The horses have all arrived for the 2023 Omaha (Neb.) FEI World Cup Finals. The European horses arrived last Friday, March 31, so they could complete two required days of quarantine, before all other horses were allowed to arrive Sunday, April 2.
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!Andreas Schau’s (Denmark) 12-year-old Holsteiner stallion Darc de Lux demonstrated some airs above the ground before trotting in front of the ground jury. He was accepted for competition. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyThe USA’s Aaron Vale and Prescott, an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, show just how it’s done in their turn down the trot track during the jumping inspection at the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyAilish Cunniffe from the USA successfully trotted her Vivaldi du Thiel, a 14-year-old Selle Française gelding, for the inspection team. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyMcLain Ward’s groom handled Ward’s mare Callas during the first horse inspection. Callas, a 15-year-old Holsteiner, showed her spicy personality tossing in a few bucks, but ultimately passed muster and will start competition on Wednesday. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyDevin Ryan and Eddie Blue are no strangers to the world stage, as they were members of the 2018 FEI Tryon World Equestrian Games gold-medal team from the USA. They passed inspection Monday with no issues. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyThe USA’s Hunter Holloway jogs her 14-year-old KWPN gelding Eastern Jam. She also presented the 12-year-old gray mare Pepita Con Spita. Both horses passed. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyNicholas Dello Joio and Cornet’s Cambridge (USA) took their turn in front of the judges and were accepted by the jury for competition. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyOne of three U.S. riders from the North American League-West, Elisa Broz successfully presented her Kardenta van t’ Meerhof, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, to the ground jury. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyNatalie Dean and Acota M also represent the North American League-West and jogged for the jury, receiving a positive nod to begin competition. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographySimonne Berg, USA, and the 16-year-old KWPN gelding Cooper took their turn on the inspection path and passed. They are the third combination representing the North American League-West. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyCanada’s Erynn Ballard, here leading Gakhir, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding, qualified two horses for the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals and both passed jumping inspection Monday. Her other horse is Hero, an 11-year-old KWPN gelding. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan PhotographyReigning World Champions Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward from Sweden passed inspection with no problems. Photo by Allen & Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
For the complete coverage of the 2023 FEI World Cup in Omaha, click here.
This look at the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals jumping inspection is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!
Kim MacMillan graduated from Purdue University where she majored in agriculture communications and animal science. She has been reporting on equestrian sports, agriculture, science, travel and history for over 35 years. She and her husband Allen, who is a professional photographer, have covered several World Equestrian, Olympic and Pan American Games. The MacMillans share their Northeastern Indiana farm with several much-loved horses, dogs and cats.
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