Irish Team takes the Nations Cup in the Longines EEF Series Scuderia La Caccia. Italy is Second and Switzerland Third

Today’s Nations Cup was a fiercely contested right down to the last fence. A head-to-head battle between Ireland and Italy was decided only in the jump-off at the Longines EEF Series at Scuderia La Caccia in Bedizzole. The Irish team, with Harry Allen aboard Edison de Hus, scored victory thanks to the third clear round, prevailing on Piergiorgio Bucci aboard Casalia DG. The Italian rider, after making a mistake on the second jump of the jump-off, decided to withdraw.

The winning team was formed by Niall Talbot with Charming Dream Z (0/0), Harry Allen with Edison de Hus (0/0 – 0; 40.37), Seamus Hughes Kennedy with MHS Cosmo (4/8) and Mark McAuley with Rossi vd Heffinck (4/0). The Italian team was composed by Piergiorgio Bucci with the nine-year-old Casalia DG (0/4 – ret.), Emiliano Liberati with Aruba Island (8/4), Giacomo Bassi with Cash du Pratel (0/0) and Bruno Chimirri with Je Suis Godot d’Acheronte (0/0).

The Longines EEF Nations Cup Scuderia La Caccia (two rounds on the same course with 1.50m obstacles designed by Course Designer Paolo Rossato) ended after the first round with Switzerland and Italy in the lead with zero penalties, followed by Ireland and France with 4. In the second round, and in particular in the last of the four riders for each team, Switzerland with Janika Sprunger on Aganix’s Rose of Light (0/4), Bryan Smits on Verdi Van ‘T Laerhof Z (0/16), Christoph Konemann on Coredo (8/0), Bryan Balsiger on C-Mistral (0/4) couldn’t keep up with their opponents and had to settle for third place.

Meeting the winners

Harry Allen, with his three clear rounds you pushed Ireland on the first step of the podium:

«Edison de Hus is a fantastic horse. We were here last february and we won a class at 1.50. We did many competions at this level and he has always been super. Actually I didnt feel that much pressure in the jump-off. I’m only very happy about how the horse jumped. I kept concentrated on my plan and everything went just fine. We were fast…».

Niall Talbot, «We’ve been here quite often in the past few years and it is always fantastic. It’s a great place.

Mark McAuley on his horse: «Rossi is a nine-year-old stallion, so quite young for this level. But he’s been stepping up really well the last few shows, and I think he’s going to be an exceptional horse for the future».

Jessica Kurten, chef d’equipe, about ‘her’ boys.

«I’m very proud of them. This is a really great, great team of riders and horses. I was delighted to be able to put this team together to come here to Bedizzole. Niall has had a fantastic start of the year. He’s had some great successes. Charming Dream was already in Mannheim and then grew from that to come here to jump a double clear. That’s exceptional. Mark McAuley has been really growing the team. And Rossi is a really talented horses that has been doing some exceptional results this year. So it was also time for him now to come on the team. Their performance today was absolutely fantastic. Talking about Harry, Edison is an exceptional and talented horse. He’s quite special. Harry has formed a really great relationship with him, and it’s wonderful to see what they can achieve in the course. It was great to watch them in the jump off. And then ther is Seamus: I’m also really proud of Seamus and Cosmo. He came on this trip as the fifth rider for Cosmo to get experience. His horse was not really ready for this level. Seamus got the call up beacuse unfortunately Ethen Aherne phorse was injured on transport. And he did really his best: I’m extremely proud of his performance with Cosmo. It was really a wonderful team performance. We had a great group, great supporters with us».

The whole team about their chef d’equipe: «What we appreciate about our chef d’equipe is the respect she has for the riders. Jessica has achieved so much in herself as a rider in sport… She has a huge amount of respect from the riders, so we think that’s very important, in our opinion».

Csio3* LES Scuderia la Caccia_Piergiorgio Bucci (ITA) on Casalia Dg ©Scuderia la Caccia/Marta Fusetti

Longines EEF Series

The Scuderia La Caccia Nations Cup was the third of the 2026 Longines EEF Series season and the first in the South Region. Competing in this group, besides Italy, were Turkey (6th place), Ukraine (8th place), Romania (10th place), Bulgaria (11th place), and Croatia (13th place). The other competing nations, in addition to Ireland and Switzerland, were Sweden (4th place), France (5th place), Brazil (7th place), Portugal (9th place), and Japan (12th place). Italy therefore leads the South Region group with a perfect score and is preparing for the next stage in Thessaloniki, Greece (June 3-6).

The LES schedule, also includes two semifinals: one for the top five teams from the “Region South” and “Region Central” groups, scheduled for Samorin/Bratislava, Slovakia, from July 8th to 12th, and one for the “Region West” and “Region North” groups, which will take place at the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in Kronenberg, Netherlands (July 2nd to 5th).

The Longines EEF Series final will be held in Avenches, Switzerland (September 3rd to 6th).

CLICK HERE for results