Equita Lyon 2024: Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Clash of Champions

Winners from all the medal categories from the recent Paris 2024 Olympic Games, whether they took home gold, silver, bronze, individual or team will be represented in the ring at Longines Equita Lyon, Concours Hippique International from 30 October to 3 November. No fewer than seven riders who won medals in Versailles this summer will be performing in Eurexpo’s ring for the Western European League Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™’s third leg.  Among them will be German rider and individual gold medallist Christian Kukuk and all the members of the French team who won the bronze medal: Simon Delestre, Julien Epaillard and Olivier Perreau. An exceptional line-up, with seven of the world’s top ten riders taking part in what has become an unmissable event in Lyon. Star riders who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, experienced champions who rank among the best in the Longines World Rankings, and a young up-and-coming generation keen to establish themselves among the elite. It’s a dream field for a show that will boast some superb sport and competitions.

 
Germany’s Christian Kukuk, the reigning Olympic champion and winner of the Longines League of Nations™ in Barcelona with his team mates, isn’t afraid to talk about his goals: ‘Until I win an FEI World Cup™ Final, it will stay on my to-do list.’ A goal that the German champion, who is often compared to Ludger Beerbaum, is determined to achieve quickly.  Despite his impressive success in recent months, his rivals intend to give him a run for his money. He is likely to come up against Steve Guerdat, the individual silver medallist in Versailles and the 2012 Olympic Champion in London along the way. A regular at the Lyon event, the Swiss rider, who is currently World No.2, is hoping to make up the number of points that separate him from the indisputable Swedish rider, Henrik von Eckermann, who has been World number one for over two years now. A win in Lyon would take him one step closer to his goal.
 
BELGIUM’S GREGORY WATHELET: AIMING FOR TWO IN A ROW?
And in his bid to conquer the World number one spot, Great Britain’s Ben Maher, currently third in the rankings, is certainly not going to let his chance slip through his fingers either. He was successful in Lyon in 2023, finishing third in the Longines FEI World Cup™ leg. This year, he will be in the ring in Lyon alongside his fellow countryman Scott Brash, with whom he won the team gold medal in Versailles this summer.
 
Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, who is used to winning at Longines Equita Lyon, Concours Hippique International, where he has already had three victories in a row in the Longines FEI World Cup™leg, will be looking to notch up a fourth victory. Austria’s Max Kuhner is another contender for victory in Lyon. He is in seventh place in the World Rankings, and will also be up against the winner of the 2023 edition, Gregory Wathelet. The Belgian rider is off to a good start to the indoor season, having already won the first leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ in Oslo. And Bourg-en-Bresse’s Julien Gonin also jumped very well in the Norwegian leg, finishing in third place with Valou du Lys. The rider hopes they will be able to repeat their performance in front of his home crowd in Lyon. 
 
DELESTRE, EPAILLARD AND PERREAU:  THE FRENCH TEAM BRONZE MEDALLISTS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME CROWD  
France will also be well represented, with 23 French riders taking part in the CSI5*- W in Lyon, including Simon Delestre, Julien Epaillard and Olivier Perreau. The three riders, who won the team bronze medal in Paris and were supported and cheered on by the whole of France in Versailles, are hoping to shine again in Lyon, in front of a very enthusiastic home crowd.  Could this be their chance to shine individually?  ‘For two years I was focusing on the European Championships, and then there were the Olympic Games. I was more interested in the team approach, which I particularly like and which I hope to be able to continue next year. But it’s true that now I also want to win Grands Prix. I almost achieved that in Barcelona, with a rail down in the jump-off. But I hope I’ll have a win very soon, ‘explains Olivier Perreau, who comes from Loire and is the GL events group partner rider. And what if he were to win in Lyon? 
 
Things are a little different for Julien Epaillard. In 2023, the Cherbourg-born rider won the Longines Grand Prix in Lyon and finished second in the Longines FEI World CupÔ leg with Dubaï du Cèdre, with whom he competed in Versailles. Following the sale of this mare, he is now counting on the combination he forms with his other leading horse, Donatello d’Auge, to shine: ‘Donatello competed in Barcelona recently. He had quite a bit of rest during the Olympic Games. I hope he’ll be back in top form indoors in Lyon.’ 
 
Other French hopefuls include Roger-Yves Bost and Kevin Staut, two experienced riders who won the team gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and have the support of the public every time they compete. 
 
GEN Z IN THE (VERY) BIG LEAGUE
Longines Equita Lyon, Concours Hippique International, is also honouring the new generation of riders by welcoming nine rising stars who are under 30. Some of them are now among the best riders in the world, like 27-year-old German rider Richard Vogel, currently No.10 in the World Rankings. As for France, 23-year-old Jeanne Sadran from Toulouse went into the Longines Rankings Top 50 in September, in 49th place, and is continuing to shine in the best classes. Bresseborn Mégane Moissonnier, who is 27, finished 6th in the 2023 Longines FEI World Cup leg™ in Lyon. She will be aiming to excel in the Eurexpo ring again, where she rightly feels at home.
 
THE LONGINES FEI JUMPING WORLD CUP CLASSES IN LYON
 – The Longines Grand Prix, a qualifier for the Equita Masters presented by Hermès Sellier and for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ leg: on Friday 1 November at 8 pm  
– The Equita Masters presented by Hermès Sellier on Saturday 2 November at 8.30pm  Please note the new competition format: the 30 combinations qualified for this class after the Longines Grand Prix on Friday will compete in two rounds on Saturday evening. The top twelve riders from round one will go through to round two. In the event of a tie, the time taken in this final round will decide the winner. 
–  The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ leg on Sunday 3 November, at 3.30 pm  New in 2024: the CSI5*-W will begin this year on Thursday 31 October in the evening, with the 1.45m Toubin & Clément Class. Visitors with an exhibition entry ticket can watch this opening class.

BY PRESS RELEASE