The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final consists of three rounds that take place over the course of four days.

Day 1, Warm-Up — Wednesday 11 April  (Wednesday 11 April – 8.30pm AEST)— Competitors will take advantage of the opportunity to have a warm-up to get acclimated with the venue and see how their horses are feeling.

Day 2, Competition 1: All About Speed — Thursday 12 April  (Friday 13 APRIL – 4.30am AEST) — The first round is a speed competition, held in a Table C, faults converted format. But it’s not your average speed class. The fences can be set up to 1.60m! The first round really sets the tone for the rest of the competition, and from the beginning, proves that it takes a very special horse and rider combination to win the world’s most prestigious indoor show jumping championship.

Day 3, Competition 2: Jumping Off — Friday 13 April (Saturday 14 APRIL – 4.30am AEST) — The second competition is held in a Table A, jump-off format. Those who jump cleanly over the 1.50m-1.60m track advance to the jump-off. Riders who complete the first round are eligible to compete.

Day 4, Day of Rest — Saturday, April 14 — The fourth day allows for a very important rest period for those advancing to the final day’s competition. For those who do not qualify, there is an additional (unrelated to the Final) grand prix class offered on this day.

Day 5, Competition 3: Clear Rounds Rewarded — Sunday 15 April 15 (Sunday 15 APRIL – 10.00pm AEST) — The third competition is all about endurance and consistency, consisting of two rounds over a Grand Prix course, 1.50m-1.60m in height. The top 30 after the second competition contest the first round; the top 20 after round one move on to the final round, in addition to any combination that jumps the first round cleanly but may fall outside the top 20 standings. They will jump the final round in reverse order of standing. Last year, Ward and HH Azur landed off the last fence having not touched a pole throughout the entirety of the competition—an incredible feat, having led wire to wire.

The Winner

The winner of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final is the rider who finishes the competition with the fewest number of penalties. It sounds simple enough, but the scoring system is actually a bit more complicated than your average grand prix class.

It starts in the first round, where it’s all about points. The winner of the first competition receives one point more than the number of starters. The runner-up receives two points less than the winner, the third-placed pair receives three points less, and so on. Points won by riders that are tied are averaged, with fractions 0.5 or greater rounded up. Fractions less than 0.5 are rounded down.

After the second competition, the points are converted into penalties. The rider with the most points gets a blank slate with a score of 0. The other riders’ scores are calculated by multiplying a half point by the difference between their number of points and the leading rider’s points.