Edited press release from EEF

Italy made it three victories in four years when they triumphed in the final of the CSIO4* 1.55m Longines EEF Nations Cup Series 2024 which took place under sunny skies at the Sluzewiec Racecourse in Warsaw, Poland. Team Ireland finished second, while Germany took third.

“I am very proud of the team," the Italian chef d’equipe Marco Porro said. "They really worked together and gave a strong performance. Three clears in the first round, then in the end a jump-off, and we are very happy to win for a third time here." 

Italy and Ireland were neck to neck throughout the competition. They jointly led the 11-team field at the end of the first round on a score of zero, four faults ahead of Sweden, and it remained tight throughout the second round.

The Italians boosted their chances with a double clear – the only one of the competition – courtesy of their second rider Alberto Zorzi and the 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding Cortez van’t Klein Asdonk Z (Cornet Obolensky x Andiamo Z). “I felt good this morning, we have a very good, very strong team with top horses so I trusted and we had the luck so it was good,” Zorzi said. 

However, eight faults from their next rider Emanuele Camilli on Chacco’s Girlstar (Chacco-Blue x Sandro Boy) allowed Ireland back into the competition.

Piergiorgio Bucci and Hantano (Quadimodo Z x Numero Uno) – Italy’s fourth combination – needed a clear round to secure the victory and looked like they were on course to achieve it but they clipped the final fence to force a jump-off. The pair redeemed themselves in the jump-off however after they produced a speedy and confident clear to pip Ireland’s Seamus Hughes Kennedy on ESI Rocky (Stakkato Gold x For Pleasure), a nine-year-old Irish Sports Horse, by less than a second to secure a hat-trick of titles for the Italians. 

“I was not thinking about the pressure, as I was still a bit annoyed with myself about the last jump in the previous round," Bucci said. "I could have finished it before, but I guess we all had more fun like this right so it went good, a fast time, trying to make up for the mistake before." 

Also on the Italian team were Giulia Martinengo Marquet and Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe (Cesano x Con Air). “It’s nice to win, it’s always nice to win, nice to share this with these amazing teammates, and actually I had the same horse in the final a few years ago and again now, which proves it is a good relation. I’m so happy to be here again,” she said. 

Joining Seamus Hughes Kennedy – last year’s Young Rider European Champion – and ESI Rocky for Team Ireland were Jessica Burke with Express Trend (Future Trend x Condios), Jenny Rankin riding the 11-year-old KWPN gelding Ibiza (Inshallah se Muze x Indoctro), and 20-year-old Francis Derwin aboard Flexi K (Flexible x Luidam). 

Germany rounded out the podium in third after climbing from fourth at the halfway stage. Sweden was fourth and Great Britain fifth. 

"We've been so lucky to witness some excellent sport again here in Warsaw. The jump-off was a great end to the competition and it was very unlucky for Ireland who showed some real talent with some very young riders,” Theo Ploegmakers, the EEF President, said. 

“It is a big honour to see also from the other nations, some really impressive Under-25 riders giving great performances for their country. Italy have shown themselves before in the final and again today they have taken the win in impressive style. I cannot thank Longines and KEP Italia, our partners, enough for the support of our Series and we are already looking forward to 2025.”

The final event of the day was the presentation of the Longines EEF Series Horse of the Year Award, in association with the Jumping Owners Club. Seven horses were nominated for this award due to their outstanding performances during the 2024-series, and the public voted to decide on their winner.

The Longines EEF Series exists to help develop horses and riders up through the three and four-star competition to hopefully continue representing their country at the very highest level. The winner of this years award, Chuck Marienshof Z (Colestus x Emerald), is an incredible example of this and was celebrated alongside his rider Lars Kersten, owner and breeder Sandra Eckers and his groom Marie-Jose van der Weijden.

Chuck was part of the winning Dutch team in Mannheim, Peelbergen and Budapest, showing class and an aptitude for clear rounds. The striking grey is by Colestus and his dam is Mamzelle Vh Marieshof by Emerald. He was bred by his owner Sandra Ecker of Stal Marienshof. He’s been carefully produced and developed, with the Longines EEF Series being a key part of his programme this year. In the last weeks he has progressed up and recorded clear rounds in 1.50m and 1.55m Grand Prixs and looks set to be a real five-star contender.