Beta Disclaimer
 
Email This Post                     Share this post:


Rolex FEI World Cup Preview

Release: April 16 2009
Author: severs

By Malina Gueorguiev

A total of 60 horses were flown in from all over the world to compete at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Finals to be held in Las Vegas, NV, April 15-19. The 35 European-based jumping and dressage horses left from Liege airport in Belgium at 7:19 a.m. local time on Saturday, April 11, and arrived without incident in Las Vegas at 8:55 a.m. local time after a direct flight that took 10 hours and 35 minutes. At the same time, airplanes from all over the world delivered their precious loads from the other World Cup Leagues.

Facts and Figures
The FEI World Cup™ Jumping has been the climax of the indoor season since 1979. The 2009 Final is the fifth FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final to be held in Las Vegas. The first final in the Thomas & Mack Center in 2000 only featured show jumping.

Forty-six riders from 22 countries have confirmed their participation in the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. Twelve riders from the United States, six from Germany and three from Switzerland will compete in the jumping final. The full list of participants is available here.

Mother and Son
For the first time in history a mare and her son will compete together in an FEI World Cup Final. American rider Michelle Spadone qualified with her mare Melisimo in the USA East Coast League. Before becoming a show jumper, Melisimo (by the 1994 World Cup winner Libero H) was a broodmare in The Netherlands. In 1998 she gave birth to Robin Hood W, who has qualified with Ben Maher from Great Britain. In order to produce Robin Hood W, Dutch horse breeder Bennie Wezenberg chose multiple World Cup participant Animo as partner for his mare Melisimo.

Course Designers

American course designer Anthony d’Ambrosio will be assisted by Leopoldo Palacios from Venezuela.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, 15 April 2009
9:30 a.m. Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Warm-Up Class I and II
1:30 p.m. Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage Warm-Up Class

Thursday, 16 April 2009
Noon Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage Grand Prix
7:00 p.m. Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final I

Friday, 17 April 2009
Noon Las Vegas Dressage Showcase Brentina's Retirement
7:00 p.m. Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final II

Saturday, 18 April 2009
Noon Las Vegas Jumping Grand Prix
7:00 p.m. Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final

Sunday, 19 April 2009
Noon Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final III

Western European Leader Relies on Rookie
For the final in Las Vegas, Western European League winner Gerco Schröder has to rely on Eurocommerce Seattle, the least experienced of his three horses meeting the criteria for competing in the Final. “Eurocommerce Milano was not feeling very well, which showed in a blood analysis,” said the Dutch rider. “Eurocommerce Pennsylvania has not been competing for a couple of weeks, so that would not be a good idea. Eurocommerce Seattle has only done three World Cup qualifiers, this is his first big test. But he was second in the Championat in Dortmund, he gives me a very good feeling.”

Favorites
Once more title defender Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is one of the big favourites. The American-born German rider took the title last year in Göteborg and didn’t compete her top horse Shutterfly too frequently during the indoor season, to keep him as strong as possible for Las Vegas. Both Meredith and her superstar Shutterfly know the way in the small arena of the Thomas & Mack Center. The pair also won the 2005 Final, held in Las Vegas.

Another contestant who may do very well in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final is Michael Whitaker. He secured his ticket to Las Vegas in the last leg of the Western European League, ending up third in the last leg in ‘s Hertogenbosch.

S
 
News Releases
Press Release Archive
Around the World News