Here is a guide to the finals:
What: World Cup finals in show jumping and dressage.
Where: S:t Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland.
When: Thursday-Sunday.
Keep an eye on in show jumping: Henrik von Eckermann won the finals in 2023 in Omaha and 2024 in Riyadh. He is also the only Swedish rider in the show jumping starting field.
The horse: The last two years, the world number one won on King Edward. Now von Eckermann relies on Iliana, with whom he took team gold at the European Championship 2023. Iliana showed good form when the pair won the GP show jumping in Gothenburg in February, but does not have the same high capacity as King Edward.
The chances: Of course, there are, but the competition is extremely tough. If the Swede wins this time, it's a really big achievement.
The challengers: A pair of riders have what it takes to win. German Richard Vogel, Brit Ben Maher, and Swiss Martin Fuchs stand out as favorites in a highly unpredictable final.
Missing: Steve Guerdat misses the final on home soil. He is rehabilitating after a back operation. American Laura Kraut has also withdrawn.
How the show jumping is decided: Three rounds await on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Before Sunday's final, the points from the first two rounds are converted to the number of faults. The final round is decided over two rounds. In the event of an equal number of faults, a jump-off is ridden for victory.
Participants: 39 pairs from 21 countries.
Keep an eye on in dressage: Patrik Kittel won as the second Swede of all time the dressage final last year, then in Riyadh and on Touchdown. In Basel, he rides Forever Young.
The chances: Kittel has opportunities to reach a decent placement, but will have a hard time reaching the top spots. German Isabell Werth comes with Quantaz. It's probably between her and Brit Charlotte Fry.
How the dressage is decided: The GP competition on Friday is followed by the kür on Saturday. The one with the highest percentage in the class wins the World Cup final on Saturday evening.
Participants: 18 pairs from 13 countries.
TV: SVT broadcasts all show jumping rounds and the dressage kür in its various channels and platforms.
