Text © World of Showjumping

From 30 August to 3 September, the Ippodromo Snai San Siro in Milan, Italy, will host the FEI Jumping European Championship 2023 – the 37th edition of the continental championship that is organized every two years, in the uneven years within an Olympic cycle. 

A total of 24 nations have been entered to compete in Milan, 15 of them with a team: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden and Spain. 

The penultimate chance for an Olympic qualification will add pressure to the competition this week, as the three highest-ranked teams from FEI Olympic Groups A and/or B will each earn a much-sought-after ticket to Paris 2024 – excluding countries already qualified. Sweden, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland and Germany secured their ticket to Paris at the FEI Jumping World Championship in Herning (DEN) last August, while Belgium earned theirs at the 2022 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona (ESP) last September. France, as host country, is automatically qualified.

Tuesday: 1st horse inspection and training session

Wednesday: First competition 

Thursday: Round 1 of the second competition

Friday: Round 2 of the second competition – Team Final 

Saturday: 2nd horse inspection

Sunday: Third competition over two rounds – Individual Final 

Since their initial publication on August 8, the definite entries have been updated and include some significant changes. For Team Ireland, Daniel Coyle and Gisborne VDL (VDL Zirocco Blue x Goodtimes) as well as Michael Pender and HHS Calais (Cavalier Royale x Obos Quality 004) have been replaced by Trevor Breen and Highland President (Clinton x Kannan) and Denis Lynch aboard Vistogrand (Fantaland x Mr Visto).

For the Italians, Francesco Turturiello and Made In'T Ruytershof (Norton d'Eole x Diamant de Semilly) will replace Francesca Ciriesi and Cape Coral (Comme Il Faut x Friedenstraum) while the Dutch team has replaced Kars Bonhof and Hernandez TN N.O.P. (Kannan x Numero Uno) with Kim Emmen and Inflame Go (Namelus R x Carthino Z). 

On the Swiss team, Martin Fuchs has opted to enter Leone Jei (Baltic VDL x Corland) instead of Conner Jei (Connor 48 x Cosimo).

Each nation may send maximum five riders and ten horses. The fifth horse-and-rider combination from nations having sent a team of five may take part in the individual championship – a new rule that’s being introduced for this year’s championship. A nation unable to send a full team may enter one or two individual horse-and-rider combinations. The declaration of starters will take place after Tuesday’s training session, and the Chefsd'Equipe will then designate the four members of their team and/or their individual horse-and-rider combinations. 

The championship consists of three competitions, each taking place on a different day. Prior to the first competition starting on Wednesday, a training session will be organized on Tuesday. 

The first competition on Wednesday – where the starting order is drawn – is a 1.50m Table A judged under Table C without a jump-off.

The result of this competition will be converted into penalties: Each rider’s time is multiplied by the coefficient 0.50 and converted into points, which must be rounded to two decimal places. The second decimal place will be rounded up from .005 and rounded down from .004. The athlete with the lowest number of points after this conversion will be given zero penalties, the other athletes being credited with the number of penalties representing the difference in points between each of them and the leading rider.

The second competition is jumped over two different rounds on Thursday and Friday, with a course set at max. 1.60m under Table A not against the clock and without a jump-off. Only the riders and horses which have taken part in the first competition may take part in Thursday’s round. Teams start in the reverse order of classification resulting from the Wednesday’s competition, and are divided into two groups.

The 50 best riders (plus those tied for 50th place) and the ten best placed teams after Wednesday and Thursday’s rounds are allowed to participate in Friday’s round – where the team medals will be decided. 

The team which has collected the smallest number of penalties after Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s rounds will be declared European Champion. In the event of equality of penalties between teams for first, second and/or third place, or for any of the Olympic team qualification places, there will be a jump-off against the clock in which all team riders may take part. 

After a rest day on Saturday, the individual final will take place on Sunday. The individual final is conducted over two rounds – both set at max. 1.60m and each judged under Table A not against the clock. Starting in reverse order, the first of the two rounds is compulsory for the 25 best-placed pairs, including those with equality of penalties for 25th place, while the second round is open to the best twelve.  

The pair with the smallest number or penalties over all five rounds of the championship will be declared European Champion. In the event of equality for one of the first three places after the second round of the individual final, there will be a jump-off.