Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015: Qatar wins Longines Challenge Cup in another Furusiyya Final thriller

Qatar won the aptly-named Longines Challenge Cup at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain tonight where, once again, the competition was a cliff-hanger to the very end. And, for the second day in a row, course designer, Spain’s Santiago Varela, set them a super-tough track that tested judgement, jumping ability and nerve in equal measure.

The winners finished on a nine-fault scoreline while Australia, Brazil and France shared second place when all three sides posted a total of 12 each. Once again the one-round format produced a class filled with unpredictability, the result eventually decided by the very last horse-and-rider combination into the arena.

The Furusiyya series is not just about crowning the best Nations Cup team of the year however, it is also about drawing new nations into the fold and encouraging their participation and development. So it was exciting to see Egypt, who at one stage look set to create a real sensation, sharing fifth place with the much more experienced Italian side when both finished on 13 faults at the end of day.

First into the ring

The 11-nation startlist consisted of the teams that didn’t qualify for tomorrow’s second round of the Furusiyya Final, and they competed in reverse order of merit following yesterday’s competition so Poland and Spain were the first two countries into the ring. It was immediately evident that Varela’s course would be no walk in the park when Polish pathfinder, Msciwoj Kiecon, was eliminated for a fall, although Spain got off to a promising start when Manuel Fernandez Saro’s Santiago de Blondel was clear all the way to the final vertical.

The oxer at fence two hit the ground on numerous occasions and there were plenty of faults at the open water at fence six and the following planks. However the triple combination at 10 was the bogey of the competition, and Qatar’s chances appeared to have been dashed from the outset when Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani’s mare, Vienna Olympic, stopped at the middle element after a mistake at the oxer on the way in, and then hit the final element at her second attempt to rack up a total of 19 faults.

Brazil, in stark contrast, got off to the ideal start with a foot-perfect run from Pedro Veniss and Quabri de L’Isle. There were three riders in contention for a €50,000 bonus if they could match the clear round they produced yesterday with another one tonight. And when the other two faulted, it was Veniss who scooped the lot.

In with a chance

A mistake at the second element of the double at five prevented Egypt’s Karim Elzoghby from taking his cut of the extra cash, but after a great ride by Mohamed Talaat (Connaught) who returned with just a single time fault, the Egyptians were in with a chance of finishing with just five faults if last-line rider, Sameh El Dahan, could leave all the fences up with Suma’s Zorro. In a contest in which the anchor riders were under the most immense pressure however, 12 faults put paid to that.

The French were looking well out of contention until Kevin Staut posted one of just four clears on the night when last to go for his side with Reveur de Hurtebise, and Edwina Tops-Alexander did exactly the same for Australia with a big performance from Heidi du Ruisseau Z. Her team-mate, Jamie Kermond, was the third of the bonus bidders, but lost out with mistakes at the water and the penultimate oxer at fence 12. However second-line Australian, Jessica Brown, has been a sensational find this week. Almost unknown before riding into the ring yesterday with her lovely grey gelding Casco, she once again looked like a very elegant Pony Clubber as she popped around the track for just four faults with the greatest of ease.

Closing stages

It was the teams from Qatar and Brazil who battled it out in the closing stages, third-last to go, Bassem Hassan Mohammed producing a pivotal anchorman clear that ensured Sheikh Ali’s 19 faults could be dropped and leaving Qatar on a finishing total of nine faults. Khalid Mohammed Al Emadi (Tamira IV) picked up four at the last element of the triple combination and Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi and Gunder returned with five on the board after lowering only the very last.

However if the Brazilians could drop the eight faults picked up by Felipe Amaral, who replaced Rodrigo Pessoa in today’s team, then they would be carrying only the single error made by Doda de Miranda and AD Living the Dream. So as Marlon Modolo Zanotelli cantered into the arena there was a huge air of expectation.

Last to go, he could afford a fence down, while a time fault would leave his country on level-pegging with the Qataris. The crowd held their breath when Rock ‘n Roll Semilly hit the first element of the triple combination, but they gasped when the pole rolled off the top of the following triple bar, and with four more faults at the final fence it was all over.
Team Qatar were the winners, while the Brazilians had to settle for runner-up spot alongside the French and Australians.

Day of history

The man who clinched victory for his country, Bassem Hassan Mohammed, described his side’s success as “a big day of history for Qatar, and I’m really happy for this!Congratulations to the Qatar Equestrian Federation, to all my team and my family. I don’t think anything could be better than this at this moment!” he said with delight afterwards.

Asked if he was nervous with so much hanging in the balance as he was going in to jump he replied “to be honest I didn’t know the result before I went in – what I knew was I really had to jump a clear round and that’s what I had in my mind and I made it!” And he praised his lovely grey mare. “I don’t think there is a word to describe California today, she really flew, she really jumped super, I’m really happy for me, for her, for everybody!” he said.

Chef d’Equipe, Willem Meeus, said “I’m very proud of my riders and the whole team. This year we have competed in three Nations Cups and we’ve won two of them. We’ve been working hard for the last three years, with the help of Jan Tops, to get to a high level”, he explained.

Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani was able to put the disappointment of his round behind him. “Today I put my team in a bad position, but the other riders fought back and did really well. We missed getting into the final tomorrow but we didn’t give up, and now we are really happy”, he said.

For the teams that have qualified for the second round of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final however, tomorrow is a whole new day as all eight teams restart on a zero score. There’s still a lot more action to play itself out before the 2015 Furusiyya title-holders are crowned tomorrow night.

Team Qatar, winners of tonight’s Longines Challenge Cup at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 in Barcelona, Spain: (L to R) Chef d’Equipe Willem Meeus, Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi, Khalid Mohammedd Al Emadi, Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani, Hamad All Mohamed Al Attiyah and Bassem Hassan Mohammed. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Result, Longines Challenge Cup:

1. Qatar 9 faults: Vienna Olympic (Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani) 19, Tamira IV (Khalid Mohammed A S Al Emadi) 4, Gunder (Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi) 5, Eurocommerce California (Bassem Hassan Mohammed) 0.

