Ireland returns to Longines League of Nations™ with new leadership and strong 2025 legacy
Ireland returns to the Longines League of Nations™ 2026 season as one of the world’s most consistently competitive Jumping teams, building on a standout 2025 campaign that included a convincing victory in the opening leg in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and a narrow runner‑up finish at the Final in Barcelona (ESP), where the team pushed the eventual champions Great Britain to a nail-biting jump‑off in one of the season’s closest contests, with only a quarter of a second seeing Ireland take silver.
As Ireland embarks on the 2026 series, the team also welcomes legendary Jumping athlete Jessica Kürten - currently an FEI Executive Board member and chair of the FEI Athletes’ Committee - as its new High-Performance Manager and Chef d’Équipe. A former world number two in the FEI rankings, dual Olympian and key member of Ireland’s European Championship‑winning team, Kürten brings elite competitive experience, advanced coaching expertise, and strategic leadership to the Irish programme.
“I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed as Ireland’s new High Performance Jumping Manager. Ireland has a strong track record in Jumping and I look forward to closely working with all members of the team, with HSI and all the other stakeholders to ensure we put ourselves in the best possible position.”
Under her guidance, Ireland aims to blend its proven team performance with fresh energy and ambition, reinforcing its position among the world’s leading nations in team Jumping.
Ireland has established itself as a formidable Longines League of Nations™ team in recent years. As the new Chef d'Equipe, what are you most looking forward to in the 2026 series?
The Longines League of Nations™ is a prestigious series as only the best 10 teams in the world can participate. I particularly like the fact that it goes on the rankings of the athletes, including one Under-25 athlete. The format of the competition makes it very dynamic and exciting for fans who are watching - and quite nerve-wrecking for those involved! - but I'm very much looking forward to Team Ireland's campaign this year.
Irish athletes are often praised for their horsemanship and adaptability. How important are those qualities in a format where athletes must peak repeatedly across the season? What is your number one quality to focus on?
Ireland is a country known for its affinity with horses. Many of our Irish athletes have spent time riding horses since they were very young, have a very natural way with the horse and how they ride them. This partnership and bond is always an advantage to them, especially when in competition environments where we must make big ‘asks’ of our partners. The LLN has proven over the last two seasons that it brings together the best horses, athletes and teams in the world, and Team Ireland is delighted to be a part of it. It's an exciting and dynamic format which lends to dramatic finishes and results.”
With strong demand on top horses globally and at many competitions, how will you manage availability while remaining competitive at each leg?
At this time of the year, we have athletes competing all around the world as there are big competitions in the United States, the Emirates and in mainland Europe. Therefore, it makes sense to choose the teams for each specific leg of the Longines League of Nations™ mainly from those athletes who are already based in that region at that time. It will mean that we could field very different combinations at each leg of the series, which also makes it very exciting.
What role does team culture play in Ireland’s success in high-pressure international competitions, and how will you promote this?
A strong team culture is something which takes time to build as there is a large element of trust needed. Of course, when a team has found its flow, there is no end to the heights that can be reached. As this is my first year as High-Performance Manager for Team Ireland, we will be spending time and energy working on the trust and togetherness of our team.
How does participation in the Longines League of Nations™ support the continued growth of Irish Jumping, and what would you say to aspiring Irish athletes?
There will be opportunities for plenty of Irish athletes and horses around the world to prove themselves at this, the top level of Jumping in the Longines League of Nations™. With the exciting round two format in the series, it will also be a great opportunity to see how each combination can deal with the pressure of the format, and develop over the year with exposure and experience.