On Friday, 7 June 2024, nine nations will compete in the Barrière Nations Cup at the Jumping International de La Baule – Officiel de France (6-9 June):
AUSTRIA – BELGIUM – BRAZIL – FRANCE – GERMANY – SPAIN – SWEDEN – SWITZERLAND – USA
Defending champions Brazil, the best South American nation, will put its title on the line against most of the best European teams and the United States, the best North American nation.
The Barrière Nations Cup, a pivotal event in the show-jumping season, is not just a highlight of the Jumping International de La Baule. It’s a prestigious showcase strategically positioned before the crucial summer events. In 2024, nine nations will compete at the Stade François André (first round at 1:30 pm, second round at 3 pm for the top eight).
Host nation, France will hope to recapture a success that has eluded them since 2017, when Kevin Staut (Rêveur de Hurtebise HDC), Cédric Angot (Saxo de la Cour), Roger-Yves Bost (Sangria du Coty) and Pénélope Leprévost (Flora de Mariposa) triumphed. A strong performer at La Baule in recent years, with victories in 2019 and 2021, Switzerland will again be worth keeping a close eye on.
Sweden, world champions and reigning Olympic champions, knows how to mobilise on big occasions. They will look to add their name to the winners’ list for the first time in their history. With four victories in the Nations Cup at La Baule (1999, 2008, 2012, and 2022), Belgium is often one of the competition’s leading contenders. Germany, a strong nation in the discipline for many decades, has not won in Loire-Atlantique since 2007.
Brazil, a winner in 2018 and last year, seems to appreciate the atmosphere of the François André stadium. The Auriverde have been the best South American representative for many years and will be keen to retain their title, although the last time a defending champion achieved back to back victories was in 2006 and 2007 (Germany).
Thanks to an impressive collective performance at the last European Championships (bronze medal), Austria has earned its ticket to the Paris Olympics. It will take advantage of the Barrière Nations Cup to prepare. The same goes for Spain, back on the shores of the Atlantic for the first time since 2018 (a victory in 2002). Runners-up in 2016 on their last visit to La Baule, the United States has been waiting since 2005 for their second victory in the competition’s history.
The Barrière Nations Cup, designed to respect the horse, features a unique format of four couples per team with a drop-score. This means the lowest score in each round is not taken into account. This formula that has been approved by the riders eliminates the pressure of finishing the course at all costs and risk eliminating the team. Only the top eight teams from the first round will advance to the second round.