2. France 12 faults: Flora de Mariposa (Penelope Leprevost) 8, Number One D’Iso Un Prince (Nicolas Delmotte) 4, Quod Coeur de la Loge (Roger Yves Bost) 8, Reveur de Hurtebise HDC (Kevin Staut) 0.

2. Australia 12 faults: Quite Cassini (Jamie Kermond0 9, Casco (Jessica Brown) 4, Fedor (Scott Keach) 8, Heidi du Ruisseau Z (Edwina Tops-Alexander) 0.

2. Brazil 12 faults: Quabri de L’Isle (Pedro Veniss) 0, Premiere Carthoes BZ (Felipe Amaral) 8, AD Living the Dream (Doda de Miranda) 4, Rock /n Roll Semilly (Marlon Modolo Zanotelli) 12.

5. Italy 13 faults: Admara 2 (Emanuele Gaudiano) 4, Gitano v Berkenbroeck (Juan Carlos Garcia) 12, Silverstras (Lorenzo de Luca) 1, Catwalk Z (Piergiorgio Bucci) 8.

5. Egypt 13 faults: Vingino (Abdel Said) 8, Connaught (Mohamed Talaat) 1, Amelia (Karim El Zoghby) 4, Suma’s Zorro (Sameh El Dahan) 12.

Louise Parkes

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 – Round 1: Brilliant Belgians Top First Round At Furusiyya 2015 Final

FEI YouTube: https://youtu.be/WV99DKEslN8

The Belgian team came out on top in the super-tough first round of the €2.3 million Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP) today. With only eight places up for grabs for Saturday’s second and deciding round, there was a ferocious battle between the 19 competing nations, and some heroic performances from sides that didn’t make the cut.

Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, USA, the defending champions from The Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland claimed the remaining qualifying spots in that order, and the stage is now set for a spectacular finale on Saturday night.

The testing course set by Spain’s Santiago Varela produced only seven clear rounds from a starting field of 76 horse-and-rider combinations, and the penultimate triple combination claimed a huge number of victims. A total of 33 horses faulted here, and at least 24 of those left the middle element on the floor. All four members of the French team picked up penalties at this one, and the country that won the first Furusiyya Final back in 2013 finished well down the line in 16th place on their final tally of 24 faults.

The countries that just missed out were Qatar, Mexico and Brazil who shared ninth place on a 16-fault scoreline at the end of the day, and it was interesting to note that three of the rare clear rounds were posted by riders from countries that finished outside the qualification zone. Pedro Veniss got Brazil off to a perfect start when fault-free with Quabri de L’Isle, while both Australian pathfinder Jamie Kermond (Quite Cassini) and Egypt’s anchorman Karim Elzoghby (Amelia) did likewise – the latter two countries sharing 12th place at the end of the day.

Fair but unforgiving

Varela’s course was fair but unforgiving, riders having to plan every step of the way in order to leave all the timber intact and to avoid exceeding the 81 seconds time-allowed. The pressure really began on the roll-back to the planks at fence five which was followed by a big double, and then a right-bending line to the open water. As the Spanish course designer explained afterwards however, the majority of mistakes later on the track were created by loss of control after the open water which was followed by a big oxer and then a turn back to a two-metre-wide triple bar.

“It was six (strides) to the vertical after the triple bar and oxer, but the majority of the riders went on seven and some upset the balance of their horses” he explained this evening. Many paid the price at the blue oxer at fence 11, the front pole kicked out time and again before riders turned down the final line.

Every element of the triple combination at 12 saw plenty of action. “It was at the end of the course, and the jump in was a bit short”, Varela said. The red poles at the vertical second element were further complicated by a water tray below them which distracted some of the horses. The course wasn’t only difficult to ride, Varela said it was also difficult to build. “We only had the warm-up competition and then a 1.60m class – I think it was a fair course with faults everywhere from the start to the end. The question today was not to win, it was to be in the eight teams that qualify for Saturday” he pointed out.

Judy-Ann Melchior and As Cold as Ice Z helped Belgium take top spot in today’s first round of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP). (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Impossible to predict

It was impossible to predict how the competition would play itself out until the very end as each rider had only one chance to get things right, but the British looked secure having posted a nine-fault scoreline by the end of the third-rider rotation, while Christian Ahlmann’s opening clear with Taloubet Z helped seal Germany’s eight-fault total. Rolf-Goran Bengtsson did the same for Sweden when third to go for his side, but the Dutch had a bit of a moment when one of their dream-team combinations – Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Verdi – collected 17 uncharacteristic faults. However with a foot-perfect run from the superstar partnership of Jeroen Dubbeldam and Zenith they finished with 10 on the board after five-fault efforts from both Jur Vrieling (VDL Zirocco Blue) and Gerco Schroder (Glock’s Cognac Champblanc), and the defending Furusiyya champions still look well set to continue on the glory trail they have been following over the last year.

The final placings were undecided to the very end however, the Americans heaving a huge sigh of relief that at last, after missing the cut at the previous two Furusiyya Finals, they are through on a nine-fault finishing score while the Irish and Swiss claimed the last two places when posting scores of 13 and 15 faults respectively.

Clear winners

The clear winners today however were the Belgians who confidently cruised home with a final tally of five faults thanks to a fantastic last-to-go clear from newly-crowned European silver medallist, Gregory Wathelet.

Their pathfinder, Olivier Philippaerts (H&M Armstrong van de Kapel) made a mistake at the planks at fence five, but, next to go, Judy-Ann Melchior, collected only a single time penalty with the ever-reliable Cold as Ice Z. Jos Lansink fell victim to the middle part of the combination with For Cento, but Wathelet’s clear sealed it in style.

Wathelet said afterwards “for sure I am really happy about my clear round, but today my team was really good and they made it easy for me! There was not so much pressure when I was going in so I could ride a nice, quiet round. I’m happy for my team, and I hope we can keep it this way for Saturday. We will try to do the same on Saturday but it is a whole new day. Our goal was to be in the top eight this evening, and the main thing is we succeeded in that” he said stoically.

For further information on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP) from 24 to 27 September, visit http://www.csiobarcelona.com or contact Press Officer Isabel Suter, isuter@rcpolo.com, +34 760 258 222.

