Team NL gearing up for Longines League of Nations
With the inaugural season of the Longines League of Nations™ kicking off in February, over the next few weeks we will take a closer look at the 10 nations that have qualified to compete and be the first to hoist the new trophy at the Final in Barcelona.
Today, we speak with the Netherlands...
Because of its long history as both a military and agricultural power, the Netherlands has had a strong horse culture for hundreds of years, and many international-level riders have their stables in the Netherlands because of its fantastic horse culture, plethora of top trainers, and proximity to other European nations.
This ecosystem adds to the prestige and quality of their horses and riders alike, which they are looking forward to showcasing at the league with the KNSH (Dutch Equestrian Federation) sports director, Iris Boelhouwer, saying that “TeamNL is honoured to be part of this first edition of the 2024 Longines League of Nations™ [series]. We will do everything possible to get a strong competitive team at all the events, with the finals as our main goal.”
Team Netherlands are no strangers to the Jumping limelight, being the 2022 World Championships silver medalists as well as winners in 2006 and 2014, and the 1992 Olympic Champions. Under the direction of Chef d'Equipe Jos Lansink, they most recently took the 2023 Challenge Cup in Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final at Barcelona, beating Australia in an electrifying jump off.
Lansink, himself a gold medallist at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Aachen in 2006 as well as a competitor in six Olympic games, shares his insights on the upcoming league, its significance for riders, supporters, and the sport of Jumping:
Dutch equestrian fans are passionate. How do you aim to involve and excite the Dutch public, ensuring that the entire nation rallies behind its team in the Longines League of Nations™ series?
"We basically reach out to the fans through all the channels we have available. With several press releases ,we get in contact with the Dutch national press and the horse sport specific press in our country, which is large.
Those releases are quite often published on national channels or the information is used to make nice background stories both on paper or broadcasts on television or internet.
And of course we publish a lot of posts on our own online channels in the build-up to the Longines League of Nations™. The League is very important in the build-up towards Paris 2024, so there are a lot of opportunities for everyone to track the team and their progress through competitions and communications."
How do you plan to maintain a balance between consistency and integrating new talent for success in the Longines League of Nations™?
"Qualifying for the Final in Barcelona is of course our main goal, so we need experienced riders and horses to make sure we reach that goal and reach it well. But parallel to this solid base, I sure want to give younger and less experienced riders and horses a chance to gain good exposure and confidence on this level; for the future - which is always where we are looking - that is very important. So as far as possible, our teams will be a balanced mix of wonderfully experienced combinations and some upcoming exciting athletes. Our teams will be a balanced mix of wonderfully experienced combinations and some upcoming exciting athletes."
Can you provide insights into the collaboration between riders, support staff, and yourself as the Chef d'équipe in ensuring the team's success?
"Making a good schedule for shows between training and rest for the horses is very important to me, for the wellbeing of the horses. We want top results, so that [their wellbeing] should of course always be the number one priority.
A good relationship and open communication with my riders and the owners of the horses is essential, so we can discuss and identify what we think will be the best program for every horse. Of course, our veterinary staff are also involved in this. During the season I see and talk to them a lot about the shows, and if I can’t be there they provide me with videos and background information. A key element is remaining flexible and having a Plan B - if things don’t go completely as planned we can make adjustments in our program."
Be sure to catch all the action on FEI TV as the series kicks off in Abu Dhabi on 11 February.