Rafael Gouveia Jr (BRA) wins the fifth qualifier of the FEI Eventing World Cup on home ground

Twenty-one year old Brazilian rider Rafael Gouveia Jr. riding the 12-year old stallion EHK Mozart won the fifth FEI Eventing World Cup qualifier held at Lagoa Santa, MG (BRA) from 7 to 9 May. After an average Dressage test (58.37), which had initially placed them in 8th position, the pair performed the event's only clear Cross Country and, with one rail down during the Show Jumping, secured a final score of 62.37. It a very impressive step forward for both horse and rider who had taken part in last year's Brazilian World Cup leg taking the second place. Thanks to this excellent performance, Gouveia places equal 5th in the World Cup standings with 100 points (ex-aequo with Robyn Fisher of the USA)

Runner up Sergio Marins (BRA) on Vallee Rally LF follows the winner closely with a score of 64.93. Marins was 3rd after Dressage (54.13) but a good Cross Country (6.80 time penalties) moved him up to 2nd position despite the 4 Jumping penalties earned during the last test. Similarly to Gouveia, this year's result is an improvement for Marins who had taken the 3rd position last year (77.26).

The event's youngest competitor Raul Senna, 20, placed 3rd with 74.80.

After two qualifiers the leaderbord is as follows:

1. Darren Chiacchia (USA) - 123
2. Matthew Grayling (NZL)  118
3. Phillip Dutton (AUS) - 110
4. Andrzej Pasek (POL) - 101
5. Robyn Fisher (USA) - 100
5. R. de Gouveia Jr. (BRA) - 100
7. Sergio Henrique Marins (BRA) - 60
7. M. Duroy De Laurire (FRA) - 60
7. Craig Nicolai (NZL) - 60
7. Anna Collier (USA) - 60

The full standings are available from the FEI website www.horsesport.org (http://www.horsesport.org/fei/pdfs/consult/02_03/C_04_st_WC.pdf ).

According to the 2004 FEI Eventing World Cup Regulations, points are awarded to all riders that have completed the competition regardless to the number of starters, with 100 points going to the winner and 1 point to all the riders after the 20th place. A rider that rides more than one horse in a qualifier will be awarded points for each result. The full Regulations are available on the FEI's website www.horsesport.org (http://www.horsesport.org/fei/pdfs/reference/03_02/CC_WC_Rules2004.pdf).

The next qualifier will take place at Chatsworth (GBR) this weekend (14-16 May).

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The FEI Eventing World Cup is the sport's first linked series consisting of 17 qualifiers culminating in a yearly Final. It is organised at the highest level (three-star) of the short Eventing format which is the new standard for Championships and the Olympic Games. The series is designed in manner to encourage the participation of the world's best riders and horses and thus promote such emblematic values of Eventing, as the constant quest for harmony between physical skills and mental balance, contact with nature, precision, stamina, agility and insightful training. The FEI Eventing World Cup is a showcase of a sport resolutely turning to the future.