In addition to Native American performances which opened each competition session, there was shopping in the trade fair and plenty of fun and educational presentations in the demonstration ring. Lots of activities kept the kids entertained, too. It was all a fitting way to wrap a week of international competition hosted by the welcoming and capable folks in this intriguing and delightful Midwestern city. 

As things come to a close yesterday evening in Omaha, Omaha Equestrian Foundation Chair Lisa Roskens reflected on hosting the FEI World Cup Finals twice, “It’s impossible not to think about 2017 because so much a part of what we are doing is a reflective of that experience. In fact, in many ways it’s a bit of a reunion this year. Obviously, many of the challenges of 2017 we worked to resolve and improve upon. Nothing is perfect, you always have little blips, but our goal is to always be responsible to our athletes and the grooms and say to them, ‘What can we do to make it your best experience?’”

She praised the people involved with making both years hosting the FEI World Cup a success, “I really feel like our team has come together. We’ve stuck to our plan, but pivoted where necessary. I’m very, very proud to be associated with this and all of these wonderful people.”

Vaulting Finals

On the second and final day of the FEI Burlington Capital World Cup Vaulting Finals, individual females competed first, then individual males and finally, the pas-de-deux pairs. The start list for each class Saturday was in reverse order of placing from the first day of competition. The final overall results in each group were determined by averaging the scores from Thursday and Saturday.

Roskens, who is also CEO of Burlington Capital, explained why the company chose to sponsor the World Cup Vaulting Finals this year, “For us, it was a very logical thing. Our job as an investment management firm is to help elevate, whether it is a business that needs capital raised or whether it’s our investors who come with us on adventures. Our job is to lift people up and we thought vaulting was a great analogy. And, we wanted to support something new. That’s part of what we do at Burlington.”

Individual Female 

In the Individual Female Freestyle vaulting test first of the eight to compete was Averill Saunders from Canada, then fourth from last to go was the USA’s Kimberly Palmer.  Next to last was Switzerland’s Danielle Bürgi (who was a close second in the technical test on Thursday), and the final competitor was the leader from Thursday, Kathrin Meyer from Germany. 

Saunders, 19, Sundre, Alberta, vaulted on Max lunged by Sarah Krauss of Germany. She improved on her Thursday score earning 7.327 for an overall average of 6.858 good enough for 7th place. 

Vaulting on Romeo lunged by Christoph Lensing, Palmer (25, Half Moon Bay, California) also bettered her Thursday score garnering 7.983 for an overall average of 7.736 and ultimately 4th place. Palmer noted that she had never competed on Romeo before, so it took time to get to know the gelding and she had to adjust some of the choreography due to the tempo of Romeo’s canter. This meant omitting some of her more technically difficult elements; had she done them she could have potentially scored higher. 

Palmer commented on her Freestyle test, “I think it went pretty good. It started off pretty strong and I was happy with my performance. I skipped a couple of my harder moves just to ensure that I would keep the performance rolling. It is what it is. It is hard to make choices within the one minute, 10 seconds that you have to do your routine in front of everybody. I’m okay. I’m happy with it.” 

Bürgi’s performance put pressure on Meyer for the lead where she actually scored better in the Freestyle than Meyer (Freestyle score for Bürgi was 8.599 and for Meyer 8.556). In the end, however, Meyer’s average for the two days was higher (8.428) for the overall win which included a trophy and her piece of the total $10,100 offered by sponsor Burlington Capital Foundation for vaulting ($3,050). 

Meyer spoke about her win during the vaulting press conference, “It’s always a bit hard to tell after the winter training how the others will be. Of course, I hoped I would win this, but you never know. We have a great female vaulter field, so I was hoping to show what I’m able to do and that worked pretty well. It was the first time for us three [Meyer and her horse San Classico S and her mother Sonja who was her longeur] at such a great competition, and I’m really happy we did such a good job.”

Check out the results for the World Cup Finals Individual Female Vaulting.

Individual Male 

The USA’s Daniel Janes (27, Moss Beach, California) was first of six to vault in the Individual Male Freestyle test Saturday. Although an experienced vaulter who has competed as an individual and a member of pas-de-deux pairs and squads before, this was Janes’ first World Cup Finals in the Individual Male division. He noted earlier in the week that freestyle was his specialty and he showed it in his score Saturday earning 8.299, the second-best score of any of the Men’s Freestyle tests. However, the overall standings were a combination of both days’ scores, so his combined score of 7.190 put him in 6th overall at the end of the day.

Janes talked about his great freestyle performance and his horse after their round, “That is exactly what I was hoping for—a round like that. Nothing is ever perfect, but this was close to perfect for me on my progression with Romeo. It is really awesome. There were several moves that we really hit to the full extension, even better than in practice. The mount, the flying ground jumps—those were even better Saturday than normal. That was even a little bit of a surprise for me in a way. He [Romeo lunged by Christoph Lensing] was calm and collected and was really nice to vault with. That was really fun to wave at my family in the crowd and a lot of friends and people I know in the US vaulting world.”

Jannik Heiland from Germany vaulting on San Classico S (lunged by Sonja Meyer) continued his dominance of the division earning 8.666 for his freestyle and an overall final score of 8.551 for the win over the Netherlands’ Sam dos Santos vaulting atop the German horse Max lunged by Krauss in second (8.0520). The victory earned him a trophy and $3,050 from Burlington Capital. 