Result:

1. Belgium 5 faults: H&M Armstrong van de Kapel (Olivier Philippaerts) 4, As Cold as Ice Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) 1, For Cento (Jos Lansink) 5, Conrad de Hus (Gregory Wathelet) 0.
2. Germany 8 faults: Taloubet Z (Christian Ahlmann) 0, Fibonacci (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) 5, Cornet d’Amour (Daniel Deusser) 4, Chiara (Ludger Beerbaum) 4.
2. Sweden 8 faults: H&M Tornesch (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) 4, Tinkabell (Angelie von Essen) 21, Unita Ask (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) 9, Cantinero (Henrik von Eckermann) 4.
4. Great Britain 9 faults: Diva ll (Ben Maher) 1, Spirit T (Jessica Mendoza) 4, Utamaro D’Ecaussines (Joe Clee) 4, Cassionato (Michael Whitaker) 13.
4. USA 9 faults: Nouvelle (Laura Kraut) 1, Barron (Lucy Davis) 12, Ohlala (Lauren Hough) 4, Cortes C (Beezie Madden) 4.
6. Netherlands 10 faults: SFN Zenith NOP (Jeroen Dubbeldam0 0, VDL Groep Verdi (Maikel van der Vleuten) 17, VDL Zirocco Blue (Jur Vrieling) 5, Glock’s Cognac Champblanc (Gerco Schroder) 5.
7. Ireland 13 faults: Molly Malone (Bertram Allen) 5, MHS Going Global (Greg Broderick) 5, Good Luck (Cian O’Connor) 4, All Star (Denis Lynch) 4.
8. Switzerland 15 faults: Quorida de Treho (Romain Duguet) 1, Clooney (Martin Fuchs) 9, Bonne Chance CW (Janika Sprunger) 16, Castlefield Eclipse (Paul Estermann) 5.

Facts and Figures:

Team Belgium came out on top in the first round of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 which took place at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP) this afternoon.

The prestigious Club, which was the Jumping venue for the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, is celebrating its 104th anniversary fixture this year.

The Furursiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 consists of three competitions.

Today’s opening class was a one-round competition in which all 19 qualified nations lined out.

Tomorrow’s Challenge Cup is open to the 11 teams that did not finish in the top eight today.

Saturday’s third and final competition is open to the eight top teams in today’s event. It is a one-round competition with the possibility of a jump-off only for first place.

7 clear rounds from starting field of 76 horse-and-rider combinations in today’s competition.

The 8 nations that have qualified for Saturday night’s final round are Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, USA, Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland.

Louise Parkes

Benvinguts! Human Tower Builders Welcome Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final to Barcelona

Barcelona’s most celebrated “human tower” builders, the Els Castellers de Barcelona, have pulled out all the stops to welcome the world’s best Jumping athletes to the €2.3 million Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final 2015, which starts in their legendary city this Thursday (24 September).

Gathering in Barcelona’s Plaça Sant Jaume in the middle of the Gothic Quarter, home to the most important buildings in the lives of the people of Barcelona and Catalonia, the Els Castellers de Barcelona built a human tower wholly dedicated to the prestigious Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final.

A total of 120 members of the Els Castellers de Barcelona between the ages of six and 70 built the symbolic human tower to showcase a shared set of deep rooted values.

“The team concept, and the understanding that together we’re stronger, applies just as much to the teams competing at the Furusiyya Final as it does to the Castellers when they’re building their incredible human towers”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“The Castellers literally embody the concept of team building, and that team spirit is equally important in equestrian sport. It’s all about trust. There’s the team of human and horse, one of the oldest and strongest partnerships in the world, and then there’s the national team, the four riders and their horses that come together to represent their nation with pride at the Furusiyya Final in Barcelona. It’s a really powerful combination.”

“The Castellers are core to the fabric of Catalonia and especially to Barcelona, which is world-famous for its football, food, architecture, energy and of course horse sport,” explained Daniel Garcia Giró, Event Director of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final 2015, which takes place this week at the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona, venue for the equestrian events at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992.

Benvinguts! Human tower builders welcome Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final to Barcelona

“By their very nature, the human towers are striking, powerful, emotive, and the relationship between the tower members is critical for success, exactly like horse sport.

“Here in Barcelona, human towers are in integral part of our cultural identity, and here at the Real Club de Barcelona, horse sport is just as central to the fabric of our community.”

“It has been a great honour for the Castellers of Barcelona to take part in this event as our personal and most sincere tribute to the CSIO Barcelona, a popular event that goes beyond sports and represents values shared with our community, and to the FEI which brings us to a global audience,” said Daniel Dávila Montes, President of the Els Castellers de Barcelona.

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 – Round 18: Fighting French Win Through At Gripping Furusiyya Qualifier In Gijón

Team France held on to win the penultimate leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 League at Gijón in Spain today. But they had to see off a late challenge from the British and Irish who eventually shared second spot ahead of The Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium in equal-fourth.

It was an important day for the Ukrainian side who were the only ones chasing points towards the Furusiyya 2015 Final which takes place in just over three weeks’ time. And although they had to settle for seventh place, that was good enough to overtake Finland at the top of the Division 2 leaderboard this evening. However it was a disappointing day for the host nation who slotted into eighth place from the starting field of 10 nations.

Canada and USA failed to make the cut into the second round, but Aymeric de Ponnat was the hero of the day when clinching victory for his side with one of six double-clears, and it was a poignant day for the French. As Chef d’Equipe, Philppe Guerdat, explained this evening, “the father of the fifth rider passed away last night and that was why we wore black armbands. We dedicate this victory to Geoffroy de Coligny’s father, the riders did it for him”, he said.

Superb track

Avelino Rodriguez Miravalles set a superb 12-fence track with a generous time-allowed of 77 seconds. “I tried to maintain a five-star level course that was also easy and fluid to jump for the horses. Other than the combination, which was quite tricky and difficult, the course was good overall to complete” explained the Spanish course designer afterwards. And indeed it was the triple combination that produced the greatest number of faults throughout the competition, although the penultimate vertical with a plank on top also claimed a significant number of victims.

