WITH the inaugural season of the Longines League of Nations kicking off tomorrow, Ireland’s Chef d’Equipe Michael Blake has spoken about his top-ranking team’s approach to the League, and what it means to the sport and supporters.

Blake has selected a strong quartet of Denis Lynch with Cordial, Mikey Pender with HHS Calais (ISH), Richard Howley with Equine America Consulet de Prelet Z and Mark McAuley with GRS Lady Amaro (ISH) for the opening heat and hopes are high for a great result.

Blake has been instrumental to the Irish senior jumping team, playing a critical role in their previous Nations Cup wins, as well as their 2017 European Championship title - and he’s ready to use all of that experience and insight to take it to the top again.

“To win a Nations Cup has always been up there for me as the highest honour and, as the number one ranked nation in the competition, we will be… putting our best foot forward to cement that position throughout the Longines League of Nations,” he said.

“Ireland has long been revered in the sport and for decades we have produced some of the world’s best horses and riders, with legendary names such as Tommy Wade, Seamus Hayes and Eddie Macken paving the way for the current crop of stars we have representing Ireland in the green jacket.

“So many of our riders are ranked very highly in world rankings and we are the world number-one team going into this competition. That is testament to the programme we have built, through Ponies, Juniors and Young Riders, and you can see the depth of talent Ireland has coming through.

“This competition gives us an opportunity to showcase our athletes, human and equine, and I’m sure they will do their nation proud as we aim towards the Final in Barcelona.

“Nothing is more important to our riders than jumping for their country and, even though jumping could be seen as an individual sport in most cases, for riders the dynamic changes completely when it becomes a Nations Cup.

“We are extremely grateful to Longines for their continued and unstinting support of the Series. It is of paramount importance to protect the tradition of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup.”

Michael Blake is all smiles after Ireland's win in the Rome Nations Cup of 2023 after a wait of 97 years for a victory at the prestigious competition \ Helen Cruden

Ranking

Blake continued: “Everyone wants to be ranked as highly as possible and there is no better ranking than number one - it’s where we always strive to be and it’s something we are very proud of.

With that comes obvious pressure, but we welcome that pressure and we will try to instil the importance of what the series means in each and every rider who represents this team.

“Once this series starts, we are all equal and we will concentrate on our own performances throughout the series and do our best to have a successful campaign.”

New format

After Abu Dhabi, the action will move to Ocala (USA) in March and then to St Gallen (SUI) and Rotterdam (NED) in June before concluding with the big Final in Barcelona (ESP) in October, where the best eight teams will battle it out for the inaugural title.

Team Ireland will get the best of the draw because, ranked the number one nation in the world based on points accumulated by their top six athletes including one U25 athlete, they will be last into the arena when the action begins in Abu Dhabi where the hosts, not vying for qualification for the Final, will be first to go.

Then running in order of merit of those team rankings, Brazil will be second into the ring followed by Sweden, Belgium, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Switzerland, Germany, France and the USA before the first Irish rider finally takes his turn. Go Team Ireland.