All Eyes Are on Omaha and the FEI World Cup™ Finals

Look forward to a full week of action in the United States with your favorite athletes from around the world. The final qualifying round of the Western European and North American League is over and the athletes who will compete in the finals have been announced. This week you can expect goosebumps, top sport in dressage, show jumping and vaulting! Not only are we traveling to Omaha with content creator Evan Donadt(@evangrooms) to keep you up to date behind the scenes and stream the event live on ClipMyHorse.TV, but we'll also be keeping you updated on the results, the 'Magic Moments', everything interesting facts FEI World Cup™ and, of course, we will tell you who will be the defending champion in the upcoming FEI World Cup™ series season.

Get ready and come along to the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, to see Olympic-level athletes compete in top sports like show jumping, dressage and vaulting in hopes of securing the title of 2022-2023 FEI World Cup™ winner.

Welcome to Omaha! The venue of this year's FEI World Cup™ Finals

Omaha, Nebraska, is the home of American horse history. Now the largest Midwestern city in the U.S. state of Nebraska, Omaha was once the Great Plains, where Native Americans lived and regarded horses as valued members of their tribe. Horses were celebrated and viewed as partners in war and daily life, which is reflected in many Native American stories and songs. The FEI World Cup™ Finals in Omaha are a tribute to Native Americans and is even working with the Bluebird Cultural Initiative to ensure the competition incorporates Native American heritage into the theme. In addition, there will be an educational program to support the community and educate the public to increase understanding of Native American history. The CHI Health Center, where the finals will be held, will also feature an equine expo, educational demonstrations and clinics related to equestrian sports. The Omaha Equestrian Foundation was established in 2010, and as recently as 2017, the facility hosted the first-ever FEI World Cup™ Final for show jumping and dressage took place at the facility.

Where can I find the schedule of the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2023?

The schedule can be found here! 

Five days of action streaming on ClipMyHorse.TV! The first day, April 4, is for training and familiarization. The second day will see the first round of the World Cup Jumping Final and the Grand Prix of the World Cup Final in dressage will take place. The third day consists of the second round of the World Cup Final in Show Jumping and the first round of the World Cup Final in Vaulting. The fourth day is the Dressage World Cup Freestyle Grand Prix. Finally, on the fifth day, the exciting final of the Show Jumping World Cup and the final of the Vaulting World Cup will take place!

The finalists of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023

This year, 17 dressage riders qualified for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals in Omaha, Nebraska. 

The current FEI Dressage World Cup™ titleholder. 

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Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)

Age: 37
Starts for: Germany
Horse: TSF Dalera BB

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera are the winners of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022 in Leipzig.

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Find out more about Jessica von Bredow-Werndl's success story, achievements and philosophy here: To Jessica von Bredow-Werndl's success story!

Western European League Finalists

Isabell Werth (GER)

Age: 54
Starts for: Germany
Horse: DSP Quantaz

Isabell Werth is a well-known German dressage rider who is currently ranked 3rd in the FEI Dressage World Ranking. She competed in numerous events around the world, competing and winning several times at the Olympic Games, FEI World Championships and FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals . 

Train with Isabell Werth online in the ClipMyHorse.TV Academy!

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Ingrid Klimke (GER)

Age: 55
Starts for: Germany
Horse: Franziskus FRH

Ingrid Klimke is a well-known German dressage and eventing rider. She competed and won several Olympic Games, FEI World Equestrian Games in dressage and eventing. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as her father and idol Reiner Klimke represented Germany in dressage and eventing at the Olympics and World Championships and is not only known for his successes, but is also a well-known trainer and author in the equestrian industry. In Omaha, Ingrid Klimke and Franziskus will celebrate their FEI World Cup™ premiere.

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Dinja van Liere (NED)

Age: 33
Starts for: The Netherlands
Horse: Hermes N.O.P.

Dinja van Liere is a Dutch dressage rider you may remember from last year's World Championships in Herning. We are very excited to see her and Hermes N.O.P. this year at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ in Omaha, Nebraska.