The Americans and Canadians disappeared from the reckoning at the halfway stage after posting 20 and 12-fault results respectively. And as the second round got underway, the French and Belgians looked set to battle it out for supremacy as the only two nations on a zero scoreline. But while many horses showed improving form and confidence on their return to the ring, the two leading sides were already in trouble by the time their second-line riders completed their second tour of the track.

Second fabulous clear

French pathfinder, Alexandre Fontanelle, produced a second fabulous clear from Prime Time des Vagues, but Cyril Bouvard’s handsome stallion, Quasi Modo Z, decided he didn’t want to go down to the triple combination again and indulged in a theatrical tantrum before eventually obliging and making it all look a breeze. Too late however, as the Ground Jury had already rung the bell for elimination.

Meanwhile Belgium’s Fabienne Daigneux Lange and Venue d’Fees des Hazalles were foot-perfect only to be followed by an eight-fault result from Catherine van Roosbroeck and Calumet whose round fell apart over the final two fences. The Swiss had been lying third, carrying just four faults, but when they added eight more then the British and Irish began to threaten. Sharing an eight-fault first-round total with the Dutch, Ukrainians and Spanish they both held firm while the others faltered.

Double-clears from both Robert Bevis (Courtney Z) and Joe Clayton (Velini) boosted British chances. But with two eight-fault rounds from Keith Shore and Mystic Hurricane, only a foot-perfect run from anchorwoman Laura Renwick could keep them in touch. And it was a lot to ask as her eight-year-old gelding, Heliodor Hybris, was almost uncontrollable first time out when picking up 16 faults. A bridle change worked superbly however, and the young horse showed his real potential with a brilliant second-round clear to put the pressure on the rest.

Also rallied

The Irish meanwhile also rallied, with Cameron Hanley producing a great double-clear from Z Acodate DDL, and the second four-fault effort from Anthony Condon and the stallion Aristio – who is a carbon copy of his very famous sire Arko – potentially the discard if Dermott Lennon could match Capt Michael Kelly’s fault-free effort with Ringwood Glen. But the 2002 world champion had also been involved in a battle of wills with his mare-with-attitude, Loughview Lou-Lou, first time out, and only a man with Lennon’s masterful skills could have followed his first-round eight-fault effort with a much-needed clean sheet to keep his side in the game.

A 12-fault result for Wilm Vermeir and Garrincha Hedoniste finally put paid to Belgian chances, and when Adeline Hecart, 20-year-old daughter of French Jumping star Michel Hecart, made her only mistake of the day at the vertical at fence three with Pasha du Gue, then everything depended on de Ponnat. A clear would clinch a clear-cut victory on a four-fault tally, but a fence down would leave France in a three-way jump-off with Britain and Ireland. As he set off with his 10-year-old stallion Ricore Courcelle however, de Ponnat didn’t allow the pressure to get to him. “I didn’t let myself think about what would happen if I had one down, I just tried to jump the best I can, I know my horse and I have a lot of experience, so I just did what I had to do!” he said, after sealing the result with a foot-perfect run.

Reflected

The French Chef d’Equipe reflected on his team’s success. “It’s difficult to say anything bad when you win, especially when the course designer is sitting just beside you!” Philippe Guerdat said with a laugh. “Considering it is one week after the FEI European Championships, the course today was tough but not over the top. Usually Avelino is tight on time, so I had a chat with him the other day to make sure he would be as generous as possible, especially since we have slow horses here, and it worked!” he joked.

And he is constantly thinking ahead. “My job is to help riders develop, so if I always keep going with the same ones then there is no chance to improve. I will be in Arezzo next week with a completely different team made up primarily of 20 and 21 year olds. We are a little bit behind in France as we keep going for the same riders and it’s important for us to catch up now. We are not going to win every Nations Cup, but it is vital for us to keep improving”, he said.

For further details of the penultimate round of the Europe Division 2 series at Gijon, Spain visit http://en.hipico.gijon.es

The last leg of the 2015 Europe Division 2 series will take place next Friday, 4 September, in Arezzo, Italy. For all information on the Italian fixture visit http://www.csiosanmarinoarezzo.com

France won the penultimate leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 league at Gijon, Spain today. (L to R) Jaime de Rivera, Vice-President of the Spanish Equestrian Federation, Jesús Martinez Salvador, Gijón Town Council Sports Department President, team members Aymeric de Ponnat, Alexandre Fontanelle, Chef d’Equipe Philippe Guerdat, Adeline Hecart and Cyril Bouvard, Ramón Méndez Díaz, Coca-Cola Communications Department and Javier Revuelta, President of the Spanish NF (Furusiyya representative). (FEI/Hervé Bonnaud)

Result:

1. France 4 faults: Prime Time des Vagues (Alexandre Fontanelle) 0/0, Quasi Modo Z (Cyril Bouvard) 4/Elim, Pasha du Gue (Adeline Hecart) 0/4, Ricore Courcelle (Aymeric de Ponnat) 0/0.

2. Great Britain 8 faults: Mystic Hurricane (Keith Shore) 8/8, Courtney Z (Robert Bevis) 0/0, Velini (Joe Clayton) 0/0, Heliodor Hybris (Laura Renwick) 16/0.

2. Ireland 8 faults: Z Acodate DDL (Cameron Hanley) 0/0, Aristio (Anthony Condon) 4/4, Ringwood Glen (Capt Michael Kelly) 4/0, Loughview Lou Lou (Dermott Lennon) 8/0.

4. Netherlands 12 faults: Quinlan (Vincent Voorn) 4/0, Vignet (Johnny Pals) 8/4, Haertthago (Leon Thijssen) 0/4, Willink (Hen van de Pol) 4/0.

4. Switzerland 12 fauts: Capuera ll (Nadja Peter Steiner) 0/4, Cordel (Claudia Gisler) 0/4, Nirvana Basters (Frederique Fabre Delbos) 4/4, Copain du Perchet (Edwin Smits) 12/0.

4. Belgium 12 faults: Venue d’Fees des Hazalles (Fabienne Deigneux Lange) 4/0, Calumet (Catherine van Roosbroeck) 0/8, Garrincha Hedoniste (Wilm Vermeir) 0/12, Papillon Z (Jerome Guery) 0/4.

