Restyled Nations Cup in 2018

According to Ingmar de Vos, President of the international Federation for Equestrian Sports, the FeI Longines circuit will undergo a re-styling in 2018. While the long-term partnership with Longines will continue; the structure of the championships and the organization will change. The alterations have already been presented to the CSIO, with the Second Division already planned, it is the First Division which will be reorganized.
The FEI Longines Nations Cup restructuring has yet to be approved by the CSIO organisers, the FEI and the national federations involved in the circuit but the biggest change for 2018 is the insertion of the Nations Cup stage into the CSIO. The event will be shifted from Friday to Sunday, with the Grand Prix being brought forward. The change was requested to give greater visibility to the event and to help the rapport with sponsors, but until now the change had not been possible.
The overall outline of the championship will stay the same as it is now: with seven divisions overall; two in Europe, one in North America, one each in the Middle East, South America, Asia and Africa.
What will change is the number of stages and the CSIO within the circuit, which will be reduced from 20 to 15. Eight should be in Europe in Lummen, La Baule, Rome, St. Gallen, Rotterdam, Falsterbo, Hickstead and Dublin. The biggest change will be in the Middle East, which would hold just one stage (probably in Abu Dhabi) due to the overly complex health regulations and logistic difficulties in transporting international horses. North America will host three stages (Ocala, Coapexpan and Langley).

photo: CAN-Yann Candele rides Theodore Manciais during the Longines FEI Nations Cup Jumping™ Final – First Qualifier. 2017 ESP-Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final – CSIO Barcelona. Real Club de Polo de Barcelona. Thursday 28 September Photo:FEI/ Libby Law Photography