Thamar Zweistra (NED)

Age: 41
Starts for: The Netherlands
Horse: Hexagon's I White

Dutch rider Thamar Zweistra and Hexagon's Ich Weiss competed at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Leipzig and the World Championships in Herning last year. Zweistra trains and sells horses at Hexagon Stable in Schorle, Netherlands. One day she would like to compete at the Olympic Games.

Marieke van der Putten (NED)

Age: 41
Starts for: The Netherlands
Horse: Torveslettens Titanium RS2

Marieke van der Putten is a Dutch dressage rider who worked at the Glock Horse Performance Center in Austria and joined RS2 Dressage in 2017.

Nana Skodborg Merrald (DEN)

Age: 30
Starts for: Denmark
Horse: Blue Hors Zepter

Morgan Barbancon (FRA)

Age: 31
Starts for: France
Horse: Sir Donnerhall II OLD

Finalists of the Central European League

• Justina Vanagaite (LTU) with Nabab
• Alisa Glinka (MDA) with Aachen

North American League Finalists

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Steffen Peters (USA)

Age: 59
Starts for: USA
Horse: Suppenkasper

Steffen Peters is a very famous dressage rider, but his horse Suppenkasper is almost as famous as his rider. However, the two together complement each other perfectly! In 2020 Suppenkasper was voted Grand Prix Horse of the Year by the USDF. Suppenkasper's story is quite unique, you can read more about Suppenkasper's story here.

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Anna Buffini (USA)

Age: 29
Starts for: USA
Horse: FRH Davinia La Douce

Hard work pays off! The 29-year-old dressage rider has made it onto our screens once again. Her goal is to one day compete in the Olympics, and we will certainly be following her journey. FEI.TV filmed the American dressage rider in last year's season of RIDE: Watch it here!

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• Alice Tarjan (USA) & Serenade MF

FEI Extra Starting Places for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023 in Omaha

• Simone Pearce (AUS) & Fiderdance
• Johanna Due Boje (SWE) & Mazy Klovenhoj
• Jorinde Verwimp (BEL) & Charmer

In addition, Caroline Chew (SGP) & Tribiani qualified for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals in Omaha as Non-League competitors.

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The finalists of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023

The current defending champion of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023

Martin Fuchs (SUI)

Age: 31

Starts for: Switzerland

Horse: Leone Jei

The North American League Finalists for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023

North American League - West USA

Natalie Dean (USA)

Age: 24

Starts for: USA

Horse: Acota M

• Simonne Berg with Cooper
• Elisa Broz with Kardenta van 't Meerhof

North American League - East USA

Hunter Holloway (USA)

Age: 26

Starts for: USA

Horse: Pepita Con Spita

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McLain Ward (USA)

Age: 48

Starts for: USA

Horse: Callas

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We will also see these riders* in Omaha this weekend:

• Aillish Cunnife with Vivaldi du Theil
• Nicholas Dello Joio with Cornet's Cambridge
• Devin Ryan with Eddie Blue
• Aaron Vale with Prescott

FEI Extra Starting Places for the North American League of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023 in Omaha

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Daniel Bluman (ISR)

Age: 33
Starts for: Israel
Horse: Gemma W

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Daniel Coyle (IRL)

Age: 29
Starts for: Ireland
Horse: Legacy

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In addition, Canadian show jumper Erynn Ballard and her horses Gakhir and Hero qualified for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ this year in Omaha, Nebraska. 

The Western European League Finalists for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023 

After the exciting qualifiers of the Western European League the following riders made their way to Omaha:

These show jumpers are also qualified for the Final in Omaha:

• Andreas Shou (DEN) and Darc de Lux
• Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Donatello d'Auge
• Scott Brash (GBR) and Hello Jefferson
• Harry Charles (GBR) & Balou du Revention
• Daniel Deusser (GER) & Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z
• Marcus Ehning (GER) & Priam du Roset
• Gerrit Nieberg (GER) & Blues d'Aveline CH
• Denis Lynch (IRL)& Brooklyn Hights
• Jur Vrieling (NED) with Fiumicino van de Kalevallei & Long John Silver 3 N.O.P.
• Victoria Gulliksen (NOR) and Equine America Papa Roach
• Eduard Schmitz (SUI) with Gamin van't Naastveldhof
• Pius Schwitzer (SUI) & Vancouver de Lanlore
• Wilma Hellström (SWE) and Cici BJN
• Yuri Mansur (BRA) & Vitiki

