World Cup finals: 16 fast facts and a tour of Las Vegas venue [VIDEO]
As competition for the Longines FEI World Cup jumping and Reem Acra FEI World Cup dressage finals starts to hot up, we take a video tour round this year’s venue (above) and discover some fast facts about the World Cup.
Facts about the World Cup finals
1. This is the sixth World Cup final to be held in Las Vegas. The other were in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009.
2. This is the 37th showjumping final and the 30th dressage final.
3. The first showjumping final was in 1979. The first dressage final was in 1986.
4. This year’s final features 41 showjumping riders and 18 dressage riders.
5. Dressage riders compete one horse in the grand prix and the same one in the freestyle. The grand prix is only used to determine the starting order for the freestyle — the winner is decided entirely on the freestyle.
6. The showjumping competition comprises three legs and riders can compete one or two horses. Only four riders at this year’s World Cup final have brought two horses.
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7. The first showjumping World Cup champion was Hugo Simon of Austria on Gladstone.
8. Germany is the most successful nation in the showjumping World Cup, with 10 victories.
9. Three riders have won the showjumping World Cup three times: Hugo Simon (Austria), Rodrigo Pessoa (Brazil), Marcus Ehning (Germany) and Meredith Michaels Beerbaum (Germany).
10. There were 115 qualifying events across 16 leagues for this year’s showjumping final.
11. The first dressage World Cup champion was Anne-Grethe Jensen of Denmark on Marzog.
12. Anky van Grunsven won a remarkable nine dressage World Cup titles.
13. Female riders have won the dressage World Cup trophy 26 times, compared to just three male victories.
14. The Netherlands is the most successful nation in World Cup dressage with 12 triumphs.
15. The dressage riders in this year’s final qualified through 30 events in four leagues.
16. The reigning World Cup title holders from 2014 are Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro in the dressage and Germany’s Daniel Deusser on Cornet D’Amour in the showjumping.
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.