The dust hasn't even settled yet at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, but the message is loud and clear. Local hero Aaron Vale just reminded everyone why home-court advantage is a real thing in this sport. Riding Carissimo 25, Vale snatched the CSI4* $200,000 UF Health Grand Prix right out from under the nose of Daniel Bluman late Saturday night. It was high-stakes, high-drama, and honestly, exactly what the North American circuit needed to kick off the new year with some grit.
Bluman had been the man to beat all week. He already pocketed the qualifier on Thursday with Gemma W, and for a long time during Saturday’s jump-off, it looked like he’d do the double with Corbie V.V. He went first—always a nightmare spot—and set a blistering pace of 37.88 seconds.
Then came Vale.
The Ocala crowd is different. They know the horses. They know the strides. When Vale entered the ring as the penultimate rider, the atmosphere shifted. He didn't just beat Bluman; he sliced through the track. He admitted afterward he didn't even know how many strides he took in the rollback to the vertical—people told him he did a six, he thought he walked a nine. Sometimes you just ride the horse under you and stop counting. That "silly number" of strides resulted in a 37.58-second finish. Just three-tenths of a second faster than Bluman.
Victory is often that thin.
The Global Shakeup in Show Jumping News Today
While Ocala was buzzing, the rest of the world wasn't exactly sitting still. If you’re following show jumping news today, you’ve probably noticed the Longines Rankings look a bit different than they did last summer. Kent Farrington has officially reclaimed the World No. 1 spot, holding off the British charge of Scott Brash and Ben Maher.
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It’s a massive moment for US jumping. We currently have three riders in the top 10—Farrington, Laura Kraut (7th), and McLain Ward (9th).
But the real story everyone in the stables is whispering about? Nina Mallevaey.
The 26-year-old French rider has finally cracked the Top 10, sitting at 8th. She’s been on a tear, transitioning from the U25 ranks to the elite level with a consistency that’s frankly terrifying for her competitors. In Ocala this weekend, she proved it wasn't a fluke, taking third place on My Clementine, finishing a hair behind Bluman.
Current Top 10 Longines Rankings (January 2026)
- Kent Farrington (USA) – 3,487 points
- Scott Brash (GBR) – 3,222 points
- Christian Kukuk (GER) – 3,130 points
- Ben Maher (GBR) – 3,089 points
- Gilles Thomas (BEL) – 3,009 points
- Richard Vogel (GER) – 2,912 points
- Laura Kraut (USA) – 2,809 points
- Nina Mallevaey (FRA) – 2,788 points
- McLain Ward (USA) – 2,769 points
- Julien Epaillard (FRA) – 2,766 points
Henrik von Eckermann, who ruled the rankings for a record-breaking stint starting back in 2022, has slipped to third. It feels like the end of an era, but don't count the Swede out. He’s notoriously methodical. He’s likely just regrouping for the World Cup Finals in Fort Worth this April.
Indoor Madness: Leipzig and the Road to Fort Worth
Across the Atlantic, the Western European League of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup is hitting its stride. At Partner Pferd Leipzig, the home crowd got exactly what they wanted. Marvin Jüngel and his 11-year-old mare, Helene 50, took the opening CSI5*-W 1.45m class earlier this week.
Jüngel is one of those riders who flies under the radar until he suddenly doesn't. He clocked 57 seconds flat, beating out veteran Denis Lynch.
The points race for the World Cup Final is getting tight. Following the leg in Basel, the standings are a mess of talent. With only seven results counting toward the final tally, riders are starting to get picky about which shows they attend.
Joe Stockdale is another name you need to watch. He just secured his first 5* Grand Prix win in Abu Dhabi with Ebanking. It was a sentimental win for the Stockdale family, and it proves that the younger generation of British riders isn't just following in the footsteps of Brash and Maher—they're starting to overtake them.
Why the 2026 Season Hits Different
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT). That’s two decades of jumping in places horses probably shouldn't be—like the literal beach in Miami or the base of the Eiffel Tower.
Tickets for the 2026 season went on sale this month for Miami Beach (April 3-5) and London (August 7-9). If you’ve never seen a horse jump 1.60m while the Atlantic Ocean crashes ten feet away, you're missing out on the weirdest, most beautiful juxtaposition in sports.
The LGCT is also returning to Shanghai and Mexico City. Mexico City is always a rider favorite because of the altitude and the crowd—the atmosphere at Campo Marte is basically a football stadium with more expensive shoes.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rankings
People see Farrington at No. 1 and think he's just winning everything. That’s not how it works. The ranking system is a rolling 12-month window of your best 30 results. It’s about "points maintenance."
To stay at the top, you don't just need a fast horse; you need a stable of four or five horses that can all jump at the 5* level. If one horse gets a minor stone bruise and needs a month off, your ranking can tank. This is why Nina Mallevaey’s rise is so impressive. She doesn't have the 20-horse string of some of the older legends, but she’s making every single start count.
What You Should Watch Next
If you’re looking for more show jumping news today, keep your eyes on the Winter Spectacular III at WEC Ocala as it wraps up this evening.
Next week, the action shifts gears:
- WEF 3 in Wellington, FL: A CSI4* and CSI2* week that usually brings out the heavy hitters who skipped the first two weeks of the circuit.
- Desert Circuit 3 in Thermal, CA: This is where the West Coast riders like Karl Cook are racking up points. Thermal is holding a massive CSI5* next week with serious prize money on the line.
- The World Cup Qualifiers: We are approaching the tail end of the season. If your favorite rider isn't in the top 18 of the Western European League yet, they're officially in "panic mode" to qualify for Fort Worth.
Actionable Insight for Fans: If you're tracking horse performance, look at the "Clear Round Percentage" rather than just the wins. A horse like United Touch S (Richard Vogel) might have a rail down in a jump-off because of his massive stride, but his ability to jump clear in the first round is what makes him a world-beater for the upcoming championships.
Stay tuned to the FEI TV or ClipMyHorse livestreams this evening for the final results from Ocala and Wellington. The 2026 season is just warming up, and the power dynamic between the US and Europe hasn't been this balanced in a decade.