The finalists of the Arab League, the Australian League, the New Zealand League, the Eurasian League and the Central European League for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023

• Abdulrahman Alrajhi (KSA) starts with Babalou HD
• Moufi Owaida Al Karbi (UAE) starts with Baloucenta
• Shk. Ali Jmal Nasr Al Nuami (UAE) starts with Casper AJ
• Samuel Overton (AUS) starts with Oaks Cassanova
• Phillip Steiner (NZL) with Cassina Dior
• Nurjon Tuyakbaev (UZB) with Lancelotta
• Donatas Janciauskas (LTU) with Cool Quartz
• Andrius Petrovas (LTU) starts with Linkolns

The finalists of the FEI Vaulting World Cup™, 2023

The individual vaulters in the final of the FEI Vaulting World Cup™ in Omaha 

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Averill SAUNDERS (CAN)

You may remember the Canadian from the FEI Vaulting World Cup in Herning last year. This year, the Canadian will compete at the FEI Vaulting World Cup™ with her horse Max 4060, lunged by Sarah Kraus. Did you know that FEI.TV visited the talented athlete and interviewed her in the 2022 edition of RIDE? Watch now!

For the Canadian, vaulting is more than just gymnastics on the horse, for her the special thing is that she can express herself on the horse through gymnastics combined with dance. The harmony this creates is something very special.

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Other individual vaulters competing in the finals of the FEI Vaulting World Cup™ competing in Omaha are:

• Kimberly Palmer (USA) with Christoph Lensing & Romeo
• Kathrin Meyer (GER) with Sonja Meyer and San Classico S
• Nadja Büttiker (SUI) with Jodi Rinard & Garth ISF
• Eva Nagiller (AUT) with Mary McCormick & Killian
• Danielle Bürgi (SUI) with Andrea Selch & Best Brew
• Julia Sophie Wagner (GER) with lunger Hendrik Falk & DSP Sir Laulau
• Blanka Nemeth (HUN) with lunge handler Kimberly Wellmann & Lunar Eclipse

The participating Pas-De-Deux athletes are:

• Chiara Congia & Justin Van Greven lunged by Alexandra Knauf on Highlight FRH
• Diana Harwardt & Peter Künne (GER), lunged by Hendrik Falk on DSP Sir Laulau
• Freja Linde & Maria Thingaard Sorensen (DEN), lunged by Kymberly Wellmann on Lunar Eclipse
• Romana Hinter & Eva Nagiller (AUT) lunged Mary McCormick on Killian

Who are the Officials?

Alan Wade (IRL), a well-known course designer, will be the foreign technical delegate for this competition. The president of the ground jury for jumping is Harry Braspenning (NED), who will be assisted by four members of the ground jury. The chief steward for overall judging is Cesar Hirsch (VEN), followed by the chief steward for jumping, Dan Reed (USA). In dressage, Janet Foy (USA) was elected head of the ground jury. The chief steward is Lisa Gorretta (USA) and the foreign technical delegate is Gotthilf Riexinger (GER). The judges for the FEI Vaulting World Cup Final are Craig Coburn (USA), Rob DeBruin (NED) and Dietmar Otto (GER), and the foreign judge and technical delegate is Anita Flamand-Prochaska (SUI). The chief steward is Robert Weber (USA).

Where can you watch the FEI World Cup™ Final in Omaha? 

Since ClipMyHorse.TV and FEI.TV have joined forces, Premium Members can experience the FEI World Cup™ anywhere, anytime. With the new ClipMyHorse.TV/FEI.TV app for Android and IOS, livestreaming the FEI World Cup™ is even easier. Whether from home, on the TV or at the stable. All equestrian sports now fit in your jacket pocket. Did you know you can enjoy a 30-day trial period before signing up for a paid premium membership is taken out? Start your free trial month and enjoy all the great events, including the FEI World Cup™ Live and on Demand.

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