Three of the four riders who helped the United States take third place last year at the inaugural Longines League of Nations Ocala will be returning to compete this year at the event, held March 22 at the World Equestrian Center—Ocala (Florida). Nine of the top 20 athletes on the current Longines FEI World Rankings will represent their nations in Ocala, amongst them Olympic, world and European champions.

Having fielded a relatively inexperienced team in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, that finished in 10th place in February, the U.S. will send out a quartet who know exactly how to deliver on big occasions for its home leg. Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland is calling up Olympic gold medalists Laura Kraut and McLain Ward, as well as Aaron Vale, a member of USA’s Longines League of Nations Final team in Barcelona. Lillie Keenan completes the squad. The home nation will be vying for victory and fighting for maximum points to help them on their way to qualification for Barcelona once more. 

Germany won the inaugural Longines League of Nations Final in 2024, and in doing so, guaranteed its place in the series for 2025. Three of the four athletes from that victorious team (also all members of the team in Ocala last year) line up for their nation in Ocala: Paris Olympic champion Christian Kukuk, 2021 European champion Andre Thieme, and Richard Vogel. Vogel’s partner Sophie Hinners makes up the quartet. 

Ireland opened its 2025 campaign by scoring a convincing win in Abu Dhabi last month. Chef d’Equipe Michael Blake has selected a completely different quartet for Ocala, however, picking Daniel Coyle, Darragh Kenny and Cian O’Connor, who were victorious in Ocala last year, along with 2017 European team gold medalist Bertram Allen.

France finished third in Abu Dhabi, and Olympic and European gold medalist Kevin Staut is the only member of that team who will compete in Ocala. He comes in typically consistent form, having produced a double clear in Abu Dhabi and secured his position at the upcoming Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Basel (Switzerland) by heading the 2024/2025 Western European League standings. He is joined by French team stalwart Olivier Robert, Marc Dilasser and Longines League of Nations debutant Nina Mallevaey.

Italy, which is in the series for the first time, sends out three out of four of their fifth-placed team from Abu Dhabi. National hero Piergiorgio Bucci is joined again by young sensation Giacomo Casadei and the in-form Giulia Martinengo Marquet. The immensely experienced Lorenzo de Luca completes the quartet.

Reigning Olympic team champions Great Britain failed to make the final in Barcelona last year and will be hungry for a podium finish in Ocala. Chef d’Equipe Di Lampard means business as she sends out two of her three Paris Olympic team athletes in triple Olympic gold medalist Ben Maher and former U25 World No. 1 Harry Charles. They are joined by World Championship bronze medalist Joe Stockdale and Tim Gredley.

2021 European team gold medalists, Switzerland, field an almost identical quartet to the team in Abu Dhabi. Janika Sprunger, a member of the team that secured second position in Ocala last year, is again joined by regular team members Romain Duguet and Edouard Schmitz. They are joined by young talent Géraldine Straumann.

Having finished on the podium in third place at the inaugural Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona, European and world champions Sweden send out three of the team members who secured gold at the 2023 FEI Jumping European Championships in Milan, Italy. Record-breaking World No. 1 titleholder, world champion and two-time World Cup Final winner Henrik von Eckermann is called upon to bolster the chances of Sweden. Milan teammates Wilma Hellström and the ultra-reliable Rolf-Göran Bengtsson further enhance the chances of the decorated Jumping nation. Erika Lickhammer-van Helmond makes her Longines League of Nations debut.

Belgium will field Thibeau Spits, Niels Bruynseels, Riesenbeck European team bronze medallist Nicola Philippaerts and Emilie Conter. Like Great Britain they were surprise omissions from the Final in Barcelona last year and will be hungry for their first podium finish. The Netherlands finished second in the Final in Barcelona last year. Their team will be Tani Joosten, Kevin Jochems, Sanne Thijssen and Mathijs van Asten.

Ireland go into the second leg at the top of the league standings with 100 points, followed by France on 90, Germany on 80, Italy on 70 whilst Great Britain round out the top five on 60 points.