Text © World of Showjumping

On Sunday 6 September, the Longines EEF Series Final 2026 will take place at l'Institut Équestre National d'Avenches (IENA) in Avenches, Switzerland. “I think the venue in Avenches is incredible, and, in my opinion, it has not been used enough,” Edwin Smits – President of the organising committee – tells World of Showjumping about the original idea of hosting the EEF Final. “Last year, we heard only positive feedback after the show. This year, I hope that there will be even more people.”

In its sixth year, the Longines EEF Series – created by the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) – aims to bridge the gap between national and international events and help develop young riders and horses. In the beginning of September, Avenches hosts the Longines EEF Series Final for a second time. “I think the Longines EEF Series is a great idea,” Edwin says. “With this series, not only the top horses and riders but also the up-and-coming stars get a chance to compete in a Nations Cup-format.”

In 2024, when Edwin – who runs a riding centre in Chevenez with his wife Dehlia Oeuvray – stopped competing actively himself, the idea of organising something in Avenches didn't let go. “When I heard that the EEF Series needed a venue for their 2025 Final, I didn't need to think twice,” he explains. “I knew that there would be challenges, but I am a firm believer in ‘if you want something, everything is possible’.”

While Edwin has experience from running international shows at his home base in Chevenez, taking on a new venue required additional members to his team. “I started to contact people who I thought could help me with this project. I asked Julien Pradervand, who has been part of the organisation committee of CHI Geneva, and Anthony Darioly, who did the shows in Crans Montana and Verbier. I asked if they would have any interest in going on a new adventure with me. They needed some time to think about it, but finally they both called me and said ‘let's go’. From there on, everything went fast because we didn't have much time. We are a small group, and our home fronts – family and friends – have been very helpful in every possible way.”

“Our first year was an amazing success,” Edwin recalls about last year’s Longines EEF Series Final in Avenches. “We had a lot of visitors, and everybody from grooms and riders to sponsors was extremely enthusiastic about the show. That was a great reward, and on top of it, we got a home victory for the Swiss team.”

“I did the sport myself for so long,” Edwin – who first represented the Netherlands and later Switzerland – explains. “I was on a show almost every weekend of the year when I was active, and this way you naturally see a lot. When organising shows now, I really try to avoid problems and make everything as comfortable as possible for the horses, riders and grooms. I want to give them a good feeling.”

“At the same time, we have to remember the people that help us to make the sport possible; our sponsors and horse owners,” Edwin points out. “If they come to the show, you have to take really good care of them and do everything so that they feel at home.”

“And then of course, the ground must be good,” Edwin continues. “That was one of the main things for me, and that's why I am happy to run this show in Avenches. A few years ago, they changed the whole ground, and now the conditions are perfect.”

“Now we know what to expect,” Edwin says about organising the Longines EEF Series Final for a second time. “We know what we liked last year. This year, we need to make the VIP area a little bit bigger and luckily we have a lot of space. On the first day last year, we got a huge amount of water, which was a bit of a struggle. This year, we are prepared and know that even in the worst-case scenarios, we can remove any excess water efficiently.”

“We are familiar with the facilities and how we can transform the venue. We started working on this year’s edition straight away after the show last year. Initially, when we got the green light from the EEF, we had only six months to get everything organized – that was an incredibly short notice and put extreme pressure on us. This time around, with the time that we have had, everything has felt much easier,” Edwin concludes.

27.7.2026 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.