“The arena is just awesome,” said Heiland after his freestyle, “To win a World Cup Final, it was a big wish for me to get this title in my life. The whole event was really great. There were even more viewers compared to Thursday. It’s a massive arena and it was a very great feeling. It was an honor for me to be here.”

He explained his freestyle, “The theme was bionic. When people look for very specific things which happen in nature and they try to adapt it and they try to copy it―try to copy it with modern technologies. That’s the mixture of nature, animals, humans and technology.”

Find complete results for the Individual Male Vaulting.

Pas-de-Deux

The last competition of the 2023 Burlington Capital World Cup Vaulting Finals was the Pas-De-Deux division. Four pairs, 2 from Germany and one each from Austria and Denmark took turns showing their second Freestyle test Saturday to the delight of the audience. 

In the end, the two German pairs topped the division with Chiara Congia and Justin van Gerven who vaulted on German horse Max (longed by Alexandra Knauf) taking the title (overall score 8.341) with Diana Harwardt and Peter Kunne on DSP Sir Laulau lunged by Hendrik Falk in second place (overall score 7.876). Congia and van Gerven took home a trophy and $4,000 in prize money provided by Burlington Capital. 

Congia and van Gerven, who announced that this World Cup was their last competition together, had the top score on day one and the overall best average for the win. But, the big story of the pas-de-deux competition Saturday was the amazing comeback of Harwardt and Kunne. Harwardt had a fall during their first test on Thursday leaving them in last place that day, but a lovely performance earned them the top score Saturday (8.516) bringing their average score up to finish in 2nd.    

Another notable fact was that Congia and van Gerven had to borrow the horse Max when their regular horse (Highlight FRH) went lame at the last minute after the horse inspection but before their first test. The crowd-pleasing signature move of Congia and van Gerven was something to behold. In that maneuver Congia balanced on her stomach with arms outstretched on the back of van Gerven’s shoulders without either of them holding onto the other (see photo). 

Congia talked about how that felt and their round in the press conference, “I feel like I am flying. We did a lot of work; we trained the whole last season. I’m really happy that this time we could win, even if it was bit different from what we planned.”

Find the full results of the Pas-De-Deux Vaulting.

Show Jumping Winner Crowned

The final event of the 2023 Omaha FEI World Cup was the Longines Jumping Finals Saturday evening. Earlier in the week the jumpers had begun competition with a speed class on Wednesday tackled by 40 competitors and then a Table A with jump-off class with 39 starters on Thursday. 

Tonight the competitors jumped over two courses, A and B rounds, designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR). Points were cumulative over the three days and four courses of competition.

Thirty horse and rider combinations, competing in reverse order of the standings, tackled course A, a Table A with no jump off, 1.60-meter track that included 12 numbered obstacles and 15 jumping efforts. Then, there was a break and course reset with the top 20 coming back for round B, a Table A with jump-off, 1.60-meter challenge, again with 12 numbered obstacles and 15 jumping efforts, and 6 obstacles in the jump-off, which in the end was not needed.  

The evening’s competition started with only 10 penalty points separating the leading 11 horse and rider pairs as Round A began.  Andreas Schou (DEN) riding Darc de Lux and Pius Schwizer (SUI) riding Vancouver de Lanlore were tied at 0 penalties at the beginning of the night, with Henrik Eckermnn (SWE) and King Edward sitting on 1 and Richard Vogel (GER) and United Touch S with 2 penalties. 

The USA’s Hunter Holloway and Pepita Con Spita also carried three points into Round A from the previous rounds, as did Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki. Other Americans competing in Round A were Nicholas Dello Joio and Cornet’s Cambridge, McLain Ward and Callas, Aaron Vale and Prescott, and Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue. 

Three competitors jumped cleanly to add nothing to their previous totals in Round A, Dennis Lynch (IRE) on Brooklyn Heights, Martin Fuchs (SUI) on Leone Jei and Harrie Smolders (NED) on Monaco N.O.P. When the top six going all had rails down, the standings shifted again. 

Starting Round B, less than two rails (8 points) separated the top 6 horse and rider combinations. American rider Holloway was one of those, tied for 5th with Mansur. US riders Ryan and Dello Joio were further down in the standings, but competed in Round B as well. The top four in the standings and thus the last four to go were Harry Charles (GBR) on Balou du Reventon, then Smolders, von Eckermann and Schwizer.

Riders who went clear in Round B were Kevin Staut (FRA) on Visconti du Telman, Lynch and Brooklyn Heights, Schou and Darc de Lux, Mansur and Vitiki, Holloway and Pepita Con Spita and finally von Eckermann and King Edward. But, since it was cumulative, it depended on how many points they carried from previous rounds to determine the overall winner and it was exciting down to the last before anyone knew for sure who had won. 

When Smolders dropped one rail, and Charles and Schwizer each dropped two rails, Eckermann and King Edward, who jumped next to last, clenched the championship. For the title they received a ribbon and trophy and their portion of the 300,000 Euros provided for Saturday’s competition by Longines (172,500 Euro or about $189,594.75 US). Ribbons and prize money were given to the top 16 Saturday. 

Eckermann said in the final press conference after the win that King Edward felt better than ever tonight and he only jumped three jumps to warm up before the second round. “It was a fantastic feeling jumping around there. What makes him very, very special―he’s like a dog at home, he’s so easy and so relaxed. He’s a very small horse, but when he comes in the ring it feels like he’s growing 5 centimeters or more and that makes the difference. Some horses they come in and they get a bit shy, but with him you can feel how it’s like starting an engine.”

