Monday, 09 February 2026
Great Britain will return to the Longines League of Nations™ 2026 season as the reigning champions, following a remarkable 2025 campaign that culminated in victory at the League of Nations Final in Barcelona (ESP). Under the leadership of Chef d’Équipe Di Lampard, a role she has had since 2015, the British squad delivered a season of resilience and progression, including a first-place finish at Gassin-St.Tropez (FRA), a third-place finish at Rotterdam (NED), before ultimately securing the 2025 title in a dramatic jump‑off against Ireland. Their qualification for the League of Nations™ 2026 was confirmed automatically by their status as defending champions.
Di Lampard’s strategic direction and experience have been pivotal to the team’s growth and success, positioning Great Britain as one of the most formidable contenders in international jumping as the series returns across three continents. Di offers us some insight as to Great Britain’s accomplishments, ambitions and approach for 2026.
Undoubtedly, the highlight was the win in Barcelona. That thrilling jump-off between Scott Brash and Billy Twomey was one for the history books, with less than a quarter of a second separating them. Throughout last year, our consistency and ability to perform when the pressure was on was key to our success. We’d certainly love to retain that Longines trophy this year, and will be giving it our all to top the podium in Barcelona come October.
I’d like to think we’ll start the year a bit stronger than in past years and have strong hopes for a podium finish in Abu Dhabi or Ocala to get some good points in the first half of the season.
Arriving at Rotterdam with extra pressure to get points last year wasn’t ideal, but we were fortunate and secured our spot for Barcelona before the St Tropez leg. I learned by watching my fellow Chefs who had to wait until St Tropez to see if they qualified for the Final.
Success brings expectation. We manage a large squad throughout the year, and I work to rotate them. Everybody looks to put their own best individual performances together – they are focused on the then and there, their horse and their rounds, rather than carrying expectations or defending their title.
It’s important that we have partnerships who can be flexible and adaptable. The adaptability comes from how we produce horses on the UK circuit through county shows and a key network of centres. The athletes are keen to produce their best, particularly as the season progresses, and we work to a plan with them which offers them the flexibility to optimise their form.
For the early Longines League of Nations events, we like to give a chance to the up-and-coming combinations to show themselves and gain exposure. Everyone remains flexible as we build to the later venues, then we can look to the stronger, more established partnerships to offer competitive edge and performance under pressure.
The long season offers huge opportunities. We aim for a 50-50 balance of experience and developing talent, but there are always pleasant surprises and disappointments in the sport from both the old and new sides. We then aim for consistency as the season develops, when we can call on the more experienced partnerships as we build towards the goals of the season.
The success of winning the Longines League of Nations final in Barcelona last year has given a huge boost to the athletes and their owners at home. They want to be part of a successful team, and it actually brings everybody’s standards up. It focuses the mind a bit more – it’s not just about representing your country and ticking that box, it shows them what success looks like, which motivates their training for the benefit of the overall performance. In 2026, I hope we have several athletes who want to jump on the teams – competition is great for the tremendous and loyal fans, the venues and, ultimately, the sport.
I’m sure my fellow nations will join me in using the Longines League of Nations to showcase our beautiful sport and demonstrate the love and respect we have for our horses – but I’d ask my fellow Chefs d’Equipe to please remember, ladies first!
Copy: FEI