7. Ukraine 16 faults: Fine Fleur du Marais (Cassio Rivetti) 0/4, Charlie (Katharina Offel) 8/8, Chadino (Ferenc Szentirmai) 8/4, Forlap (Rene Tebbel) 0/0.

8. Spain 20 faults: Santiago de Blondel (Manuel Fernandez Saro) 4/0, Cassino DC (Gerardo Menendez Mieres) 4/4, Belcanto Z (Alberto Marquez Galobardes) 13/16, G and C Quitador Rochelais (Sergio Alvarez Moya) 0/8.

9. Canada 12 faults in first round: Tripple X (Tiffany Foster) 4, Zamiro (Kara Chad) 8, Zilversprings (Elixabeth Gingras) 8, Fine Lady (Eric Lamaze) 0.

10. USA 20 faults in first round: Kismet (Candice King) Ret, Capital Colnardo (Audrey Coulter) 4, Casall (Ali Wolff) 4, Emilie de Diamant AS (Jack Towell) 12.

Facts and Figures:

Gijon in Spain presented the seventh and penultimate leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 2 league today.

10 teams competed, and Ukraine was the only nation chasing points towards the Furusiyya Final 2015 which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September.

The best 8 teams returned for the second round, and it was Canada and USA who missed the cut.

Course designer was Spain’s Avelino Rodriguez Miravalles.

The time-allowed over the 12-fence track was 77 seconds and no horse-and-rider combinations collected time faults.

6 horse-and-rider combinations jumped double-clear rounds.

The winners were Team France who completed on a final scoreline of four faults.

The youngest horse in today’s competition was the 8-year-old chestnut gelding Heliodor Hybris ridden by Great Britain’s Laura Renwick.

The oldest horse in the competition was the 15-year-old bay gelding Zamiro ridden by Canada’s Kara Chad.

The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final will take place at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September.

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ 2015 Europe Division 2 Standings (after Round 7 in Gijon, Spain):

1. Ukraine – 335.0
2. Finland – 335.0
3. Portugal – 280.0
4. Poland – 250.0
5. Czech Republic – 245.0
6. Denmark – 240.0
7. Russia – 227.5
8. Turkey – 220.0
9. Norway – 210.0
10. Austria – 180.0
11. Hungary – 165.0
12. Slovakia – 147.5
13. Greece – 75.0
14. Bulgaria – 35.0

Louise Parkes

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015: One Team Chasing Points At Round 18 In Gijon

The 18th and second-last qualifier of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 season will take place in Gijon, Spain tomorrow, Saturday 29 August, attracting a field of 10 teams.

The starting order, which was determined by a draw held in Gijon this morning, will be as follows:

‎1. USA
2. France
3. Netherlands
4. Switzerland
5. Belgium
6. Canada
7. Ukraine
8. Spain
9. Great Britain
10.Ireland

This is the seventh leg of the Europe Division 2 League, and the team from Ukraine will be eligible for Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping points. A total of 16 nations have been competing in Europe Division 2 during the season, and two teams will qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September.

Tomorrow’s competition will begin at 13.45 local time and will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform.

The FEI is providing a wide range of online information resources in connection with the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping.

FEI European Championships Aachen 2015: Dutch Snatch Gold In Final-Round Team Thriller

Jur Vrieling, Gerco Schroder, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jeroen Dubbeldam with Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens celebrate team gold
The reigning world and Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ champions from The Netherlands clinched team gold at the FEI European Jumping Championships 2015 in Aachen (GER) today. Lying second as the day began, they produced another of their trademark foot-perfect performances to put the result beyond doubt when the leading French squad faded to fifth. And it was the host nation who slotted into silver medal spot ahead of the surprising Swiss who moved up four places to take the bronze.

The result of today’s competition also decided the last three Western European qualifying spots for the 2016 Olympic Games. Switzerland, Great Britain and Spain finished best of the non-qualified eligible nations and are on their way to Rio.

It was a rip-roaring thriller from start to finish, with course designer Frank Rothenberger presenting a massive track that produced spectacular jumping and the best of great sport.

None of the 13 individuals who opened today’s action managed to leave all the poles in place, but they showed that the imposing fences were very jumpable. And once the team action got underway it turned into a ding-dong battle between the major contenders, with the Swiss making an incredible come-back thanks to two clear rounds. Only 10 fault-free results were registered, and when the Dutch added just a single time fault to their tally they were already looking good before last-line rider, Gerco Schröder, took his turn.

Hugely influential

The black wavy planks at fence four was one of the bogeys of the track, and the massive triple combination that followed was also hugely influential, with the opening triple bar enticing horses down to a tall vertical and often leaving them very deep at the final oxer element. And the difficult four or five-stride distance between the big 1.80m-wide oxer at fence eight and the following planks claimed a large number of victims.

Many horses showed better form than they had all week, however, and the fifth-placed Swiss began their climb to the medal podium with an opening clear from Romain Duguet and his mare, Quorida de Treho. Ukraine lay ahead of them as the competition began and Cassio Rivetti’s clear with Vivant got them off to a great start. That pattern continued with a fault-free run for British openers Ben Maher and Diva, Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with the fabulous grey, Fibonacci, and Dutch double world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam with SFN Zenith NOP.

When Penelope Leprevost’s Flora de Mariposa hit the bogey wavy planks the French began to look a little vulnerable. And the British couldn’t improve their situation with single errors from Jessica Mendoza (Spirit T) and Joe Clee (Utamaro D’Ecaussines). Germany held firm with another clear from Christian Ahlmann (Taloubet Z), but the Dutch stayed out in front when Maikel van der Vleuten and the always-reliable VDL Groep Verdi cruised home once again without incident.

The French meanwhile were in rapid decline, paying a high price for Simon Delestre’s (Ryan des Hayettes) mistake at the final element of the triple combination and the double-error from Jerome Hurel (Quartz Rouge) at the wavy planks and the second element of the double of water ditches, one fence from home.

