FEI World Cup Jumping 2005-2006 : Helsinki Preview

The Hartwall Arena in Helsinki is the venue for the first round of the
2005/2006 FEI World Cup Jumping series this weekend. The fixture got
underway in the capital city of Finland this morning and the World Cup
qualifier will take place on Sunday afternoon.

A total of 13 qualifying legs are scheduled for the 2005/2006 series and the majority of the qualifying competitions are scheduled to take place on Sunday afternoons, but four legs of the series will be staged on other days. The dates are as follows:

Round 1 - Helsinki, Finland SUNDAY 9th October; Round 2 - Oslo, Norway SUNDAY 16th October; Round 3 - Verona, Italy SUNDAY 6th November; Round 4 - Stuttgart, Germany SUNDAY 20th November; Round 5 - Geneva, Switzerland SUNDAY 11th December; Round 6 - London-Olympia, Great Britain SUNDAY 18th December; Round 7 - Mechelen, Belgium FRIDAY 30 December; Round 8 - Leipzig, Germany SUNDAY 22 January; Round 9 - Bordeaux, France SATURDAY 4 February; Round 10 - Vigo, Spain SATURDAY 11 February; Round 11, Paris-Bercy, France SATURDAY 4 March; Round 12, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands SUNDAY 26 March; Round 13, Goteborg, Sweden SUNDAY 16 April.

In an historic move, the final will take place in Asia next April. Following the success and impact of the 2003 and 2004 Kuala Lumpur Grand Prix 5-Star events the organisers, Asiapromote Ventures, have been awarded the honour of hosting the 2005/2006 FEI World Cup Jumping final and this marks an important moment, as Malaysia is the first country outside Western Europe and the USA to stage such a prestigious and important equestrian event. The 2006 FEI General Assembly will also take place in Kuala Lumpur.

Defending FEI World Cup Jumping champion, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum from Germany, will not be competing in Helsinki but she has arrived to support her husband Markus who will be in action over the weekend and also to support Finnish rider Sebastian Numminen who is based at the Beerbaum yard in Germany. Numminen was the first Finn ever to ride at a European Championship when lining out in San Patrignano this summer where he finished a creditable 18th and he should be a strong contender on Sunday. Three other members of the Finnish team that won the nations cup in Hamina this summer, Mikael Forsten, Noora Pentti and Peik Andersin, will also be in action along with five-times Finnish champion Raimo Aaltonen. However one of the most interesting competitors at the FIM Horse Show is event rider Piia Pantsu who is making her debut at the Helsinki fixture. The hugely successful 34 year old finished sixth at the European Eventing Championship at Blenheim Castle in England last month and was third at the Eventing World Cup final in Malmo, Sweden in August but she has been showing real form in the sport of show jumping in recent months too with victory in the FinnDerby in Ypaja in June and a win at the new international show in Lindkoping last week.

Double-European champions Christina Liebherr from Switzerland and Jeroen Dubbeldam from Holland will be hoping to pick up some early FEI World Cup Jumping points as will, amongst others, Belgium's Ludo Philippaerts and Jean-Claude Vangeenberghe, Germany's Rene Tebbel, Toni Hassmann and Ulrich Kirchhoff and Irishman Dermott Lennon, the reigning world champion. Eric van der Vleuten has twice won the Helsinki World Cup qualifier and the Dutch are out in strength with Gerco and Wim Schroder, Piet Raymakers and Leopold van Asten also vying for a piece of the action. Russia, Ukraine, Sweden, Japan, Estonia, Norway, Spain, Brazil, Australia, Austria and Saudi Arabia will all be represented, so this first weekend of FEI World Cup Jumping promises a great start to the new season.

Meanwhile the new website for the series will be launched tomorrow afternoon and you will be able to access lots of useful information by visiting www.feiworldcup.org.

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For further information on the first round of the FEI World Cup 2005/2006 series in Helsinki, Finland on Sunday 9th October contact Press officer Kati Hurme-Leikkonen, Tel (mobile)             +35840 5144753      , email kati.l.hurme@kolumbus.fi. Show President is Kristian Nymman, Show Director is Tom Gordin and Show Secretary is Hanna Hurme, email hanna.hurme@helsinkihorseshow.fi. website: www.helsinkihorseshow.fi.

The next round takes place in Oslo, Norway on Sunday 16th October. Show President at Oslo is Kjell Christian Ulrichsen, Show Director is Morten Aasen and Show Secretary is Annhild Furfjord. Press Officer is Siri Klevaas - Tel (mobile)             +47 91849703      , email sklevaas@online.no. Website www.oslohorseshow.com.

For all information about the final in Kuala Lumpur (26-30 April) check out the website www.klworldcupfinal.com or contact Press Officer Lo Wai Fai at email waifai@asiapromote.net or Tel (mobile)             +6012 209 0068      . Show Director is Peter Winton, email paw@asiapromote.net.

2005/2006 FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING SERIES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS: 1, Helsinki (Finland) - 6/9 October; 2, Oslo (Norway) - 14/16 October; 3, Verona (Italy) - 4/6 November; 4, Stuttgart (Ger) - 16/20 November; 5, Geneva (Switzerland) - 8/11 December; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) - 13-19 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) - 26/30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 19/22 January; 9, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) - 26/29 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) - 3/5 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) - 9/12 February; 12, Paris-Bercy (France) - 4/5 March; 13, 's-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) - 23/26 March; 14, Goteborg (Sweden) - 13/16 April. Final Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 26/30 April.

BIOGRAPHIES of riders competing in the FEI World Cup Jumping series are available at http://bios.horsesport.org.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE RULES for World Cup Jumping riders from FEI website www.horsesport.org.

FEI World Cup Jumping has entered its 28th year.

The series, created in 1978, today comprises 13 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 116 World Cup preliminary competitions will qualify for the Final in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which takes place from 26 to 30 April 2006. The title-holder is Germany's Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations. Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms. It is also the only sport which involves two athletes - horse and rider - and the FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse.

For more information contact: FEI Communications, Muriel Faienza m.faienza@horsesport.org or consult FEI website www.horsesport.org.