The pinnacle of show jumping competition called the Alltech Arena home on Saturday, November 4th for the most anticipated event of the week, the $226,000 Longines FEI World Cup ™ Jumping Lexington. 28 of the world’s top horse-and-rider combinations faced off at the 140th National Horse Show for a chance to qualify for the 2024 FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Twelve nations were represented in the field of riders, four of which are in the top 15 Longines ranked riders. Course designer, Alan Wade (IRL) set a proper first-round track consisting of 13 efforts set up to 1.60m. Of the initial 28 pairs, 11 went clear and within the time allowed of 74 seconds, including Alex Matz (USA) and Cashew CR, Beat Mändli (SUI) and Dsarie, Alise Oken (USA) and Gelvera, Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and James Kann Cruz, Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Igor van de Wittenmoere, Andrew Bourns (IRL) and Sea Topblue, Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Gemma W, Margie Goldstein-Engle (USA) and Dicas, Devin Ryan (USA) and Eddie Blue, Brian Moggre (USA) and MTM Vivre le Reve, and Rene Dittmer (GER) and Corsica X.

Alex Matz, winner of Thursday’s $38,700 International Two-Phase, was first to return for the 7-obstacle jump-off. Matz was also the recipient of The M. Michael Meller Style of Riding Award given each year at the National Horse Show to the rider who exhibits the best combination of horsemanship, skill and presentation.

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