Smolders and Monaco N.O.P. finished second and Holloway and Pepita Con Spita took third edging out Mansur and Vitiki since they had a faster time in the final round. Holloway was joyful to finish on the podium in her second-ever World Cup Finals and in front of the home crowd (her Kansas farm is only two hours from Omaha). She won 78,750 Euros (about $86,554.13 US), a trophy and ribbon. 

“I think I’ve always had pretty big goals, and this has always been a big goal of mine,” she explained in the press conference, “To be sitting with riders such as this, it’s obviously a great honor. I’m very excited to be here, thrilled. I think my horse performed great all week. My relationship with her has been great; it’s only getting stronger and building. I feel like we’re just getting started. I’m very excited for the future with her.”

Ryan and Eddie Blue finished 13th and Dello Joio and Cornet’s Cambridge 20th. US Jumping Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland commented on the week for the USA, “Obviously, Hunter’s podium finish was fantastic. She was so focused all week long. This wasn’t just the two rounds Saturday; this was all four. She absolutely deserved to be there. I’m very happy with Nick’s and Devin’s horses. [Eddie Blue] is back and jumping in great form at this level, and Nick and Cornet’s Cambridge are on an upward trajectory. Overall, Omaha was a very positive week.”

Check out the final results from the 2023 Longines World Cup Jumping Finals in Omaha.

Demo Ring & Trade Fair

In the demonstration ring there were presentations on barrel racing, hay steaming, horsemanship, reining, sidesaddle riding and Western dressage. The North Hills Hunt Club and the Omaha Mounted Patrol also made appearances and the Fjord, Paint and Saddlebred breeds were showcased. 

The good work of the equine charity Brooke USA was highlighted. And, the week-long “David versus Goliath” competition between a 19.3-hand Percheron gelding named Luke and a pinto Miniature Horse called Killer concluded. 

Many families attended and kids lined up to take their turn leaping over the mini-jump course and to find out how to braid tails, wrap horse legs and more. They also had the opportunity to meet a number of horse breeds in the stabling area. 

The Native American area, presented by the local Bluebird Cultural Initiative, was busy with history presentations, music and dance, and Native American-made products were offered for sale. Throngs of people trooped through the trade fair purchasing everything from equestrian-themed art and home décor, to tack and riding clothes, books and magazines, feed and horse care items, and home improvement and beauty products. 

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Final World Cup Wows

There have been so many wonderful “wow” moments over the last week. Witnessing the continued brilliance of Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the elegant Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB earn a second-consecutive FEI World Cup Dressage Finals Championship, on top of their gold-medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, was certainly a big one. (Perhaps next year in Paris, we’ll get to see a faceoff between this fabulous pair and the 2022 World Champions Charlotte “Lottie” Fry (GBR) and the attractive black stallion Glamourdale who opted to sit out this World Cup.)

Then, there was the quietly consistent jumping of Sweden’s unassuming super horse, King Edward ridden by Henrik von Eckermann. Von Eckermann and the diminutive chestnut gelding captured the 2023 Longines World Cup title here to add to their 2022 World Championship win and their Tokyo Olympic team gold, with King Edward performing barefoot all the while―who needs shoes!

Adding the elegant and daring sport of vaulting to the roster was another “wow” bonus for this World Cup Finals. The exciting combination of horsemanship and gymnastics was new to many of the spectators and they thoroughly enjoyed watching, enthusiastically applauding all of the competitors after their rounds. 

In addition to Longines’ continued support of show jumping, Havensafe Farm and Burlington Capital stepped up to sponsor dressage and vaulting, respectively, which is also to be celebrated! Without sponsors large sporting events would not happen; it is that simple. So, a huge thank you to all three businesses! Please remember them as you shop and invest. 

The last, and equally important, “wow” to acknowledge from the 2023 Omaha World Cup is the people. From the event organizers and volunteers to our media center commissary crew to the shop keepers and restaurateurs around the city, people in Omaha are just plain nice, as well as very proficient. With two World Cup Finals under their belts, they have much to be proud of. All riders praised the venue and organizers with good reason. Thank you, Omaha. We will be back. 

World Cup Finals 2024-2026

The 2024 FEI World Cup Finals will be held next April in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the first time that a Middle Eastern country has hosted.

Then, the 2025 FEI World Cup Finals will be held in Basel, Switzerland, and in 2026 the Finals return to the USA when Fort Worth, Texas, will stage this FEI event for the first time. 

The organizers for both Riyadh and Fort Worth were in attendance in Omaha observing. After the finish of the jumping yesterday evening, there was a ceremony “handing over the reins” of the World Cup Finals to Riyadh 2024. 

Roskens said she’ll be in attendance at these upcoming World Cup Finals. She said she is thrilled to see the Finals coming back to the US in 2026 and that the Omaha Equestrian Foundation (OEF) will offer to support the other organizers in any way possible. When asked if the OEF will consider bidding on another Finals in the future, she didn’t rule it out, but said the group needs time to rest and regroup first. 

She commented on how Fort Worth 2026 will build on what they started in Omaha, “One of our goals was to grow the sport. Well, if somebody is bidding [for FEI competition here in the USA] and winning the bid, that’s great for us. So, we want to make sure that whatever we do next is a collaborative thing that doesn’t conflict with what they are trying to do. We want to take the time to be supportive of their preparations and have offered help however we can.”

Relive the Action

Fans can see all of the action by replaying competition sessions from the 2023 Omaha FEI World Cup Finals on FEI TV via the Clip My Horse service. A paid subscription is required; sign up here.

