Rotterdam, The Netherlands – June 20, 2025 – In a thrilling competition that went down to the wire, it was the Netherlands who sealed a much-needed victory in front of an elated home crowd in the third leg of the €700,000 Longines League of Nations™ series in Rotterdam (NED) this evening.
With only the top eight of the ten competing nations qualifying to compete in the prestigious Longines League of Nations™ Final in Barcelona (ESP) in October, the Netherlands were poised precariously on the cusp of relegation in eighth place in the league standings coming into this, the third of four qualifying legs. Runners up to Germany in the inaugural Longines League of Nations™ Final in 2024, the Dutch desperately required a strong points haul at their home event to be in with a chance of going one better in Barcelona this year.
Chef d’equipe Wout-Jan van der Schans made clear his intentions as he sent an A-team full of ‘big guns’ out to battle. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED), Kim Emmen (NED), Harrie Smolders (NED) and Willem Greve (NED) fought hard to deliver what is, somewhat unbelievably, the Netherland’s first ever Longines League of Nations™ victory.
France, vying to reclaim the title they won in some style last year, put up a valiant fight that saw the result hanging in the balance until the final few fences of the competition. A clear round from anchorman Kevin Staut (FRA) would have sealed victory for the French once more, but it wasn’t to be this time round as two rails down saw them finish on 13 penalty-points and drop to second place behind the Netherlands who completed on five faults. Great Britain took the final podium position on a team total of 16 penalty-points, whilst Belgium, USA and Ireland made up the top six.
Making full use of Rotterdam’s vast arena and exceptional footing, the course – designed by Bart Vonck (BEL) – set a strong and challenging track for the ten competing nations. Fences fell all around his track but a double of oxers and two delicate planks, one set five strides after the double of oxers and the other six strides after the open water, claimed a number of victims.
Whilst the first few athletes made the time allowed look lenient, they lured others into a false sense of security as a number of combinations, particularly the bigger, longer striding and slower jumping horses, struggled to get home inside the permitted time.
Of the first line combinations in the first round, only Double Olympic Individual Bronze Medallists, Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and Beauville Z were able to answer every one of Vonck’s questions to give the home nation the perfect start and propel them into an early lead.
The second line athletes appeared to have benefited from the on-track experiences of their pathfinders as Matthew Sampson (GBR), Alessandra Volpi (USA) and Jeanne Sadran (FRA) all delivered flawless rounds for their respective nations, whilst Géraldine Straumann (SUI), Kim Emmen (NED) and Tom Wachman (IRL) left all the fences standing but picked up time penalties.
Vonck’s track had far from been mastered, however, as none of the third line riders produced a clear round and of the ten anchormen, only France’s Kevin Staut (FRA) negotiated the 12 fence track without fault to see them sit jointly at the top of the leader board with the Netherlands on 5 faults apiece. Great Britain sat in third position less than one fence behind on eight faults, with the USA and Ireland both on 11 penalty-points, occupying fourth and fifth ahead of Germany, Italy and Belgium on 14, 17 and 18 points respectively.
With only eight teams progressing to round two under the unique Longines League of Nations™ format, it was Sweden and Switzerland, already lurking in the danger-zone at the bottom of the league standings after two legs, who failed to qualify for the second round.
With just three athletes from each of the nations allowed back to contest round two in another exciting twist to the Longines League of Nations™ format, tensions were high for the remaining nations as they no longer had the safety net of a drop score. Run over an identical track to round one, the second round saw a number of athletes correct their mistakes as 13 combinations delivered clean sheets this time round, causing the leaderboard to fluctuate throughout.
Ben Maher (GBR) made amends for a ‘disappointing’ four faults in round one as he rode with typical pinpoint accuracy to pilot the 16-year-old Exit Remo to a clear round to keep Great Britain in contention, and hot on the heels of France and the Netherlands. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and Beauville Z demonstrated their incredible consistency at the highest level when producing the first of only two double-clears of the competition to keep the Dutch’s dreams of victory alive. France matched this as Nina Mallevaey (FRA) and Nikka vd Bissschop delivered a clear this time round.
