Equita Lyon 2026: World Cup Jumping, Dressage and Driving in One Week

Equita Lyon 2026: dates, venue and why this week matters

Equita Lyon 2026 runs from Wednesday, Oct 28 to Sunday, Nov 1 at Lyon-Eurexpo in Chassieu, on the eastern edge of Lyon, France. In one building you get a giant horse fair plus World Cup show jumping, dressage and four-in-hand driving.

The organizers, GL events, say it's one of the only events in the world to run four world-level competitions at the same time:

• The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup
• The FEI Dressage World Cup
• The FEI Driving World Cup for indoor four-in-hand teams
• The FEI Jumping Ponies' Trophy

This is the 32nd edition. The fair drew nearly 200,000 visitors in 2025 and spreads across more than 145,000 m² of halls, according to the organizers.

Day-by-day schedule

This plan combines the official press release with the day-by-day programme from the Lyon guide JDS. Organizers mark every time as subject to change, so check equitalyon.com the morning you go.

Wednesday, Oct 28

• The fair opens, 8:00–20:30. National and international classes run on the side arenas all day.

Thursday, Oct 29

• Dressage World Cup Grand Prix. This is the qualifying test for Friday's freestyle.
• Equine Welfare Day in the VIP Village, open to all visitors. The 2026 theme is caring for senior horses at work and in retirement.

Friday, Oct 30

• FEI Jumping Ponies' Trophy class.
• Dressage World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle, the ride to music.
• Longines Grand Prix (CSI5*-W) in the evening, followed by a new equestrian show. JDS lists it from 19:30. The official press release says 20:00.

Saturday, Oct 31

• Ponies' Trophy class and the first Driving World Cup competition.
• NRHA European Derby Open final (reining) in the early evening. JDS says 17:30, and the official press release says 18:00.
• Equita Masters presented by Hermès Sellier (CSI5*) in the evening, with another show. The fair stays open until 22:30.

Sunday, Nov 1

• Driving World Cup, second round, from 12:30 in the main arena.
• NBHA European Cup final in barrel racing and pole bending, in the afternoon on the western arena.
• Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier at 15:00. After the driving, the stands are cleared, and numbered-seat checks start at 14:30.

You may see 15:30 quoted for the jumping qualifier. The official press release and JDS both list 15:00.

Who's entered in Lyon

These are entries as announced, not confirmed starters. Riders swap horses or withdraw all the time, so check the start list on the day.

Show jumping

The Sunday qualifier is a 1.60 m class worth €308,600, according to Everything Horse UK. Names to look for:

• Ben Maher (Great Britain), with Point Break and Enjeu de Grisien. He broke his collarbone in a fall at Spruce Meadows, then finished third on Point Break in the €1 million Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Cairo.
• Steve Guerdat (Switzerland) and Richard Vogel (Germany).
• Olivier Perreau (France), who won the Lyon qualifier in 2025.
• Jodie Hall McAteer (Great Britain), with Hardessa and La Gupardie. She won the Leading Showjumper of the Year Grand Prix at the Horse of the Year Show this month on Hardessa.

Dressage

Isabell Werth (Germany) and Justin Verboomen (Belgium) are among the expected contenders. Britain's Lewis Carrier is entered with Diego V.

Ponies and driving

British pony riders are heading to the Ponies' Trophy, including this year's FEI Pony European champion. In driving, Lyon has been Boyd Exell's arena: the Australian won here in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. Belgium's Dries Degrieck won in 2024.

How the Lyon World Cup feeds the 2027 Gothenburg Final

The World Cup isn't a single show. It's a season of qualifiers split into regional leagues, and Lyon belongs to the Western European League 2026/27.

Here's how it works, step by step:

1. Riders earn points at each league qualifier based on where they finish.
2. Points build a league ranking across the autumn and winter. Oslo opened this season in October, Lyon is next, and more qualifiers follow through the winter.
3. The top of the ranking earns places at the Final, alongside riders from the other leagues around the world.
4. The Final is March 24–28, 2027 at the Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg, Sweden, together with the dressage and vaulting Finals.

So a good Sunday in Lyon counts for more than prize money. It's an early bank of points in a long race. Our Jumping World Cup 2026/27 guide follows the whole season.

Dressage works the same way on a smaller scale. The Grand Prix decides who rides the Freestyle, and freestyle placings earn the qualifying points. New to the sport? Read how dressage is scored first.

What is the FEI Driving World Cup?

If you've never seen indoor driving, Sunday lunchtime is the session not to miss. One driver steers a carriage pulled by four horses (a "four-in-hand") through a tight indoor course of turns, set shapes and gates, as fast as possible and without mistakes.

What to watch for:

• The leaders. The two front horses have to swing around each turn before the wheelers behind them follow.
• The grooms. They ride on the back of the carriage and shift their weight to keep it balanced through sharp corners.
• Penalties. Knocking down a ball or part of an obstacle adds time.

Driving arrived in Lyon in 2018. The series ends with a Final in Bordeaux, France, which the FEI has chosen for 2027 and 2028.

Equita Lyon tickets and how a fair-plus-show works

Equita has two layers. The salon (the fair) is the trade show, breed displays, demos and side arenas. The main-arena evening sessions are the headline jumping classes, sold separately.

More details from the official ticket information:

• Under 6 and visitors with disabilities: free.
• Reduced €22.50: FFE license holders, students, Pass Région holders and groups of 15+ (groups must book ahead).
• Family pass: €65 for 2 adults and 2 children under 16, sold on site only.
• Reining final: a separate €55 ticket.
• Hours: 8:00–20:30 Wednesday to Friday, 8:00–22:30 Saturday, 8:00–19:00 Sunday.

On a budget, Thursday or Friday daytime is the best value. €25 gets you a World Cup dressage class with no extra seat ticket.

Visitor checklist

1. Pick your main event first, then buy the salon or evening ticket that covers it.
2. Arrive early on Sunday. Driving and the jumping qualifier share the main arena, and the stands are cleared between them.
3. Wear comfortable shoes. The halls are huge, and you'll walk kilometers.
4. No flash, quiet near horses. Keep kids beside you near horse walkways and warm-up rings. Our safety guide covers the basics.
5. Shop with a list. Tack stands are tempting. Our tack and equipment pages help you know what fits before you buy.

What to watch next

• Thursday's Grand Prix: who qualifies for the Friday Freestyle.
• Sunday's start list: whether Ben Maher rides Point Break or Enjeu de Grisien.
• Western European League standings after Lyon.
• Madrid next month: if you can't get to France, Madrid Horse Week 2026 also hosts jumping, dressage and driving World Cups.

We'll update this page with results after the show. Until then, browse more Trends or explore the disciplines.