FEI World Rankings Update for February

The FEI oversees around 70 rankings and standings across all the disciplines, from World Rankings calculated on a monthly basis for athletes, horses and/or combinations, to league, team and regional based standings for series such as the FEI World Cup™ and FEI Nations Cup™, as well as a variety of youth categories, among others.

Below is a snapshot of the main movers and shakers for the month of February 2024 in the senior World Rankings, as well as a special spotlight on the FEI Dressage Youth World Ranking U25.

Jumping – Head-to-head between Von Eckermann and Maher

The battle for the Longines number one armband is more open than ever. Henrik Von Eckermann (SWE) remains at the top with 3375 points, but Ben Maher (GBR) accumulates 3310 points and is closer than ever to snatching the lead from him. Steve Guerdat (SUI) returns to the top three with 3057 points, exchanging positions with Kent Farrington (USA), who is now fourth with 3025 points. The top five is completed by Julien Epaillard (FRA), with 2983 points.

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Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs (2900 points) and France’s Simon Delestre (2867 points) remain steady in sixth and seventh place respectively, while just behind, McLain Ward (USA) and Max Kühner (AUT) swap eighth and ninth positions with 2780 and 2760 points. Harrie Smolders (NED) enters the top 10 this month and completes the line-up on 2658 points, with a small but very valuable one-point lead on Richard Vögel (GER) who is relegated into 11th place.

For Canada, the top four remain unchanged in order, although their overall rankings have improved slightly – Tiffany Foster (17th), Erynn Ballard (33rd), Amy Millar (58th) and Mario Deslauriers (67th).

Dressage – Nobody challenges the reign of von Bredow-Werndl

Once again, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) stands as the undisputed number one in the world ranking. With 2258 points to her name, the current European Champion has maintained her stronghold on the world dressage scene for an impressive 10 consecutive months.

The remaining athletes in the top five are separated by a mere 17 points, showcasing the exceptional level of competition in international Dressage. Charlotte Fry (GBR) climbs to second place with 2105 points, overtaking Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), who now sits in third with 2100 points. Isabell Werth (GER) rises to fourth place with 2096 points, while Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN) holds steady in fifth place with 2088 points.

While Jessica von Bredow-Werndl leads the athlete ranking, her mare TSF Dalera BB still dominates the horses’ ranking, accumulating 2258 points. Imhotep, Charlotte’s Dujardin’s Gelding, is steady in second place with 2100 points, followed by Blue Hors Zepter (2068 points) in third, with Everdale (1957 points) and Emilio 107 (1955 points) completing the top five.

Ryan Torkkeli remains the only top-100 Canadian (73rd) as he continues to campaign his grand prix mount Sternenwanderer in Europe.

Eventing: Oliver Townend and Great Britain continue to dominate

For the fifth consecutive month, British rider Oliver Townend remains at the top of the Eventing ranking, with the same 569 points he had a couple of months ago. As has been customary in recent months, the British contingent boasts seven athletes within the top ten. Alongside Townend, Rosalind Canter closely follows in second place with 546 points, Tom McEwen in fourth, Harry Meade in fifth, Piggy March in sixth, Wills Oakden in seventh, and Laura Collett in 10th.

Breaking the British domination at the top, we have America’s Boyd Martin in third place, France’s Maxime Livio, in eighth and Tim Price from New Zealand in ninth.

With the North American season just getting underway, the top-100 Canadians remain unchanged: Colleen Loach (40th), Karl Slezak (57th) and Jessica Phoenix (93rd).

Driving: Exell, Hölle and Houtappels-Bruder remain at the top

All three Driving rankings have the same leaders as last month: Kelly Houtappels-Bruder (CAN) remains at the top of the Singles discipline on 72 points, two months after unseating Mario Gandolfo (SUI). Meanwhile, Boyd Exell (AUS) and Martin Hölle (HUN) continue to maintain their strong leadership of the Four-in-Hand and Pairs rankings, respectively.

Para-Dressage: Rihards Snikus and The Netherlands are solid leaders

Rihards Snikus (LAT) continues to lead the Para Dressage Rankings, a position he earned a few months ago, with 1678 points. Meanwhile, Sara Morganti (ITA) successfully holds on to second position on 1630 points, while Kate Shoemaker (USA) remains in third. In the Team Ranking, it’s the Netherlands who still dominate the leaderboard with a total of 1333 points. Germany is now second (1329 points), while the USA follows closely on 1317 points.

Canadian Roberta Sheffield remains in 37th place, but it should be noted that Lauren Barwick has jumped from 175th to 120th in the rankings with some great results in Wellington in January aboard Sandrino.

FEI Endurance: New rankings added

With the purpose of making the Endurance Rankings more dynamic and more exciting to follow, we have introduced new Rankings Categories, such as the Endurance Trainer World Ranking and the Endurance Elite Athlete Ranking. The new parameters for calculating the ranking points now take into account the level of the Competition, Team results (if any), Final position in the Competition (as Individual or in Team) and Number of finishers/Athletes who ranked.

Based on these new ranking calculations, Melody Theolissat (FRA) is in the first position with 984 points followed by her compatriots – Virginie Atger with 946 points and Clementine Chaud with 883 points – in second and third places respectively. In the new Endurance World Trainer Ranking, Melody Theolissat is also in first place, followed by Jordi Charles North Punti from Spain and Angel Lazes from France.

Yvette Vinton, who recently competed in Al Ula, KSA, remains top Canadian (323rd).

Ranking Spotlight

Sophia Ludvigsen (DEN) has made a huge leap in the FEI Dressage World Youth Ranking – U25, climbing from 23rd to fourth place. In January, the promising young Danish rider claimed two victories at the CDIU25 in Amsterdam (NED), where she also achieved career-best scores in the Grand Prix 16-25 (71.846) and Grand Prix Freestyle (79.31). At just 21 years of age, Ludvigsen is already one of the most promising athletes in European Dressage. (Top Canadian in this division is Claire Robinson, 24th with Glamour Boy)

You can check all FEI Rankings here.

~ with files from FEI Communications