A gut-wrenching last fence down for Matt Sampson (GBR) and Medoc de Toxandria saw Great Britain widen the margin between themselves and the inseparable France and the Netherlands, and deny them of the double clear that looked inevitable.
The leaders remained neck and neck as Kim Emmen (NED) guided the striking Imagine N.O.P to a second clear jumping round, but this time without a time fault.
France matched this as Jeanne Sadran (FRA) and her much-admired 12-year-old stallion Dexter de Kerglenn delivered the second double clear of the day to take the competition right down to the wire in the hands of their anchormen.
Belgium made a remarkable comeback with all three riders remaining faultless in round two to propel them up the leaderboard from eighth after round one, to a final fourth position. Great Britain’s hold on the leaders slipped as Donald Whitaker (GBR) posted four faults once again to see them complete on a score of 16 faults, leaving the leaders some 11 points clear.
Dutch hopes fell upon the ultra-reliable combination of Harrie Smolders (NED) and his incredible partner, the 16-year-old Monaco. A late fence fell and the clock ticked over the time allowed to see them finish on five faults and open the door for the French. With a fence and a time fault in hand, Kevin Staut (FRA) and his faithful partner Visconti du Telman, clear in round one, carried the hopes and expectations of a nation once more whilst the partisan crowd silently willed an uncharacteristic round from the pair, albeit without great expectation.
“We win together, we lose together; that’s what makes the Longines League of Nations™ so special. We have a good connection and we fight for each other and at the end that’s what counts!”
When a fence fell for Staut, gasps and groans rippled around the arena as the competition came down to a nail-biting climax. When another fence fell for the Frenchman, the Dutch erupted as the result which seemed out of reach just moments ago was confirmed. A first Longines League of Nations™ win for the Netherlands had been signed, sealed and delivered at home in their historic arena in front of stands packed with ecstatic fans unable to hide their delight and appreciation.
Wout-Jan van der Schans (NED) was delighted with The Netherlands first Longines League of Nations™ victory: “I’m very proud of my team. How they were fighting and riding. As a team we work really nicely and I’m really happy” he beamed.
Athletes for full of praise for the track set by Bart Vonck, building at his first Longines League of Nations™. The general consensus was that it was tough but fair and clear rounds were hard earned, a sentiment shared by Maikel van der Vleuten (NED):
“The course was good today; fair for the horses but (they) had to work quite a bit and make a real effort to get a clear round. It was a tough course!” He explained.
No stranger to taking team victories on home soil, Harrie Smolders (NED) told how he thought his fence down in the final round had handed victory to France.
“I thought we’d lost it, I didn’t think it was enough! There is nothing like a home victory, we’ve won here a few times before but it never gets boring!”
Willem Greve (NED), the drop score in round one but an integral part of the Netherlands’ success for so long now, summed up the spirit of the Longines League of Nations™.
“We win together, we lose together; that’s what makes the Longines League of Nations™ so special. We have a good connection and we fight for each other and at the end that’s what counts!”
After the third leg of the Longines League of Nations™ France head the league standings on 240 points ahead of Ireland in second on 225 and Germany on 220. Belgium and USA share equal fourth on 200 points just ahead of Great Britain in sixth on 195 points. The Netherlands’ win today moves them up to seventh place just 10 points behind on 185 whilst Italy hold the final qualifying position in eighth place on 165 points.
The fourth and final qualifying leg of the 2025 Longines League of Nations™ series will be staged at St Tropez Gassin (FRA) on 21 September 2025 where the eight places at the Longines League of Nations™ Final for 2025 will be decided.
Final Results – €700,000 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Rotterdam CSIO 5*
1) Netherlands – 5 / 5 = 10
2) France – 5 / 8 = 13
3) Great Britain – 8 / 8 = 16
Source: Press Release by Alice Watson for the FEI – Fédération Équestre Internationale
Photos: © FEI / Leanjo de Koster
