Simon Delestre Leads Field of World’s Best on Opening Day of Longines League of Nations™ at World Equestrian Center – Ocala

Competition for the start of the Longines League of Nations™ event opened at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) on Wednesday, March 20, in Ocala, FL.

Ocala is the only North American stop on the prestigious new series that showcases the best Jumping athletes and horses competing at the CSIO5* level. Only four events – Abu Dhabi (UAE), Ocala (USA), St. Gallen (SUI), and Rotterdam (NED) – comprise the Longines League of Nations™ series before the final takes place in Barcelona (ESP) from October 3 to 6, 2024.

“It’s one of the most horse-friendly facilities we have anywhere in the world,” said Todd Hinde, Director of Jumping, Fédération Equestre Internationale, of WEC – Ocala’s inclusion in the Longines League of Nations™ series. “From the size of the stables to the horse paths and the green spaces we have around, it’s extremely horse friendly. It’s pretty obvious when we arrive at the facility and drive through the front gate that it has that ‘wow’ factor. The unique aspect of the whole facility and looking at that arena, it’s incredible.”

For the U.S. Jumping Team, having the opportunity to compete against the best teams in the world on home soil is unique in and of itself.

“We are normally competing as a team overseas, so it’s really nice to be home and jumping with a team in front of a home crowd,” said Lizzy Chesson, US Equestrian Managing Director, Show Jumping. "Here at Ocala, we have our big guns. We have McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, Kent Farrington, and Aaron Vale, and we are looking to have a strong performance here. With great riders, great horses, and great owners, we feel really happy and proud to be here. It’s exciting to have so many top teams here and to showcase the sport to our U.S. fans. We’re always abroad and never at home, and to bring it so close to our fans is fabulous.”

Ward agreed with Chesson’s sentiments, saying, “I want to echo how proud we are as Americans to bring the world to this venue, and we are very grateful to the Roberts family and their team. This is spectacular. I don’t see anything like this anywhere else in the world. I’m proud to be an American in this moment. We have our ‘A’ team here in most aspects. It shows how serious it is to us and how important this event is to us. I think we are very focused and dialed in and expecting a great performance in front of the home crowd.”

For the organizing committee at WEC – Ocala, hosting a Longines League of Nations™ event represents the culmination of years of vision and hard work.

“This is why this facility was conceived, this is why this facility was built the way it is, to host these major international competitions,” said Justin Garner, Senior Director of Hospitality Operations and Marketing, WEC – Ocala. “We are excited to host the Longines League of Nations™ event and showcase the facility to the world. The careful nature of how the facility was developed, the detail that was put in to the footing, the stabling, and certainly the ease of access for the horses and the exhibitors is critical to us. We built the hospitality infrastructure around that.

“I think the hospitality is one of the key differentiators for our facility,” continued Garner. “It’s going to be a great environment on Saturday night. Being here in Marion County, the horse capital of the world, we have a very educated crowd that really appreciates the level of riders and horses that are here, and we expect a tremendous event this week.”

International show jumping competition got underway on Wednesday, highlighted by the $62,500 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida Grand Prix Qualifier. While all 40 athletes competing in the Longines League of Nations™ are guaranteed a starting spot in Thursday evening’s $330,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSIO5* under the lights, 10 more individuals were able to qualify based on their performance in the qualifier.

Course designer Alan Wade of Ireland set a friendly opening speed track that saw a total of 16 horse-rider combinations jump clear. None could catch the time of 65.41 seconds set by Simon Delestre of France riding Dexter Fontenis Z, an 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Diarado x Voltaire) he owns in partnership with Eric Hochstadter. World number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden came the closest, stopping the clock in 66.11 seconds aboard Calizi, an 11-year-old DSP mare (Cellestial x Stakkatol) owned by Dufour Stables AG.

“I had a very good feeling with Dexter today,” said Delestre, 42, who is competing in the Longines League of Nations™ as a member of the French team. “It is my first time in the arena. It is really beautiful and great for the horses. The ground is really nice also.

“My first impression of WEC is fantastic,” continued the number-seven-ranked rider in the world. “I think everything is done for the horse, and everything is perfect for the horse. You can feel even a really, really sensitive horse would like it. Here they feel so good, almost like they’re at home, which is great for them.”

Eight of the top 10 athletes in the Longines World Rider Rankings have made the trip to Ocala as part of the Longines League of Nations™ event. The home team of Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut, Aaron Vale and McLain Ward of the United States will face off against Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland in the $770,000 Longines League of Nations™ team competition in a two-round format. Each country will put forward all four horse-rider combinations in the opening round and drop the worst score, but only three riders per nation will return in round two where no one will have the luxury of a drop score.

Competition at WEC – Ocala continues on Thursday, March 21, highlighted by the $330,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSIO5* beginning at 7 p.m.

Tickets and Admission: Select ticketing options are still available for the week, including limited seating for the Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSIO5* on Thursday, March 21. Secure tickets here.

How To Watch: Live streaming of competition from World Equestrian Center – Ocala is available throughout the week on ClipMyHorse.tv, while Saturday’s Longines League of Nations™ will be aired through FEI.TV.

Orders of go, live scoring, course maps and results are available at Longines Timing.

For additional competition information, visit www.weclonginesleagueofnations.com.