Wide open

By the time Jur Vrieling entered the ring, the door was wide open for the Dutch if the third-line rider could produce a clear round. But he winced when he saw a single time penalty on the board after an otherwise perfect tour of the track, because if Ludger Beerbaum’s four-faulter with Chiara could be discounted by a clear from Daniel Deusser then the Germans had the advantage and all the pressure would be on the final Dutch duo of Gerco Schröder and Glock’s Cognac Champblanc.

You could hear a pin drop when Deusser entered the Soers arena, but there was a huge groan when Cornet D’Amour left the oxer at eight on the floor. The home side would now finish on a final score of 12.40, while the Dutch were already home and hosed with their total of 8.82, Gerco Schröder’s eight-fault effort having no effect on the end result.

The Swiss meanwhile came with a late run. Duguet’s opening clear was followed by nine faults from Martin Fuchs (Clooney) and four from Janika Sprunger (Bonne Chance CW), but it was the clear from Paul Estermann and Castlefield Eclipse that would secure the bronze on a final total of 18.23.

Magic formula

Magic touch

Dutch Chef d’Equipe, Rob Ehrens, who has led his country to great glory in recent years, was asked this evening if he has a magic formula for success. “There is no magic formula, in our small country we just work really well together and it only takes half a minute to call riders and get them in position for nations cups or championships. It’s a great honour for me to work with four of those amazing riders, with their amazing horses and the amazing people behind our team. And we have four more riders banging on the door at home. I’m a happy coach! To perform like this in Aachen, well we hope you will make more Championships in Aachen!” he said.

Double world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam, talked about the way the competition unfolded today and the pressure of being first to go for his side. “All four rounds were important, all four were in a difficult place in every round and had the pressure, my job was to go clear and keep up the spirit, to give the inspiration to keep going. It was a really tough course today. There were already three or four clears before I came in and that put pressure on me. I felt a lot of pressure, but my horse gave me an amazing feeling and the confidence for a clear round, and that gave the spirit to the rest of the team”, he said.

The Netherlands’ (L to R) Jur Vrieling, Gerco Schroder, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jeroen Dubbeldam with Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens celebrate team gold at the FEI European Jumping Championships 2015 in Aachen, Germany. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Tried hard

Asked how he felt about his team’s silver medal finish, German Chef d’Equipe Otto Becker said, “at first I was a little disappointed, but we tried hard and the team did great, all four horses and all four riders, there was not one bad round. It was a big fight and we tried very hard. I agree with Rob (Ehrens), there should be more championships in Aachen, but without the Dutch!”, he added with a laugh.

“Last year in Caen (Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy) and in Herning (FEI European Championships 2013) the competition was really close, but it couldn’t have been closer than in these last few days”, Ludger Beerbaum said. “There were emotional ups and downs. To be careful of your fences every moment and not get distracted by other things. It’s hard when you don’t make it, all four of us over three days had really good rounds, but we must accept the situation, there are days like this, and congratulations to the Dutch!”, said one of the world’s most popular and respected horsemen.

The individual scoreboard underwent a major shake-up today, with Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya shooting up from fifth to the gold medal spot ahead of Ukraine’s Brazilian-born Cassio Rivetti in silver and the reigning world champion, Jeroen Dubbeldam, in bronze. Switzerland’s Romain Duguet lies fourth while Frenchwoman Penelope Leprevost has dropped from first to fifth ahead of Sunday’s individual medal-decider in which riders carry their faults from the previous three days of competition.

Louise Parkes,

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 – Round 16: Belgians Win Through In Three-Round Thriller At Hickstead

In a competition containing all the ingredients of drama and surprise that combine to make the sport of team Jumping such a crowd-pleaser, Belgium came out on top in the penultimate leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 1 League at Hickstead this afternoon. It took a three-way jump-off to decide the result, and hero of the day at the iconic British venue was Pieter Devos who, last to go against the clock, showed exactly why Belgian Chef d’Equipe, Dirk Demeersman, placed his faith in him.

Janika Sprunger claimed runner-up spot for Switzerland, while an uncharacteristic mistake from Beezie Madden and Cortes C saw the USA having to settle for third. With five teams fighting for points towards the Furusiyya 2015 Final in Barcelona, Spain in September there was a lot hanging in the balance and today’s result has rocketed Belgium to the head of the leaderboard, demoting France to second ahead of the defending champions from The Netherlands in third. And when the Europe Division 1 League draws to a close in Dublin, Ireland next Friday it will be the host nation that will be feeling the heat along with Italy, as they are both languishing at the bottom of the table from which only seven of the 10 nations will make the cut to the Spanish finale.

No joy

The Italians were really relying on a good result today to boost their chances, but they had no joy when finishing last. Hampered by elimination for Giulia Martinengo when her mare, Fixdesign Funke van ‘T Heike, stalwartly refused to take on the four-metre-wide open water in either round, they racked up 37 faults to stay well out of the frame. But although Patrice Delaveau was also eliminated first time out when Lacrimoso 3 HDC took a similar dislike to it, three second-round clears from his team-mates ensured fourth place for France.

British course designer, Kelvin Bywater, set them a track without a triple combination but including three doubles, all of which proved influential. The white gate at fence three claimed a number of scalps, while the top pole of Longines vertical three from home often threatened an otherwise clear run. The time-allowed of 80 seconds also played its part, but the Belgians and Swiss already had the bit between their teeth when posting zero scores first time out. The USA carried just four faults into round two while the French carried five and the host nation had six on the board. The British added five more in the second round which allowed Germany to overtake them for fifth place in the final analysis, but the real battle was played out between the Belgians, Swiss and Americans.

Double-clears

As round two drew to a close, the Swiss looked set to clinch a clean victory when both Paul Estermannn (Castlefield Eclipse) and Janika Sprunger (Bonne Chance CW) posted a second clear. Because if anchorman Pius Schwizer could leave the course intact then the single error from Martin Fuchs and Clooney could be discarded to leave them with nothing to add to their clean sheet to date. But Schwizer didn’t jump his nine-year-old stallion Giovanni van Het Scheefkasteel when his team-mates were all fault-free in the first round, and when the pair returned with 15 on the board it moved the Swiss onto a four-fault tally.