For daily news briefs and more information about the 2023 Omaha FEI World Cup Finals see their website.

View full results from the 2023 Omaha FEI World Cup Finals by going to the Longines Timing website.

If you didn’t get the chance to go to Omaha this time for all of the equestrian competition and tourism opportunities, the Omaha Equestrian Foundation (OEF) stages a large, USEF-rated show in the CHI Health Arena each spring called The International Omaha. For more information about that show, visit the OEF’s website. For more information about fun things to do and see in Omaha, check out Visit Omaha.

April 12, 2023:  Update on Dressage Horse Torveslettens Titanium RS2

Dutch rider Marieke van der Putten announced on her Facebook page on April 9 that her Omaha World Cup Finals horse Torveslettens Titanium RS2, who she had to pull from competition before the Freestyle due to a case of colic, had undergone successful surgery at Iowa State University’s Large Animal Hospital. “Tito” is recovering at the hospital and his groom Sanne Vondel has stayed in the USA to help care for him until he can fly home to the Netherlands. 

Van der Putten, who has returned home to Groesbeek, the Netherlands, issued this statement:  “[The] most important thing is that he is doing fine now! Nothing is more important than for him being healthy and happy. Of course he has a long way to go, but Tito is the biggest little, pretty fighter on this planet, so I am sure he will be back strong and healthy as ever! A big thank you to Edwin Enzerink, who is our team vet and stayed with him the whole time and did an amazing job. And Sanne Vondel you are the best. During his stay in Iowa to recover from surgery Sanne gives him a lot of cuddles, all the love he needs and more.”

Torveslettens Titanium RS2 and van der Putten finished 8th (70.776) in the World Cup Finals Grand Prix dressage class on April 5. He is an 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Totilas—Toerveslettens Stamina, Stedinger) owned by Jacques Lemmens and Saskia Lemmens-Reijnen. Best wishes to him for a speedy recovery and a long, successful career!

For the complete coverage of the 2023 FEI World Cup in Omaha, click here.

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Thirteen competitors rode down centerline Friday evening in front of a very appreciative crowd. Sadly, three of the original 16 dressage starters had to withdraw their horses for veterinary reasons, although all are expected to be OK according to reports from their national federations. 

On Wednesday before the Grand Prix started, Dutch rider Dinja van Liere had to withdraw Hermes N.O.P. Then, on Thursday, Ingrid Klimke announced that Franziskus FRH had “overreached” (probably clipping a heel) and therefore for the stallion’s welfare she was withdrawing him. Friday, the Dutch Equestrian Federation issued a statement saying that unfortunately Marieke van der Putten’s mount Torveslettens Titanium RS2 had colicked mildly and they felt it was in his best interest to pull him from the freestyle competition as well. 

The competitors were divided into two groups, six in the first and seven in the last, with an arena drag break in between. First into the arena was Singapore’s Caroline Chew, who is now an attorney with a practice in London, and rides her own 19-year-old Norwegian Warmblood gelding Tribiani. Chew is the first World Cup competitor from Southeast Asia. 

Following Chew was Lithuania’s Justina Vanagaite riding her 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Nabab in her first World Cup Final. Belgium’s Jorinda Verwimp and her 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding Charmer were next in the order. After Verwimp, Morgan Barbançon of France and Sir Donnerhall II OLD, a 17-year-old Oldenburg gelding, took their turn. 

Then, the first American rider, Alice Tarjan and her elegant dark bay American-bred Hanoverian mare Serenade MF (bred by Maryanna Haymon) entered the ring with double canter pirouettes then moving into a broken line of two- and one-tempi canter lead changes. They performed to music which included “Bach Fugue in C Minor,” “Road to Tomorrow,” “Sawdust Breeze” and the 396 Hz Solfeggio Frequency for liberating guilt and fear. The pair improved on their miscues from the Grand Prix on Wednesday and increased their level of difficulty earning a 75.207 percent for 9th overall. 

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Tarjan and Serenade were followed by Australia’s Simone Pearce who rode the 14-year-old Oldenburg stallion Fiderdance owned by Gestüt Bonhomme GmbH & Co.KG. Next to compete were the only remaining competitors from the Netherlands, Thamar Zweistra and Stal Hexagon’s 14-year-old grey NRPS (a Dutch studbook) stallion Hexagon’s Ich Weiss; the placed 5th with a 78.204 percent. Then, the lone entry from Sweden, Johanna Due Boje and the 15-year-old Swedish mare Mazy Klovenhoj entered the arena. 

The final five competitors included the two other American riders, Anna Buffini riding her 16-year-old Hanoverian mare Davinia la Douce and Steffen Peters and Akiko Yamazaki’s 15-year-old KWPN gelding Suppenkasper. Buffini and Davinia entered the arena after Due Boje’s test and performed a lovely routine to songs from the soundtrack of the movie Top Gun: Maverick. They earned a 77.843 for their efforts which put them in 6th place overall. 

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Peters and Suppenkasper, who had been the best American pair in the Grand Prix on Wednesday, pulled out the stops to an updated version of their Tokyo 2021 Olympic freestyle (which earned “Mopsie” the title “Rave Horse” after the Olympics). They danced to songs including “Safety Dance” (Men without Hats), “Calabria” (Firebeatz remix), “Staying Alive” (Bee Gees), “What is Love” (Haddaway), and a little bit of rap. The crowd was really behind them and Peters and Mopsie ended their run in the 2022 World Cup Finals earning a personal-best 83.921 percent and 4th overall. 

