The National Stadium (the Bird’s Nest) will once again host the showdown between the world’s top riders and elite Chinese equestrians. Longines Ambassador of Elegance and legendary Swiss female rider Jane Richard will return to this familiar sand arena. She first stepped foot in the Bird’s Nest back in 2013 and has competed across multiple editions of the event; in 2026, she embarks on another journey to the Bird’s Nest.

With a two-decade-long career forged at the World Equestrian Games, World Cup Finals and countless 5-star competitions, she has translated “elegance” into rhythm and on-the-spot judgement in the arena. Her bond with both her new and experienced horses has grown deeper, bringing extra highlights and suspense to the Masters.

Jane Richard

Jane Richard | From Young Rider to Ambassador of Elegance 

Born in Évillard, Switzerland in 1983, Jane Richard grew up in a family with no prior ties to equestrian sports. She took up systematic riding as a teenager. At 15, she claimed victory in the final of the National Championships in Kerzers, Switzerland. At 16, she contested her first Grand Prix. She then joined Switzerland’s junior and young rider squads and represented her nation at the European Championships for consecutive years.

Jane Richard has served as Longines Ambassador of Elegance since 2003. Her career is not defined by a single fleeting peak. She finished 14th individually at the FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Geneva in 2010 and represented Switzerland again at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen. Her most defining career trait is her ability to sustain steady competition rhythm across varied levels and competition formats over many years.

Image Source: Official of Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters

Over the years, Jane Richard has been renowned for her delicate course management and precise management of her horses’ condition. She excels at quickly building partnerships with different mounts and finds great fulfilment in developing young horses. She once said that the greatest satisfaction on horseback is to embark on journeys with young horses, weather good times and bad, and form lifelong partnerships with them.

2025 Season | From Mountain Arenas to the World Cup Stage 

Jane Richard’s 2025 competition calendar spanned multiple European countries. In July, at the international showjumping event in Torgnon in the Italian Alps, she claimed the 140CM Grand Prix title aboard Aequitus Vh Bergerhof Z and took third place with another horse, Lugano, wrapping up an almost flawless weekend.

As autumn arrived, the level of competition grew higher. In August, at the CSI4* show in Deauville, France, she finished fourth with a clear round in the two-phase competition. In October, she travelled to the Bird’s Nest in Beijing and secured a top-ten finish in the 140CM International Welcome Stakes. In November, at the CSI5* World Cup leg in Verona, she earned a full score of 65 points for joint third place in the 145CM qualifying class. Strong placings across events of varied formats, from mountain venues to World Cup stages, delivered consistent continuity throughout her 2025 season.

Image Source: Official of Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters

2026 Season | Rotating Mounts, Remaining Competitive on 5-Star Arenas 

In 2026, Jane Richard maintains her competition rhythm by rotating between multiple horses. She keeps competing at 5-star Longines Global Champions Tour legs including Saint-Tropez and Monaco, consistently securing strong placings in both team and individual speed classes.

These results are not explosive surges, yet they accurately reflect her competitive form: delivering high-level performances across different horses, obstacle heights and venue conditions. For an experienced rider, steady horse management, course planning and in-the-moment execution constitute the very foundation of long-term competitiveness.

Image Source: Official of Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters

A Rendezvous at the Bird’s Nest | Tenth Visit to the National Stadium 

Jane Richard’s deep bond with Chinese audiences began at the Bird’s Nest. Back in 2016, she claimed victory in the showpiece event of the Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters — the 150CM Longines Grand Prix. Riding Leonidas 100, she delivered a faultless round and crossed the finish line first in 42.70 seconds, overpowering all rivals and creating one of the most unforgettable moments of that edition.

She first stepped onto the Bird’s Nest arena in 2013 and has competed in multiple editions, returning again in 2025. In 2026, she comes back once more to the familiar sand arena. The National Stadium has become a special landmark on her international competition calendar. Held from October 15 to 18, 2026, the 13th Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters will once again take place at the National Stadium. Back on home-from-home ground, Jane Richard will draw on her wealth of experience and consistent performance to continue her elegant story on this familiar sand.

The 13th Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters 

Dates: Oct 15 – Oct 18, 2026 

Venue: National Stadium (the Bird’s Nest), Beijing

Gather with world’s top riders at the Bird’s Nest for this grand equestrian appointment!