The Americans meanwhile jumped into contention when Laura Kraut was clear second time out with Nouvelle and Todd Minikus (Babalou 41) and Beezie Madden (Cortes C) completed two more of the nine double-clears on the day. This left them carrying just Kraut’s single first-round error, Charlie Jayne (Chilli RZ) providing the discard score in both rounds.

And the Belgians began to look vulnerable when Devos led the way second time out with 12 faults. However clears from Judy-Ann Melchior (As Cold as Ice Z) and Olivier Philippaerts (H&M Armstrong van de Kapel) kept them in the game despite the fact that Gudrun Pateet (Sea Coast Pebles Z) left the massive Hickstead planks on the floor.

Ali Wolff and Casall produced the only double-clear of the competition to help clinch victory, and a qualifying spot at the Furusiyya 2015 Final, for Team USA at the third leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series at Coapexpan, Mexico. (FEI/Anwar Esquivel)

Now level

With all three sides now level on a four-fault total it would take a jump-off to separate them.

Madden was first to go, but she left the door wide open when her superstar gelding hit the first element of the double, the third fence on the revised track, and then ground to a halt in front of the second element to finish with eight faults in 55.32 seconds. Sprunger and her exciting new nine-year-old mare Bonne Chance set the first real target when galloping home in 44.17 seconds, but Devos smashed that when breaking the timers in 42.60 to clinch the win.

His choice for the jump-off was a real puzzle for most onlookers, because the 29-year-old had collected 16 faults over the first two rounds with his 14-year-old grey gelding. But Dirk Demeersman knew exactly what he was doing. “I chose Peter and Dylano because I really believe in the combination. The second round today was quite unusual for them, and I was quite sure he would do something good – the horse is very careful and Pieter was really motivated to improve on his second round” the Belgian team manager explained.

End on a good note

“I was really disappointed after my second round and really, really wanted to ride the jump-off to end on a good note. And thanks to my team I was able to do that!”, Devos said. “I didn’t see Janika’s round, but Dirk said to just go for it. We had the same scenario in Mannheim and ended second because I was not fast enough so I didn’t want that again! I’m very relieved!” he added. He admitted his decision to use a hackamore (bitless) bridle in the second round was a mistake. “I had no control, and that’s why we had all those fences down” he explained. Dylano was competing in only his third show after sustaining an injury at the Belgian rider’s local fixture in Lummen in June. “I have a very good feeling about this horse” he said of the gelding he has had for the last nine months.

This was Belgium’s first time to put their name on the coveted Hickstead trophy, and team manager Demeersman was more than pleased. “Finally we have won here! When I came as a rider I had many disasters – I’m very happy for the win and it’s great that we are now qualified for Barcelona, that was our goal” he said.

For further details of the penultimate Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 1 leg at Hickstead, Great Britain visit http://www.hickstead.co.uk The last leg of the Europe Division 1 League will take place in Dublin, Ireland next Friday, 7 August. For information on the Irish fixture go to http://www.dublinhorseshow.com
Result:

1. Belgium 4 faults and 0/42.60 in third-round jump-off: Dylano (Pieter Devos) 4/12/0, As Cold as Ice Z (Judy Ann Melchior) 0/0, Sea Coast Pebles Z (Gudrun Pateet) 0/4, H&M Armstrong van de Kapel (Olivier Philippaerts) 0/0.

2. Switzerland 4 faults and 0/44.17 in third-round jump-off: Castlefield Eclipse (Paul Estermann) 0/0, Clooney 51 (Martin Fuchs) 0/4, Bonne Chance CW (Janika Sprunger) 0/0/0, Giovanni van het Scheefkasteel (Pius Schwizer) DNS/15.

3. USA 4 faults and 8/55.32 in third-round jump-off: Nouvelle (Laura Kraut) 4/0, Chill RZ (Charlie Jayne) 5/8, Babalou 41 (Todd Minikus) 0/0, Cortes C (Beezie Madden) 0/0/8.

4. France 5 faults: Flora de Mariposa (Penelope Leprevost) 1/0, Ryan des Hayettes (Simon Delestre) 0/0, Qoud Coeur de la Loge (Roger Yves Bost) 4/0, Lacrimoso 3 HDC (Patrice Delaveau) Elim/DNS.

5. Germany 9 faults: Fibonacci (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) 0/0, Brooklyn (Mario Stevens) 9/9, Goja (Janne Friederike Meyer) 4/1, Epleaser van T Heike (Christian Ahlmann) 4/0.

6. Great Britain 11 faults: Calcourt Falklund (Michael Whitaker) 5/0, Dougie Douglas (Holly Gillott) 13/9, Titus (Guy Williams) 1/5, Diva ll (Ben Maher) 0/0.

7. Netherlands 17 faults: Vignet (Johnny Pals) 12/8, Don VHP Z (Harrie Smolders) 4/4, Carambole NOP (Willem Greve) 0/4, VDL Zirocco Blue NOP (Jur Vrieling) 5/0.

8. Italy 37 faults: Catwalk Z (Piergiorgio Bucci) 0/4, Fixdesign Funke van ’T Heike (Giulia Martinengo Marquet) Elim/Elim, For Passion (Daniele Augusto da Rios) 4/8, Erco van T Roosakker (Lorenzo de Luca) 12/9.

Pieter Devos and Dylano clinched victory for Belgium in a three-way jump-off at the penultimate leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 1 League in Hickstead, Great Britain today. Photo: FEI/Trevor Meeks.

Facts and Figures:

Hickstead, Great Britain hosted the seventh leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 1 League today.
5 of the 8 competing nations were chasing points towards the Furusiyya 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September.

The competition came down to a three-way jump-off against the clock between Belgium, Switzerland USA in which Belgium came out on top.

Course designer was Great Britain’s Kelvin Bywater.

His track included three doubles, and there was no triple combination.

2 riders were eliminated when their horses refused at the 4-metre-wide open water in the first round – Italy’s Giulia Martinengo (Fixdesign Funke van ’T Heike) and Franchman Patrice Delaveau (Lacrimoso 3 HDC).

9 double-clears from 32 starters.

Switzerland’s Janika Sprunger and Bonne Chance CW were the only horse-and-rider combination to jump three clear rounds.
This was Belgium’s very first Nations Cup victory at Hickstead.