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Peters was over the moon at his performance with Suppenkasper, “To have almost an 84 percent at the moment it really counts the most is so amazing. Mopsie was so with the music; there was never a moment that he was behind or ahead of the music. This was the most fun―a real party out there.”

Riding in between Buffini and Peters was Isabell Werth and Madeleine Winter-Schulze’s and Victoria Max-Theurer’s 13-year-old German Sport Horse Quantaz DSP, followed by her countrywoman Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on the 16-year-old Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB owned by Béatrice Buerchler-Keller. Then, riding last after Peters and Suppenkasper, was Denmark’s Nanna Skodberg Merrald and Blue Hors Aps’s Blue Hors Zepter, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding. 

Werth confidently guided Quantaz through a technically difficult test which included a piaffe pirouette into a canter pirouette and an extended canter to a canter pirouette to a piaffe pirouette. Werth exuded pure joy through their entire test and smiled and laughed during her post-ride interview and the press conference. A veteran of 23 World Cup Finals now, she seemed so relaxed and at ease, even though she admitted in the press conference she still gets nervous before she rides. The music for Werth and Quantaz was a mix of songs including “Game Over” by Eminem, “Straight from the Heart” by Bryan Adams, and “It’s Heartache” by Bonnie Tyler. 

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Von Bredow-Werndl and her long-time partner Dalera’s much anticipated freestyle came after Werth’s. They glided around the arena to music celebrating the city of Paris as a nod to next year’s Olympic Games including “Paris Cheri” and “Non je ne Regrettes Rien.” While not yet quite up to the form they had before von Bredow-Werndl’s maternity leave, they were technically very correct and had perfect phrasing. Nearly all of their individual marks topped those of other riders. They garnered 90.482 percent which ultimately locked in the World Cup Finals win for the second time in two years. 

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She was elated when interviewed for FEI TV, “I’m grateful for that wonderful mare I’m allowed to dance with. Grateful to have a horse who always gives her best every time she enters the arena, and when there are mistakes they are my mistakes. When I entered the arena she lifted herself up. I am definitely going to celebrate with my father and the horse owner who are both here and with my German teammates.”

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Last in the arena for the evening, Skodberg Merrald’s and Zepter’s freestyle was a super-smooth, powerful test ridden to “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli as well as some music by Ed Sheeran. Though she’s only ridden the gelding for four months, she felt he has much potential and he certainly showed it! They scored a personal-best 87.146 percent to surpass Werth and Quantaz in the standings for second place. 

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See the complete results from the Grand Prix Freestyle World Cup Finals dressage here.

Temple Grandin & More

A full docket of education and entertainment was offered at the Omaha World Cup Finals, so visitors had lots to choose from Friday. Even though the Dressage Freestyle competition didn’t start until 6 p.m., the trade fair, educational activities and entertainment opened at 9 a.m. 

Breeds showcased in the demonstration arena Friday included Akhal-Tekes, Fell Ponies, Fjords, Foxtrotters, Friesians, Highland Ponies, Paint Horses, Saddlebreds and Thoroughbreds. Educational demonstrations included foundational to advanced horsemanship, in-hand jumping, steaming hay, vaulting, and Western dressage. And, there was a meet and greet time with a 17-year-old Percheron draft horse named Luke, the tallest horse in Nebraska at 19.3 hands and 2,300 pounds.

But beyond the competition, the biggest draw of the day at the World Cup venue was an appearance by renowned Colorado State animal scientist and animal welfare and autism advocate, Dr. Temple Grandin. Crowds overflowed the stands and wrapped around the demo arena to hear her speak for 45 minutes and followed her back to the Omaha Equestrian Foundation booth where she answered questions and signed books for a lengthy amount of time. 

Friday’s World Cup Wows

Our associate photographer Shelley Higgins from Ontario, Canada, shares her “world cup wow” moment from Friday night’s competition. “For me it was Steffen Peters’ and Mopsie’s amazing amount of collection in the canter pirouettes tonight!”

For Michelle Downey from Amaranth, Ontario, her wow for the day came while she was sitting in the stands watching the freestyles. She says she could just feel the positive energy and joy rising from the riders on the competition floor. “The dressage freestyle was unreal. Isabell Werth has a million-dollar smile.  She engaged with the audience and brought us right into the moment with her. Unbelievable!”

For me the wows were two-fold. The first was listening to Temple Grandin speak and marveling at the insight and intellect she shared with the audience and, being autistic, what she had overcome to become a professor, scientist and animal welfare advocate. The other was the true feeling of joy and camaraderie that all of the dressage riders brought to the venue. They were smiling and laughing, supporting each other regardless of nationality, and thanked the organizers and sponsors and volunteers often. It made you realize that there is a real sense of community in the international world of equestrian sport! 

For all articles about the 2023 FEI World Cup in Omaha, click here.

This article about the FEI World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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In total there are 44 jumping horses, 16 dressage horses and 10 vaulting horses for the World Cup Finals. They are stabled inside the CHI Health Center complex in Omaha which is located just across the Missouri River from the casinos in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The massive building also houses two warm-up arenas, the main competition arena, a trade fair and dining area, a demonstration ring, educational displays and children’s activities, as well as a media center, show office, rider’s lounge, and storage. 

