving to Eire to victory.
Eire
Winners in Abu Dhabi final 12 months , Eire now has new leaping supervisor Jessica Kürten within the driving seat. The inexperienced jackets will likely be sported by Mikey Pender (HHS Los Angeles), 21-year-old debutante Niamh McEvoy (Olympic ‘GL’ ‘FVD’) and brothers Shane (BP Arctic Blue) and Trevor Breen (Highland President).
“The Longines League of Nations is a prestigious collection as solely the very best 10 groups on the planet can take part,” says Jessica. “I significantly like the truth that it goes on the rankings of the athletes, together with one under-25 athlete. The format of the competitors makes it very dynamic and thrilling for followers who’re watching – and fairly nerve-racking for these concerned! However I’m very a lot trying ahead to Group Eire’s marketing campaign this 12 months.
“Eire is a rustic identified for its affinity with horses. Lots of our Irish athletes have frolicked using horses since they have been very younger, have a really pure method with the horse and the way they experience them. This partnership and bond is all the time a bonus to them, particularly when in competitors environments the place we should make large ‘asks’ of our companions.”
Belgium
The reigning European champions are represented by Rik Hemeryck, Jos Verlooy, Wilm Vermeir and Annelies Vorsselmans, with crew supervisor Peter Weinberg on the helm.
“Ambition and consistency are constructed on the identical basis: belief and crew spirit,” says Peter. “We encourage athletes to be bold, however all the time inside a collective framework the place the crew end result comes first.
“Clear expectations, mutual help and confidence in each other enable athletes to carry out at their finest whereas sustaining the reliability that’s important in crew competitions. For Belgium’s Purple Musketeers, success has all the time come from using with the crew, not only for particular person outcomes.”
Construction and reliability: core ideas in LLN
USA
It’s all about lady energy for Group USA in Abu Dhabi, with Natalie Dean, Callie Schott, Sarah Segal and Skylar Wireman having been picked by chef d’equipe Robert Ridland.
“The chance to view and entry prime worldwide sport is vastly motivating to encourage the subsequent era of athletes, and we’ve seen that firsthand with the Longines League of Nations leg in Ocala,” he says. “For our youthful athletes, my recommendation can be to benefit from each alternative to observe and study from some of these occasions. Watch the warm-up, the horsemanship, the course walks, how athletes work with their groups – all of it builds in the direction of the larger image of being able to placing the items collectively on these levels in an important moments.”
Germany
The inaugural winners in 2024 are again in power with Marco Kutscher, Daniel Deusser, Sophie Hinners and Jörne Sprehe.
“Construction and reliability stay core ideas of our strategy,” says chef d’equipe Otto Becker. “On the similar time, the game continues to evolve. We reply by commonly reviewing and refining our processes, together with season planning, efficiency evaluation and communication throughout the crew. The goal is to protect confirmed strengths whereas integrating new concepts the place they add worth.”
Simon Delestre and Cayman Jolly Jumper in motion in the course of the LLN Ultimate in Barcelona.
France
Extra prime names line up for France with Simon Delestre, Antoine Ermann, Olivier Perreau and Jeanne Sadran picked for the season opener in Abu Dhabi.
Chef d’equipe Édouard Coupérie says: “With the Olympic Video games approaching, the place groups are made up of three pairs, it’s important to have the ability to adapt to this format.“LLN is a extremely aggressive circuit, the place outcomes all year long and within the Ultimate are a objective for each nation – France might want to carry out higher within the 2026 closing!”
Netherlands
Chef d’equipe Wout-Jan van der Schans has chosen Kim Emmen, Frank Schuttert, Leopold van Asten and Jur Vrieling to don the orange jackets within the first leg of the LLN.
“Thankfully we’ve many, many good athletes, and likewise fairly a couple of comparatively younger horses coming as much as complement the seasoned professionals,” says the nation’s newly appointed excessive efficiency director Laurens van Lieren. “This, after all, is the long-term plan for ongoing nationwide improvement and efficiency excellence. So we count on to have an excellent group of combos to pick out from, which makes us very eager for this season.
“We’re extremely grateful to have our athletes constantly at this world podium, showcasing their expertise and abilities to an ever-growing world viewers. We look ahead to the event of our athletes and horses all through this season, and we invite everyone to come back and cheer for the (future) stars of our beautiful sport!”
Switzerland
After a disappointing 2025, we see some new names lining up for spherical one with LLN debutant Jason Smith, Romain Duguet, Gaëtan Joliat and Barbara Schnieper.“Waiting for 2026, the main target will likely be on additional strengthening our main athletes so we may be aggressive each within the Longines League of Nations and on the Longines FEI Leaping World Championship in Aachen,” says Swiss chef Peter van der Waaij. “The most important progress has been made in growing the subsequent era, and I’m satisfied we are going to profit from this strategy within the coming years.”
Italy
Returning for its second Longines League of Nations season, Italy is ready to be represented in Abu Dhabi by crew veteran Piergiorgio Bucci, Giacomo Casadei, Paulo Paini and Clara Pezzoli.
“Our objective is to take care of a robust stage of competitiveness to be able to proceed collaborating within the Longines League of Nations, as a result of this circuit gives a superb alternative to compete in five-star occasions, which aren’t all the time accessible for our athletes,” says Italian crew selector, Stefano Cesaretto.
Brazil
The skilled duo of Luciana Diniz and Pedro Junqueira Muylaert are joined by first-timers João Victor Castro Aguiar Gomes de Lima and Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo.
“Balancing skilled athletes with rising expertise is a central pillar of Brazil’s long-term technique,” explains chef d’equipe Pedro Paulo. “Whereas senior riders present stability and management, youthful athletes are progressively built-in into the high-performance surroundings.
“The Brazilian crew is thought for valuing a relaxed but targeted environment. One casual custom is the collection of a track for every occasion, chosen by the riders to signify that individual competitors. That track usually turns into a part of the crew’s routine, performed whereas getting ready within the stables. It helps create unity, reinforce crew spirit, and keep a constructive mindset all through the occasion, providing a small glimpse into the crew’s tradition behind the scenes.”
UAE
Chef d’equipe William Funnell leads the host nation’s three riders in Abu Dhabi, hoping to construct on their super second place end of final 12 months. Representing the UAE are Abdullah Mohd Al Marri, Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi and Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi.
After Abu Dhabi, the LLN collection strikes to Ocala in USA, then Rotterdam within the Netherlands and eventually St Tropez-Gassin in France earlier than concluding in Barcelona, Spain.
You possibly can observe all of the Longines League of Nations motion with Horse & Hound, with H&H showjumping editor Jennifer Donald bringing you all of the information from Abu Dhabi this week.
You may additionally be keen on:
Martin Fuchs, pictured on the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games.
Credit score: Sportsfile through Getty Pictures
Shane Breen tops the four-star grand prix – and collects the five-star-worthy prize cash – aboard BP Arctic Blue on the Al Shira’aa Worldwide.
Credit score: Helen Cruden
Credit score: Jamie Agnew Pictures
Joe Stockdale and Ebanking on their option to successful the CSI5* The President’s Cup in Abu Dhabi.
Credit score: Erika Rasmussen
Credit score: Future
H&H showjumping editor
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her function as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her world wide reporting from reveals and interviewing riders, connections and people concerned behind the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on each topic throughout the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to steady administration — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand expertise of working within the equestrian trade as a using teacher and yard supervisor.
