Germany has been crowned champion of the Longines League of NationsTM, held at the iconic Olympic arena of the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona. This prestigious event, second only to the Olympic Games in the international equestrian calendar, brought a thrilling conclusion to four days of top-tier competition at CSIO Barcelona. With the stands packed to capacity, Germany emerged victorious with a stellar lineup: André Thieme on DSP Chakaria, Christian Kukuk on Checker 47, Richard Vogel on United Touch S, and Jana Wargers on Dorette Old, expertly guided by team chef d’equipe Otto Becker.
The excitement built until the very last rider in the final round. In the first round, each team fielded four riders, with the lowest score being dropped. Only Germany and the Netherlands completed the round fault-free, advancing to the second round as the front-runners. The remaining teams, hampered by penalties, were left with little hope. In the second round, both teams were tied with 12 points after their third riders, with no scores to discard. The pressure mounted as Germany’s Richard Vogel (United Touch S) delivered a flawless, penalty-free round, while Dutch rider Harrie Smolders (Uricas v/d Kattevennen) faltered, knocking down a pole and adding four crucial faults to the Dutch tally. Germany closed the competition with 12 points to the Netherlands' 16, repeating their triumph from the previous year in Barcelona. Sweden secured third place with 20 points, while Spain finished in a commendable seventh position with 28 points.
The German team celebrated their hard-fought victory. Chef d’equipe Otto Becker expressed his joy: “Competing in Barcelona is always special, and winning the title here again makes it even better. We’re over the moon.” Richard Vogel, whose flawless final round clinched the win for Germany, added, “Today has been incredible for all of us. I’m thrilled with my performance, but this victory belongs to the entire team.” He also praised the course designer, Spain’s Santiago Varela, for creating a challenging and rewarding course.
A special mention goes to Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten, Spain’s Armando Trapote, Ireland’s Daniel Coyle, and Richard Vogel, who shared the impressive €200,000 prize for completing both rounds of the final without penalties. Armando Trapote, reflecting on his weekend, said, “I’m absolutely delighted. I’ve been riding at a high level all weekend. This has been an amazing event—one of the best in the world—and the crowd has been fantastic.”