The riders in this year’s Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals represent 19 countries: Australia; Brazil; Canada; Denmark; France; Germany; Great Britain; Ireland; Israel; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Lithuania; The Netherlands; Norway; New Zealand; Switzerland; Sweden; the United Arab Emirates; the United States of America, and Uzbekistan.

Originally there were 45 horses set to jog in front of the show jumping ground jury Monday, but Brazil’s Santiago Lambre had to pull his horse Chacco Blue II before the start of the inspection, leaving 44 horses presented to the jury. 43 passed the first inspection without incident, but one was sent to the hold box―Nurjon Tuyakbaev’s Lancelotta, a 10-year-old Westfalen mare representing Uzbekistan. The mare was represented about 15 minutes later and the jury decided to have her presented again Tuesday. Stay tuned to see if Lancelotta passes in order to be allowed to start the competition. 

First horse inspections for the vaulting and dressage horses take center stage today at 3 p.m. Central US time, followed by a welcome reception and draw party (where the riders pull their starting order out of a fishbowl to set the order of go for competition in each sport). Please enjoy a dozen photos from yesterday’s show jumping inspection for the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals!

For the complete coverage of the 2023 FEI World Cup in Omaha, click here.

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The post Jumper Inspection Opens the 2023 Omaha FEI World Cup Finals appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Move over Florida sunshine and California desert show circuits, the hottest place to be in equestrian sport will be Omaha, Nebraska, April 4-8, 2023, for the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI, the governing body for international equestrian sports) World Cup Finals. The best in the world in dressage, show jumping and vaulting will converge on Nebraska’s biggest city to compete for bragging rights, ribbons and prize money. This will be the second time that Omaha has hosted the prestigious event and one of only a handful of times the Finals have been staged outside of Europe.

The horses will start to arrive in Omaha the end of March. Once obligatory quarantine arrangements and first horse inspections are completed, the horses will begin practicing in the main arena of the CHI Health Center (formerly known as the CenturyLink Center) located near the Missouri River on Tuesday, April 4. Competition kicks off on Wednesday afternoon, April 5, and finishes on Saturday evening, April 8. Find the full schedule here.

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The World Cup Finals venue will also offer many shopping and dining options, as well as educational events, children’s activities, and entertainment. A highlight of the event is the central location of the warm-up arena near the shopping and dining areas which allows attendees to watch their favorite equestrians working just a few feet away.

Dan Urban, World Cup Finals show jumping stable manager and Omaha native, extends his invitation to attend the finals and enjoy what the area has to offer, “Omaha is a sports town! We have played host for the College Baseball World Series, the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, the NCAA Final Four, and of course, the 2017 FEI World Cup Finals. As such, we know a thing or two about hosting quality events. The venue for the World Cup Finals provides a unique setup for the whole event where the stabling, warm up, shopping, and competition all take place under one roof, and our downtown area is a vibrant scene with excellent restaurants, shops, museums, and more. We’re bringing the best in the World to town for a thrilling competition, but we’re also excited to show off what Omaha has to offer.”

Tickets are still available and a trip to the very interesting, sometimes quirky, and always super-fun city of Omaha is a spring break well worth taking! Purchase tickets here.

New This Year

Omaha first hosted the FEI World Cup Finals in the spring of 2017 to rave reviews from competitors, spectators and officials, many who could not have located Omaha on a map before that time. While this year’s finals will include the things everyone loved before, there are some new things to look forward to as well.

Top of that list is the addition of the FEI World Cup Vaulting Finals to the 2023 program with competition for individual male and female athletes and a vaulting pair’s competition called “pas-de-deux.” Vaulting is an interesting mix of gymnastics and artistry performed on the back of a cantering horse at the end of a lunge line. As the sport’s name suggests, the human athlete jumps onto the back of the moving horse and then performs a routine of required and unique moves in front of judges. Then finally, they gracefully dismount in a similar fashion to that of a gymnast exiting a balance beam.

Mary McCormick, a decorated World Championship US vaulter will be in Omaha as a lunger for the Austrian vaulters among other duties there. She shares her thoughts on adding vaulting to the World Cup lineup, “The World Cup Finals is one of the most prestigious events in all of horse sports and everyone competing here is an absolute master of their craft. Anytime you bring the best of the best in multiple disciplines to one venue, the excitement is guaranteed. There will be the boldest, bravest, most talented athletes and horses in all the world under one roof ready to give their all and put on a spectacular show. Hold on to your hats, equestrian fans, this is going to be an incredible ride.”

Also new to the 2023 Omaha World Cup schedule is a full schedule of educational clinics and demonstrations. Two featured speakers are Olympic show jumping medalist, author and television sports commentator Melanie Smith and renowned animal scientist and author Temple Grandin.

According to World Cup Finals Media Liaison Jennifer Wood, Friday, April 7, will be “Meet the Athletes” day, “We will have the riders in the trade show at the Omaha Equestrian Federation merchandise booth taking photos and signing autographs for fans. The full schedule is to be determined, but we anticipate all of the top riders being there from all three sports since competition doesn’t start until the [dressage] freestyle in the evening.”

Omaha 2023 has partnered with local schools offering field trips for students during the event. New this year will be STEM activities such making working carousels featuring different breeds of horses, using math to estimate how much to feed a horse, and history lessons about the role of horses in Native American tribal culture. Horse breed demonstrations, hands-on lessons about horse care, a miniature jumping course for kids, and other educational displays are planned as well.

