Federation Equestre Internationale News 4 June 2002

- FEI GANDINI World Jumping Riders Rankings
- FEI BCM World Dressage Riders Rankings
- Samsung Nations Cup
- 20 years of Endurance
- 2002 World Singles Driving Championship in CONTY (FRA)
- This Weekend

FEI Gandini Jumping Riders World Ranking List: Time For A Change

It is the high season for the riders of the FEI Gandini Jumping Rankings. Ludger Beerbaum (GER) still firmly leads the rankings with 3719 points. In May, he earned 675 points at the World Cup Final in Leipzig, but also at CSI-A Wiesbaden, Aach, Hamburg in Germany and last week-end at CSIO Lucerne. Points of both 2001 and 2002 Swiss CSIOs are exceptionally included in the same list, as the 2001 edition in St-Gallen was held in June and therefore points awarded at that event are still taken into account. Next month, Beerbaum will have no less than 1046 points dropped from June last year, including half of the points earned at the 2001 European Championship.

Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) remains second with a total of 2784 points (935 less than Beerbaum). In June, he will loose “only” 380 points, so he might find himself in a position to take hold of the first place of the rankings.

Lars Nieberg (GER) continues his progression and goes up from the 4th to the 3rd place, thanks to his good results in Leipzig, Wiesbaden and Hamburg. Rolf Göran Bengtsson (SWE) follows closely behind in 4th positoin thanks to his 240 points earned in Leipzig.

Toni Hassmann (GER) and Otto Becker (GER) enter the Top Ten at the 8th and 10th place respectively. The 2002 World Cup Champion Becker earned no less than 253.5 points in Leipzig.

The American ladies are taking advantage of their European tour. Leslie Howard (USA) is the best lady rider and now occupies the 11th rank. She might very well enter the Top Ten next month, as she will have no points dropped. Excellent performance also from Laura Kraut (USA) who moved up from 30th to 19th place. She earned 150 points in CSIO Rome, and was one of the double clear rounds at the Samsung Nations Cup of CSIO Lucerne (100 points bonus).

FEI BCM World Dressage Riders Rankings

Ulla Salzgeber (GER) is getting close to the 80% average score. She is now leading the rankings with a total of 79.935 points.

No change in the Top Ten.

Complete rankings with details of the scores for each rider (best 10 scores included n the rankings) on www.horsesport.org, section consult/results

Samsung Nations Cup

Germany took the lead of the Samsung Nations Cup further to the victory of their team in CSIO Lucerne (SUI) last week-end. With 32 points, Germany is ahead of Belgium (also 32 points, but over 7 competitions compared to 6 for Germany). The Leading Horse is Carling King (IRL) of Kevin Babington. Thanks to her double clear round in Lucerne, Laura Kraut (USA) is now the Leading Rider with 8 points.

This week-end, 11 teams will participate in the Samsung Nations Cup of CSIO Lisbon (POR) on Sunday 9 June: Brazil, Bulgaria, Germany, Italia, Switzerland, France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Spain. The firs round will start at 14:00 and the second is scheduled for approx. 18:00.

All results on www.jumpoffpor.com

The same day, Another Nations Cup will take place at CSIO Poznan (POL). More information will be published in the Samsung Nations Cup section of the FEI website as soon as available. For more information, see www.hipodromwola.pl

20 Years of Endurance

2002 sees the 20th year of FEI Endurance and it is remarkable to witness the growth of the discipline. Prof. Vittorio de Scantis (ITA), now Honorary Vice President of the FEI, introduced it to the FEI with the assistance of Dr George Riedler (SUI) who was then the Chairman of the European Long Distance Ride Conference (ELDRIC).

In 1982 there were 4 international rides. This number slowly increased to an average of 18 rides per year up until 1998. This was the year that the World Championships were held in the United Arab Emirates. Thanks to the sponsorship of the UAE NF, riders were able to ride their own horses in the Championship for the first time and 47 NFs came from all over the world to compete.

This huge attendance proved the catalyst for an amazing growth in participation, in 2001 even with the Foot and Mouth epidemic there were 130 rides and this year there will be over 175.

The sport has changed over these years although the fundamental principles have not. Today the rides are faster, the riders more professional and with that improvement the quality of all aspects have generally improved. The challenge for the next 20 years is to maintain this improvement and to ensure that as in the past the horse’s welfare is the paramount concern of all in the sport.

2002 World Singles Driving Championship in CONTY (FRA)

The 2002 World Singles Driving Championship will be organised in Conty (FRA) from 28 August through 1 September. Drivers from 23 nations and some 25,000 visitors are expected to join in this second edition. The first World Singles Driving Championship took place in Ebbs (AUT). The second edition, which should have been held in Gladstone (USA) in 2000, was cancelled due to an outbreak of west nile virus.

The competitions will take place in an exceptional venue located 120km north of Paris. Les Ateliers de la Selle, a former cheese dairy transformed into a horse club, is surrounded by woods and paths where International Course Designer Christian Iseli has built brand new marathon obstacles especially for the occasion. Moreover, this club is a home to 48 disabled people who partake in an innovative therapy based on horse training. In this connection, a seminar on equestrian sports for the disabled will be held prior to the Championship, on 26 August at the Picardie-Amiens University.

Competitions will take place according to the following schedule:

Wednesday, 28 August – opening ceremony
Thursday, 29 August – dressage
Friday, 30 August – dressage
Saturday, 31 August – marathon
Sunday, 1 September – obstacle driving

For further information, please visit the official website www.conty-worlddriving.com

This Weekend

Samsung Nations Cup, CSIO Lisbon (POR) on www.jumpoffpor.com

Samsung Nations Cup CSIO Poznan (POL) on www.hipodromwola.pl

www.horsesport.org

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