Edited press release from The Royal Horse Show

Riders from around the globe will meet in Toronto, Canada, to contest world-class competition at the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair from November 3 to 12, 2023.

Taking place in the Coca-Cola Coliseum at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto, ON, the international division is held over four nights, culminating in the prestigious Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ on Saturday evening, November 11, the fourth leg in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League season 2023/2024. Last year’s winner, Daniel Coyle of Ireland, will be back to defend his title riding Legacy, owned by Ariel Grange of Cheltenham, ON.

“Winning the World Cup class with Legacy at The Royal last year was a special victory to check off my bucket list,” said Coyle, who is currently ranked number 11 on the Longines Ranking. “The Royal is a very important part of our fall schedule, and the atmosphere was electric last year. Toronto feels like home for the Lothlorien Farm team – it is Ariel Grange's hometown – and the Canadian crowds have always felt like my own crowds; they are so supportive."

“Legacy is coming off a short break after our summer in Europe and she feels in top form going into the fall World Cup qualifying season,” continued Coyle. “We are looking forward to defending our title.”

Coyle will face stiff competition from numerous heavy hitters, including 2004 Olympic Champion Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, who is also a three-time consecutive winner of the FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final. Americans Kent Farrington and McLain Ward, both past winners of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ in Toronto, will also have their eyes on the coveted prize. Currently ranked seventh and eighth respectively on the Longines Ranking, Farrington is an Olympic team silver medalist while Ward has claimed four Olympic team medals for his country; two golds and two silvers. Ward was also the winner of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in 2017 riding the great HH Azur.

Swiss Olympic team silver medalist Beat Mändli will also be hoping to earn his way to another Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final appearance, having won the annual title in 2007. 

The Canadians will put up a strong fight with a roster of Olympians hoping to claim victory on home soil. Having finished third in last year’s Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ of Toronto, Tiffany Foster will be looking to improve on that result while Mario Deslauriers, who remains the youngest rider to ever win the FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final – a feat he accomplished in 1984 at the age of 19 – is sure to be in the final reckoning. Olympic team silver medalist Mac Cone will be in the hunt while 2016 Rio Olympian Amy Millar will be looking to capture her first Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ of Toronto title.