Linking to the heritage of the region, the Omaha Finals has partnered with the Bluebird Cultural Initiative in presenting “1723: The Horse Tribes Of The Great Plains” as the cultural theme. World Cup and Omaha Equestrian Foundation Chairwoman Julie Boilesen explains, “We’re flashing back―300 years ago―to a significant moment on the Great Plains when horses were transforming Native American livelihood and culture. Horses became revered and honored members of tribes, responsible for providing security and for enhancing trade and commerce. We’ll be sharing those fascinating stories throughout the World Cup. We hope fans will enjoy listening and learning from Native American orators, musicians, historians and creatives as we celebrate the horse’s heritage and significance in this region.”

Dressage

“We are looking forward to see once again the top European dressage horses compete in the United States and anticipate some incredible competition in Omaha,” says World Cup Dressage Finals Dressage Event Director Thomas Baur of Germany.

Seventeen competitors are set to compete in dressage in Omaha over two days of competition, the Grand Prix test on Wednesday, April 5 at 1:15 p.m. Central US time and the Grand Prix Freestyle on Friday, April 7, at 6:15 p.m. Central. Total prize money for the dressage competition is 300,000 Euros (25,000 for the Grand Prix and 275,000 for the Freestyle).

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The breakdown of competitors from the various FEI Leagues is: seven from Western Europe; two from the Central Europe; none from the Pacific; three from North America; one from a non-FEI league national foundation; three extras selected by the FEI, and the title defender from last year (Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB from Germany, who were also the Tokyo 2020/21 Olympic Champions).

Horse and rider pairs from North America are Anna Buffini, San Diego, California, and her 15-year-old Hanoverian mare Davinia la Douce, Steffen Peters, San Diego, California, and Akiko Yamazaki’s 15-year-old KWPN gelding Suppenkasper, and Alice Tarjan, Oldwick, New Jersey, and her 10-year-old American-bred Hanoverian mare Serenade MF.

Check out the Dressage Definite Entries list for Omaha.

Show Jumping

Event Director for the Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals Jon Garner says that it is hard for him to believe it has been six years since Omaha first hosted the Finals and shares his thoughts on this year’s competition, “I think for the jumping competition there is a different vibe this time around. Riders were skeptical in 2017, which I understand, so some opted not to make the trip. That is not the case this time around, I really feel the city and the event is truly ‘on the map,’ so we will have absolutely the best of the best coming.”

He lists just a few of the key players in this year’s event, “Martin Fuchs from Switzerland is looking to defend his title from Leipzig, Germany, last year and McLain Ward will be fired up to win again on home soil like he did in 2017. The course design team led by Bernardo Costa Cabral [Portugal] and Technical Delegate Alan Wade [Ireland] have been tirelessly preparing the courses. We are in for a dandy!”

A total of 42 riders and 47 horses from 19 countries are on the Longines World Cup Jumping Finals Definite Entries list for Omaha. The breakdown of entries by FEI Leagues is: 19 from Western Europe, 14 from North America; three from the Arab League’s Middle East Sub-League; two from Central Europe, and one each from the Australian, Eurasian and New Zealand Leagues.

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The first round of jumper competition for the Omaha Finals is Wednesday, April 5 at 7:15 p.m. Central US time. Day two of jumper competition is Thursday, April 6 at 7:15 p.m. Central. And, the final round, which will close out the Omaha FEI World Cup Finals, is Saturday evening, April 8, at 6:15 p.m. Central. Total prize money for the jumping competition is 550,000 Euros (100,000 for the top rider in the first class, 150,000 for the winner of the second and 300,000 for capturing the win in the final class).

Qualified horse and rider combos from the East US North American League include Ailish Cunniffe and Vivaldi du Theil, Nicholas Dello Joio and Cornet’s Cambridge, Hunter Holloway and either Eastern Jam or Pepita con Spita, Devon Ryan and Eddie Blue, Aaron Vale and Prescott, and McLain Ward and Callas. Qualified from the West US are Simonne Berg and Cooper, Elisa Broz and Kardenta Van ‘T Meerhof, and Natalie Dean and Acota M. The Canadian representative in Omaha will be Erynn Ballard and either Gakhir or Hero.

Riders not from North America, but who declared the North American League as their competition circuit for qualifying are listed as “North American extra qualifiers” by the FEI. They are: Santiago Lambre, Brazil, riding Chacco Blue II; Daniel Coyle, Ireland, on Legacy, and Daniel Blumen, Israel, on either Gemma W or Ladriano Z.

Check out the Jumping Definite Entries list for Omaha.

Vaulting

Vaulting joins the line-up for the Omaha Finals after the qualifying system was revamped following the 2019 season. The new system encompasses a year-long, global competition schedule rather than just a winter European show series as with the old system. This now allows for more international participation in the World Cup Vaulting Finals.

Additionally, there are now two different tests that the individual vaulters perform during the Finals, a technical test and a free test. Before, both tests were the same. The pas-de-deux vaulting pairs will perform two free tests. Vaulting World Cup Finals competition in Omaha will take place on Thursday, April 6, at 1:15 p.m. Central US time and Saturday, April 8, at 1:15 p.m. Central US.

According to a news release from the FEI, a plane has been chartered to bring six vaulting horses from Europe, five from Germany and one from Italy. The balance of the Omaha vaulting competition horses will be supplied by the USA. It is important to note that the vaulting horse also figures into a vaulter’s overall score. McCormick explains, “The horse score accounts for twenty-five percent of the total round score. The horse is judged on their quality of movement and submission. The lungeur plays a critical role in ensuring the horse performs at their best and also receives a score for their correct use of aids and precision of the entry and salute.”

