European Equestrian Federation

🔹 The Team Behind the Team 🐎

🇪🇺 When a Longines EEF Series Nations Cup team enters the arena, the focus is on the riders and horses....but behind every combination is a dedicated team working to keep the horses fit, healthy and performing at their best.

🩺 From veterinary care and biosecurity to nutrition, weather planning, footing and continuous monitoring, horse welfare is at the heart of every stage of the Longines EEF Series.

🔹 Our latest feature takes a closer look at the people behind the scenes and the expertise that goes into keeping Nations Cup horses at the top of their game.

Because while the riders may take centre stage, our horses are the heart of it all 🐴 💙

👉 Read the full article: https://shorturl.at/v5CWA

📸 © EEF

✨Throwing it back to the teams who topped the podium across this season’s Longines EEF Series Regional Qualifiers and Semi Finals.🇪🇺

Giving a special shoutout to the grooms behind every success. 👏🐴

Every great team result is a team effort 💙

Swipe through the winning moments. ➡️

Longines Harcour

🐴🌍 Celebrating the next generation of equestrian leaders.

On , we celebrate the young people who are shaping the future of our sport…as athletes, leaders, volunteers and ambassadors.

Through initiatives such as EYLE (Equestrian Young Leaders Europe) and the Longines EEF Series, we are creating opportunities for young people to develop not only their sporting skills, but also confidence, , and .

Working closely with our National Federations, we are building pathways that empower young people to participate, learn, compete and lead, both inside and outside the arena.

Because investing in youth means investing in the future of equestrian sport. 💙

Different backgrounds. Shared ambitions. One European equestrian community 🇪🇺

United Nations

📍 Building the challenge. Shaping the sport. 🏇

🔹 Before the teams enter the arena, before the first horse approaches the first fence, the questions have already been written.

🔹 Behind every Longines EEF Nations Cup is a course designer carefully balancing technicality, fairness, sport and, above all, the welfare of the horse. They are the architects of the competition — deciding where the fences go, how the distances ride, how the course evolves and where the line lies between a meaningful challenge and one that goes too far.

🔹 Our latest feature takes us behind the scenes with some of the course designers shaping the 2026 Longines EEF Nations Cup Series, including Gérard Lachat, who will design the Final at Avenches for the second consecutive year, Bart Vonck, Elena Boix Gracia and Paolo Rossato.

🔹 From the Regional Qualifiers through to the Semi-Finals and ultimately the Final, the challenge develops alongside the riders and horses. The Regional Qualifiers provide an important platform for developing riders and nations to gain valuable Nations Cup experience. The Semi-Finals raise the stakes, with teams fighting for their place in Avenches. And at the Final, the competition steps up to 4* level and 1.55m — bringing together the very best combinations in the Series.

But increasing the challenge is not simply about making the fences bigger.

It is about creating courses that are technical, fair and flowing; courses that test the best without compromising the horse; and courses that create the suspense, excitement and movement on the leaderboard that make team competition so compelling.

Discover the people behind the questions, the thinking behind the tracks, and the delicate art of building the challenge.

👉 Read the full article: https://shorturl.at/eTKfi

Building the Challenge: The Course Designers Behind the Longines EEF Nations Cup Series - Longines EEF Series The athletes and their horses may be the ones in the spotlight, but before every Longines EEF Nations Cup begins, another group has already done the hard work of deciding exactly what questions the horse-and-rider combinations will have to answer.

🔹 Europe’s most experienced show jumping athletes delivered outstanding performances at the Fédération Equestre Internationale(FEI) Jumping European Championship for Veterans in Bernstorffsparken, Denmark 🇩🇰, showcasing the experience, partnership and passion that continue to define our sport. 🇪🇺🐴

🙌 Congratulations to Pernille Kruse Madsen and Bon Victory, who claimed the Individual European title in a brilliant final, adding another highlight to an impressive championship on home soil. 🥇🇩🇰

👏 The Team Final saw France 🇫🇷 take European gold, with Italy 🇮🇹 securing silver and Great Britain 🇬🇧 bronze. Denmark 🇩🇰 finished a strong fourth, missing out on the podium by just 3.52 faults.

