World No. 5 show jumper Martin Fuchs won’t be returning to Florida to defend his grand prix victory at next month’s Longines League of Nations Ocala after he and fellow Swiss Olympian Steve Guerdat announced this month that they are boycotting the League of Nations series over its choice of venues.

Recalling his experience at what he said was a poorly attended prize-giving ceremony in Ocala after he won the $330,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI5* at the World Equestrian Center, Fuchs questioned why the Fédération Equestre International has chosen newer, unproven venues over places like St. Gallen, Switzerland—which was dropped from this year’s line-up of qualifiers—that have a deep equestrian tradition and are proven to draw crowds worthy of the League of Nations series.

“It was not a nice decision because I really enjoy them,” Fuchs said of the League of Nations classes. “I think these are the nicest classes of our sport. But with the League of Nations, the allocations of their shows, it feels like they are going the wrong direction, so we withdrew from participation because we are not happy with the shows they are picking.”

Guerdat, the 2012 Olympic champion, did not reply to an interview request, but he explained his reason for boycotting the League of Nations in a Feb. 7 press release from the Swiss federation.

“Nations Cups are of great importance to me, and it is always a great honor for me to represent Switzerland at a Nations Cup,” he said in the statement announcing his decision, translated from German. “I also stand behind Swiss Equestrian to be one hundred percent. The mood at the Nations Cup of Switzerland in St. Gallen, for example, or at other traditional tournaments in equestrian sports countries is incomparable. There are fantastic tournaments around the world with a great atmosphere. It is precisely this mood that I miss in tournaments that are organized less for the horse enthusiasts as for a host audience—I can’t understand the FEI’s strategy of the Longines League of Nations.“

The FEI introduced the League of Nations series in August 2023, with the first season taking place in 2024. Initially the series was to include five qualifying competitions with a final in Barcelona, Spain, however, because 2024 was an Olympic year, there were to be four qualifiers that season. Those qualifiers were scheduled for Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Ocala, St. Gallen and Rotterdam (the Netherlands), although the Swiss competition was canceled mid-show due to inclement weather.

“I am always very supportive of new shows—and it’s great to expand to go to different regions—but I don’t think it’s fair to prioritize these new, unproven shows and drop the traditional shows,” Fuchs said.

Fuchs pointed to a lack of spectators as a contributing factor to his disappointment in the FEI’s venue choices. Venues known to draw crowds, proven to have amazing atmosphere should be top contenders for the series, he said.

“Even in Ocala, which is a fantastic show, and I won the grand prix, the prize-giving of five-star grand prix, I would say there were 50 spectators, maybe 100,” he said. “It’s kind of, to be honest, almost a little awkward and embarrassing. It’s a five-star grand prix, so much money; it should be the best league, the best shows in the world in it. It’s a five-star grand prix, and nobody’s there.”

Fuchs said he and Guerdat shared their disappointment in most of the shows that were chosen last year with the Swiss federation but agreed to participate at the federation’s request. Both riders competed in Ocala and the final in Barcelona and were scheduled to compete in the canceled St. Gallen leg on their home turf.

When the FEI announced this year’s League of Nations calendar, it also included just four qualifiers, without an explanation of why there is not a fifth as initially planned. An FEI spokesperson has confirmed that the federation will continue to evaluate the series and hopes it will grow in the future. The series will return to same venues except for St. Gallen. That leg was replaced by a show in Saint-Tropez-Gassin, France, in September, with the FEI stating its decision was a result of “a review of the 2024 season, and due to uncertainty regarding the future plans for the arena [at St. Gallen].”

“Our association has invested resources and time in recent months to support the Longines CSIO St. Gallen and its organizing committee, with the aim of ensuring their implementation under the best possible conditions,” Damian Müller, president of Swiss Equestrian, said in a press release translated from German. “We are aware that important improvements must be made to the ground. After intensive studies, investments have already been triggered and work started. We are firmly convinced that this tournament, which shaped Swiss equestrian history like no other occasion, deserves to continue as an event of the Longines League of Nations. We share the disappointment of everyone involved and fans. It is a very heavy blow.“  

Fuchs also said he disliked the calendar for the League of Nations, as the Abu Dhabi and Ocala legs overlap with the Longines FEI World Cup season. The Abu Dhabi League of Nations leg took place the same weekend as the final World Cup qualifier for the North American League at WEC-Ocala (Florida). The Western European League has one more qualifier in Gothenburg, Sweden, Feb. 19-23, and the final takes place April 1-6 in Basel, Switzerland.

“I’m in a good position where I’m able to attend nice shows, and I don’t have to go to all five-stars,” said Fuchs, who last week won a World Cup qualifier in Bordeaux, France, aboard Conner Jei. 

“I chose last week [to go to] Bordeaux instead of going to Abu Dhabi. I love to go to shows and want to be excited. It wouldn’t be fair to the horses or owners if I don’t have the same drive,” he continued.

Fuchs also pointed to the length and density of the League of Nations season, which starts in February with Abu Dhabi before heading to Ocala in March. Rotterdam doesn’t take place until June, and it’s another three months until Saint Tropez-Gassin in mid-September. While the League of Nations’ predecessor, the Longines FEI Nations Cup Series covered a similar time frame, there were 10 qualifiers instead of four, which kept the excitement level up.

“I’m sure for FEI it’s hard to have a lot of stakeholders, but there are some poor decisions around the League of Nations,” Fuchs said. “It is such a cool product and such a good idea, but there needs to be some more consideration about their venues.”