FEI rules say that if they meet the eligibility requirements, the highest ranked individual men and women athletes on the Vaulting World Cup Individual Standings list on December 31 of the year preceding the Final will qualify out of three regions: 1-Africa, Asia, Oceania; 2-North and South America, and 3-Europe. And, the four highest ranked Pas-De-Deux athletes will also qualify, regardless of region, along with the 2022 World Cup Vaulting Champions.

The USA’s Kimberly Palmer, 28, Half Moon Bay, California, comes to the Omaha Finals off a bronze-medal win in last year’s World Cup and a fifth-place standing in the 2022 World Championships in Denmark. Fellow American Daniel Janes, 27, Moss Beach, California, will compete for the USA in Omaha in the individual men’s division and brings experience from the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and the 2022 World Championships. Both Palmer and Janes will vault on Romeo with Christoph Lensing lunging.

Canada’s Averill Saunders, Sundre, Alberta, comes off a successful junior career and competed in last summer’s Herning World Championships. She will be vaulting aboard Max 4060 with Sara Kraus lunging. Neither the USA nor Canada qualified a Pas-de-Deux entry.

Along with the North American entries to cheer for, spectators will want to watch for the top vaulters in all three categories (men’s, women’s and pas-de-deux) from last year’s World Championships, the German contingent. Other talented vaulters from Austria, Colombia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland will be in Omaha too. A total of $10,100 US in prize money is up for grabs in vaulting ($3,050 each for individual male and female vaulting competition and $4,000 for the pas-de-deux competition).

Check out the Vaulting Definite Entries List for Omaha.

Oh So Interesting Omaha

The city has many family-friendly activities in addition to the pending equestrian action at the CHI Health Center. Known for sports, art and culture, a world-famous zoo, an expansive botanical garden, and many interesting museums, Omaha is a river town with the mighty Missouri River separating the eastern city from Council Bluffs, Iowa, just across the water.

Not far from the World Cup action, visitors can stroll along the beautiful river greenway, stop at the National Park Service Lewis and Clark Expedition Visitor’s Center, and walk across the 3,000-foot Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, affectionately known as “Bob the Bridge.” Look under the bridge to find Omaha’s beloved troll Omar and take a selfie with the benevolent blue guy. Not far from the river, the city’s old warehouse district has been lovingly refurbished into a vibrant shopping and dining area called The Old Market. The Henry Doorly Zoo and Lauritzen Botanical Gardens are also along the river.

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Omaha is also the home of Boys Town, a home for underprivileged youth made famous by the 1938 movie of the same name staring Spencer Tracy as Father Edward J. Flanagan and Mickey Rooney as one of the troubled young men. A National Historic Landmark and still a working sanctuary for youth in need, the current Boys Town campus has a visitor’s center and offers tours of the grounds.

Omaha also offers many culinary delights. The Reuben sandwich was invented there by a local hotel owner and the city is famous for great steaks at reasonable prices. A wide variety of ethnic foods and a number of yummy ice cream parlors and candy shops are other foodie options. Local vineyards and craft breweries and distilleries offer tasting opportunities too.

The city consists of thriving neighborhoods each with their own unique style and attractions. One such neighborhood, Aksarben (Nebraska spelled backward), was home to a race track of the same name. Triple Crown-winning Thoroughbred stallion Omaha spent his final years in Nebraska and was buried at the race track. A marker on the former track site displays a plaque honoring the Triple Crown Champion.

Fans of history have many choices in Omaha. From the restored main train station that houses the Durham Museum complete with talking bronze statues of train travelers, to the Mormon Trail Visitor’s Center in Florence, to the El Museo Latino in South Omaha, and many other local historic sites, one can delve into the past for hours. For a free visitor’s guide and more tourism information, go to the city’s tourism bureau site.

Omaha Fun Facts

Founded in 1854, the city is named for a Native American tribe. The 2020 census lists the population as 486,051 and the city covers 146.27 square miles.

Omaha is home to four Fortune 500 companies: Berkshire Hathaway (#3), Warren Buffett’s multinational holding company; Union Pacific Railroad (#141), the largest U.S. rail network serving 23 Western states; Mutual of Omaha Insurance (#337), known for its popular “Wild Kingdom” TV and now web series, and Kiewit Corporation (#339), construction, engineering, and mining and one of the world’s largest employee-owned companies.

In addition to the Reuben sandwich, other food items developed in Omaha include the cake mix, the TV dinner, Kool-Aid drink mix, and butter brickle ice cream.

Famous people from Omaha include the aforementioned billionaire Warren Buffet, dancer and actor Fred Astaire, the 38th US President Gerald Ford, actors Henry and Peter Fonda, human rights activist Malcolm X, actress Gabrielle Union, and news anchor Paula Zahn, to name just a few of hundreds. Television personality Johnny Carson was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, but started his career in Omaha.

How to Watch the World Cup

If the trip to Omaha to witness history in the making in person isn’t possible, then fans can watch all of the action (livestream and replay on demand) on FEI TV via the Clip My Horse service which requires a paid subscription; sign up here. CBS Sports Network will also air a highlight show after the fact on Thursday, April 13 from 7-10 p.m. Eastern US Time.

Find all of 2023 Omaha FEI World Cup the news, schedules, results and other information at https://omaha2023.fei.org.

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The post Omaha FEI World Cup Finals Set to Begin April 4 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.