Casas Novas brings together Europe's best pairings in search of individual gold
A Coruña, July 8, 2025
On July 16, the Longines FEI European Jumping Championship will begin at the Casas Novas Equestrian Center in Arteixo. Held at one of the finest equestrian facilities on the international circuit—and coinciding with the 25th anniversary of its founding—92 riders from 23 countries will compete in the individual events, which will run until Sunday, July 20, under the watchful eye of a crowd ready for a spectacular show.
Among the competitors are some of the top riders of the moment, familiar faces at Casas Novas, and athletes who already know what it feels like to win European Championship gold.
The rider to beat this year is, without a doubt, Steve Guerdat. The Swiss champion will defend his gold medal in A Coruña after an extraordinary performance at the last European Championship in Milan, where he achieved the lowest score in history alongside his mare Dynamix de Belheme. Ranked sixth in the FEI standings, the experienced Alpine rider also has several team medals to his name, making him one of the key contenders to watch this week. For this championship, he will be competing with Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte.
Joining him is another podium finisher from 2023 and a regular at Casas Novas, Julien Épaillard of France. With a remarkable career, Julien and Donatello D’Auge arrive in top form after their impressive victory in April at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup in Basel.
Germany, one of the favorites for the team competition, also has strong contenders for the individual title, particularly Christian Kukuk, Olympic gold medalist in Paris 2024 with Checker 24, who will be riding Just Be Gentle this time; and Richard Vogel, currently ranked fourth in the FEI rankings. Vogel will be accompanied by his trusted partner United Touch, with whom he has already achieved major victories—including back-to-back wins in the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona—proving their affinity for Spanish arenas.
Another rider who knows what it takes to win European gold is Martin Fuchs. Also from Switzerland, like the current champion, Fuchs claimed the top spot in 2019 and returned to the podium in 2021 with a silver medal. Currently ranked seventh by the FEI, the Swiss rider—born in Brazil—will be aiming for his sixth European medal at Casas Novas, this time with Conner Jei.
Out of the 92 participating riders, the highest-ranked is Ben Maher, who currently holds the number two spot. The British rider already has several silver medals to his name and arrives in A Coruña in great form, having recently won a 1.60 m class at the CSIO5* in Aachen with Point Break. He now has his sights set on the top step of the European Championship podium.
Also in the race for gold, in addition to those already mentioned, are riders like Cian O’Connor of Ireland, ranked tenth in the world and bronze medalist in 2017, who will compete with Iron Man; and Maikel van der Vleuten, one of the most beloved riders in A Coruña. He will be aiming for his first European medal with Beauville Z NOP, the horse that brought him two Olympic bronzes in the last two Games, as well as a team silver and an individual bronze at the 2022 World Championships.
For the Spanish team, Mariano Martínez Bastida is the best-positioned to reach the podium. He holds the highest ranking among the Spanish quintet and already knows what it’s like to clock the fastest time at Casas Novas.
With all three members of the Paris Olympic podium and multiple past medalists in the mix, this year’s European Jumping Championship in A Coruña is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling and fiercely contested yet, featuring top-level athletes who promise to deliver a show down to the final jump.
All updated information about the Championship, as well as free invitations to attend, can be found on the official event website: casasnovasfeijumping2025.com.