Team Switzerland take the win in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2025 leg in Avenches (SUI)

© FEI/Libby Law Photography

27 July 2025

Switzerland celebrated a landmark victory at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2025 leg held in Avenches (SUI), leading from start to finish and securing the top podium spot in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. Hosted at the Institut Équestre National Avenches (IENA), the competition marked a pivotal moment in the Nations Cup season and underlined Switzerland's growing dominance in international Eventing. Remarkably, the team also won this event last year with the same athlete line-up.

The Swiss team—Robin Godel, Mélody Johner, Nadja Minder, and Felix Vogg—were the same athletes selected to compete at the Paris Olympics last year. This talented quartet showcased exceptional consistency and composure across all three phases of the CCIO4*-NC-S. Their final team score of 100.4 comfortably secured the win ahead of Germany (141.7) and France (175.6), improving on their 2024 winning score of 127.7. It was also one of the lowest finishing scores recorded in the 2025 Nations Cup season so far, despite a star-studded field that included reigning Olympic champion and former Avenches winner Michael Jung of Germany, as well as Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, who has already claimed 14 international victories this year.

As is the nature of the Nations Cup Series, the event also featured several rising stars making team debuts, with nations using the series as a valuable opportunity to give emerging athletes team experience.

Felix Vogg led the way on his 17-year-old gelding, Colero. The pair were in second place behind Jung after Dressage, before delivering a double clear and picking up just 3.6 time penalties. This secured second place individually with a score of 31.2—only 0.1 behind Vogg’s other ride, Cartania, who took the individual win on 31.1.

Nadja Minder also delivered a double clear on her Paris Olympic mount, the Polish-bred Top Job’s Jalisco, finishing third individually on a score of 32.2 with one of the fastest Cross-Country rounds of the day. Mélody Johner and Robin Godel rounded out the team effort, placing fifth and seventh respectively. Johner’s 10-year-old Spanish-bred gelding, Erin, looks to be a very exciting prospect for the future, while Godel was partnered with his long-time companion Grandeur de Lully CH. The 17-year-old Swiss gelding has been a consistent performer at major championships and is currently the highest-rated Swiss event horse.

Avenches is a particularly stunning venue on the Nations Cup circuit. It is Switzerland’s only four-star venue and has recently been announced as the host of the FEI Eventing European Championship 2027, having previously staged the event in 2021. Since its debut in 2020, Avenches has developed a reputation for producing a tough Cross-Country test, with time playing a major role. All four Swiss athletes produced fast clears in this phase. With the FEI Eventing European Championship at Blenheim Palace (GBR) in September fast approaching, this performance firmly establishes Switzerland as medal contenders.

Speaking after their performance team coach Andrew Nicholson summed up their performance. “I’m very proud of them all. They all did a superb job in all phases and it’s a great pleasure to work with them. I think they are going in the right direction. Sone of our other riders- the younger ones have done a very good job in the same competition so that’s looking good for the future and I am very proud to be part of it. They are looking good for Blenheim and they will do their best for sure and it’s another step up the ladder”.

Dominique Burger is the Chef d’Equipe of the Swiss team and was equally enthusiastic with the home victory. “It is fantastic. It is very satisfying for all the work that is done. It was a compact team performance; we never had it like that that that our result not to count for dressage was 31.6. This was already fantastic and, in the cross-country, they worked fantastically. Also the showjumping was good. We think we are on a good track and we will no work to get better and better.”

Avenches was the third leg of the 2025 Series and the half-way point. Germany leads with 170 points, followed by France on 150. Switzerland, having only competed once so far, now sits in strong contention with 100 points, the same tally as Sweden and Great Britain. The Series next moves to Arville, Belgium, from 13–17 August.

FULL RESULTS

PROVISIONAL STANDINGS