St Tropez this Sunday: four go, then three
The Longines League of Nations returns to Haras de Gassin on Sunday 20 September. It is the fourth and last qualifier of 2026. Ten nations, eight tickets to the Final in Barcelona next month.
British Showjumping has the Grand Prix tonight, Friday 18 September, at 18:30 local (17:30 UK) and the team class on Sunday at 13:15 local (12:15 UK). The FEI preview names Scott Brash, Harry Charles, Ben Maher and Matthew Sampson. Di Lampard is chef d'équipe. Stream is on FEI.TV.
Great Britain already won here in 2025, then won the Final in Barcelona. They won again in Rotterdam on 19 June after a three-way jump-off. Harry Charles and LT Holst Freda stopped the clock in 31.18 seconds, 0.07 ahead of Marilyn Little. Germany still lead the standings on 230 points, with a Barcelona place already in hand. Great Britain sit second on 225. Ireland are third on 205.
Four, then three, no spare score
Read Article 4 of the 2026 LLN Rules before you copy a club team class off a Nations Cup card.
Four athletes jump round one. The three best scores and times make the classification. The best eight teams come back. Round two is three athletes, no discard. Penalties from round one carry. Identical tracks, though the ground jury may let the designer change some dimensions for the second round. If first place is still tied, one athlete per team jumps off. Any of the four can go. There is no horse change between rounds.
That is why Rotterdam turned over. The Netherlands and Switzerland were on zero at halfway. France and Germany missed the cut after round one. Great Britain were on the cut line, then forced the jump-off.
If you write a riding-club team night this autumn, say the discard rule in the schedule. Four to count, or three. A spare score in round two is a different class.
12 numbered fences and a water
Article 4.11 of those same rules is the sheet you pin up:
- 12 obstacles
- 1.45 m to 1.60 m
- at least two verticals at 1.60 m
- at least six other fences at 1.50 m
- water jump 3.80 m to 4.00 m
- course 450 m to 650 m
- 400 m/min
Bart Vonck's Rotterdam track was 12 fences and 15 efforts. Every fence except the first fell at least once across the two rounds. Copy the count, not the height. A club 1.10 m team class can still be 12 numbered fences with one double, a water tray you trust, and the same track twice. Calgary last weekend asked 12 numbered fences on Saturday. Avenches used two identical rounds as well. Gassin is the version with no spare score in round two.
The cut on Sunday
Belgium sit eighth on 165. Italy are on 160. The Netherlands are on 155. Ten points cover those three. Switzerland and France are level on 190. Brazil have 180. The United States are seventh after that 0.07 in Rotterdam. How the series works: points 100 down to 35, all four legs count, top eight go to Barcelona.
France won Abu Dhabi. Germany won Ocala. Great Britain won Rotterdam. Nobody has won twice. Home soil will not invent a fifth clear for France if the middle of the track is still asking.
Watch Sunday from 12:15 UK. Count the numbered fences. Note whether the double sits on a related distance you would keep at 1.00 m. Then open the designer and draw 12 fences, one water, the same track twice, three scores to count.