🐎 The Veterans European Championship celebrates the depth, longevity and continued competitive spirit of equestrian sport, bringing together experienced athletes and their horses from across Europe for the chance to compete at championship level.

👏 Congratulations to all the athletes, horses, teams, grooms, officials, volunteers and organisers for delivering a memorable championship.

🔗 Full results here 👉 https://shorturl.at/2iHqj

📍 Behind every successful championship horse is a journey that begins long before the biggest arenas. 🐎

🇪🇺 The Longines EEF Series is Europe's most important pathway for developing the next generation of international showjumping horses. It provides valuable experience in team competition, helping young horses gain the confidence, consistency and exposure needed to progress towards senior championships.

🔹 Our latest article highlights this proven pathway for developing future championship horses, and reminds us that investing in horse development is just as important as developing riders, helping to build successful partnerships for the future.

📖 Read the full article here 👉 https://shorturl.at/7R0JU

💫 The future of European show jumping is being shaped today. 🐎

🔹 For many young riders, the transition from youth championships to senior international competition is one of the most challenging stages of their career.

🇪🇺 The Longines EEF Series was created to help bridge that gap, providing valuable Nations Cup experience in a high-performance team environment while developing the next generation of riders, horses and nations.

🔹 Our latest feature explores how the Series has become an important stepping stone on the pathway to elite sport, with many of Europe's leading athletes using it as a launchpad before progressing to Championship and top-level international success. From gaining confidence under pressure to representing their country in team competition, the lessons learned in the Longines EEF Series extend far beyond the arena.

🔹 The 2026 season has continued to showcase emerging talent across Europe, we look at the impact the Series is having on developing future stars and strengthening the depth of our sport for years to come.

📖 Read the full here https://shorturl.at/0Gh7l

📸 © EEF

Competition. Collaboration. Commitment.

This month’s edition highlights an exciting stage in the European equestrian calendar as the Longines EEF Series reaches its decisive phase, with ten nations now confirmed for the 2026 Final in Avenches following two thrilling Semi-Finals. Alongside the excitement of Nations Cup competition, the European equestrian community continues to move forward through initiatives focused on sustainability, horse welfare, education, governance and the development of future generations.

Across Europe, National Federations and partners are driving positive change — from new approaches to sustainable equestrian tourism and responsible equipment management, to initiatives supporting inclusion, wellbeing and Clean Sport education. With major championships celebrating emerging talent, new venues strengthening the international calendar, and continued collaboration across the sport, this issue brings together the stories shaping the future of European equestrianism. Read on for the latest key insights…

Read in full here 👉

EEF Monthly Round up: Key developments this month Competition. Collaboration.

📍 What makes the perfect venue for a Nations Cup Final?

🔹 It takes far more than world-class facilities. It requires a shared vision for developing the next generation, an unwavering commitment to horse welfare, exceptional conditions for athletes, and an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

🇪🇺 As the Longines EEF Series Final returns to Avenches, Switzerland this September, we spoke with Show Director Edwin Smits about why this remarkable venue has become the natural home of Europe's premier team jumping development series.

🔹 From state-of-the-art footing and horse-first facilities to passionate organisers and packed grandstands, discover how Avenches embodies everything the Longines EEF Series stands for: creating opportunities for emerging riders and horses while inspiring the champions of tomorrow.

🇨🇭 Read the full story here 👉 https://shorturl.at/9JzAe

Swiss Equestrian IENA - Institut Equestre National Avenches Longines LES - Longines EEF Series Showjumping LES Final Avenches

Why Avenches Has Become the Perfect Home for the Longines EEF Series Final - Longines EEF Series When the Longines EEF Series Final returns to Switzerland this September, it does so at a venue that has quickly established itself as the natural home of European team jumping. Following Switzerland's memorable victory on home soil in last year's Final, and successive triumphs at the semi-finals in...