Quotes:

Olivier Philippaerts BEL: “I was very pleased with my horse today – he is a great horse for the future.”

Pieter Devos BEL: Asked about his horse’s tendency to kick and buck during his rounds – “it’s his character and I respect it and work with it – he’s a bit special!”

Dirk Demeersman, Chef d’Equpe BEL, when asked about preparations and team selection for the FEI European Championships at Aachen: “I have plans but I’m not going to share them! Only four riders can compete at the Europeans and so I’m going to have to disappoint some great riders.”

Judy Ann Melchior BEL: “This was my first time here and I must say I had a really good first impression!”

Judy Ann Melchior BEL, talking about her horse As Cold as Ice Z: “She’s amazing. She’s a saint!

Gudrun Pateet BEL: “This was my first day riding in the superleague and it’s a dream come true. It’s also a dream to ride at Hickstead and have a clear round and win!”

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ 2015 Europe Division 1 Standings (after Round 7 at Hickstead, GBR):

1. Belgium – 350
2. France – 310
3. Netherlands – 295
4. Sweden – 295
5. Germany – 295
6. Great Britain – 260
7. Switzerland – 250
8. Ireland – 205
9. Italy – 205
10. Spain – 195

“Furusiyya” (Arabic: فروسيه) this single Arabic word conveys so much, embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry, and equestrian knowledge in general. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman and faras, a horse.

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to Elegance, Tradition and Performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations. Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1912, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for a show jumping event in Portugal.

Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrian sports includes jumping, endurance and flat racing. Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 140 countries.

Louise Parkes

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015: Five Teams Chasing Points At Round 16 In Hickstead

The 16th qualifier of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 season will take place in Hickstead, Great Britain tomorrow, Friday 31 July, attracting a field of eight teams.

The starting order, which was determined by a draw held at Hickstead this afternoon, will be as follows:

‎1. Italy
2. The Netherlands
3. Great Britain
4. Switzerland
5. Belgium
6. USA
7. Germany
8. France

This is the seventh leg of the Europe Division 1 League, and the teams from Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Switzerland will be eligible for Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping points. A total of 10 nations will compete in Europe Division I during the season, and seven teams will qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September..

Tomorrow’s competition will begin at 14.15 local time and will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform.

The FEI is providing a wide range of online information resources in connection with the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping.

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015: Nine Teams Chasing Points At 15Th Qualifier In Bratislava

The 15th qualifier of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 season will take place in Bratislava, Slovakia on Friday 24 July, attracting a field of 13 teams.

The starting order, which was determined by a draw held in Bratislava this evening, will be as follows:

1. Turkey
2. France
3. Belgium
4. Russia‎
‎5. Finland
6. Poland ‎
7. Brazil ‎
8. USA
9. Portugal ‎
10. Greece
11. Czech Republic
12. Hungary
13. ‎ Slovakia

This is the sixth leg of the Europe Division 2 League, and the teams from Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia and Turkey will be eligible for Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping points. A total of 16 nations will compete in Europe Division 2 during the season, and two teams will qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September.

Friday’s competition will begin at 14.00 local time and will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform.

Feinationscup.org: Innovative Social Hub Launched For Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ #SupportYourNation

The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™, the world’s most prestigious team Jumping series, has a brand new online home. The hub http://www.feinationscup.org, which has just been launched, has been created to take fans around the world on an innovative social journey and encourage them to support their nation and the series as a whole.

Feinationscup.org, which is very much picture-led, has been designed to immerse the fans in the spirit of the FEI Nations Cup™ and give them the opportunity to follow and enjoy each qualifier. The pride and excitement shared by the 45 nations competing in the series are central to this new tool. The site takes users on an exciting journey throughout the series all the way to the much anticipated Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final 2015 to be held in Barcelona (ESP) in September. There is a dedicated page for each of the 19 qualifiers which will be updated with exclusive behind the scenes images, competition results and key statistics.

“The newly launched Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup hub is a great new platform,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos commented. “It has been developed to help fans from all over the world to understand and follow the series and to share the wonderful spirit of national pride and sporting excellence.

“Each nation’s achievements will be highlighted as suspense and excitement grow in the chase for the much coveted Furusiyya points. I encourage everyone to follow and cheer for their favourite athletes as teams battle it out to make the exclusive list of nations qualified for the Final.”

The hub will be supported by social media campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube encouraging fans to #SupportYourNation throughout the series.

Follow. Like. Share. Be social and awesome!

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015: Five Teams Chasing Points At Twelfth Qualifier In Rotterdam

The twelfth qualifier of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 season will take place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands tomorrow, Friday 19 June, attracting a field of eight teams.

The starting order, which was determined by a draw held in Rotterdam this afternoon, will be as follows:

1. Brazil
2.‎ Great Britain
3.‎ Germany
4. Sweden
5. ‎ Netherlands
6. France
7. ‎ Switzerland
8. Belgium

Patrick Stuhlmeyer and Lacan produced one of four double-clears in today’s competition to help Germany to victory in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 leg at Sopot in Poland. (FEI/Herve Bonnaud)

This is the fifth leg of the Europe Division 1 League, and the teams from France, Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands and Sweden will be eligible for Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping points. A total of 10 nations will compete in Europe Division I during the season, and seven teams will qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September..

Friday’s competition will begin at 16.00 local time and will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform.

The FEI is providing a wide range of online information resources in connection with the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping.

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015: Five Teams Chasing Points At Tenth Qualifier In St Gallen

The tenth qualifier of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 season will take place at St Gallen, Switzerland, tomorrow, Friday 5 June, attracting a field of eight teams.

The starting order, which was determined by a draw held in St Gallen this afternoon, will be as follows:

1. Germany
2.‎ Switzerland
3.‎ Great Britain
4. Italy
5. ‎ Netherlands
6. Belgium
7. ‎ France
8. Ireland

This is the fourth leg of the Europe Division 1 League, and the teams from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland will be eligible for Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping points. A total of 10 nations will compete in Europe Division I during the season, and seven teams will qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September..

Friday’s competition will begin at 15.00 local time and will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform.

The FEI is providing a wide range of online information resources in connection with the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping.