It's the Final Count Down

There is still plenty of jumping to be done before the final line-up for the 2007/2008 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series is decided tomorrow when the Western European League qualifying rounds conclude at s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands and the USA West and East Coast Leagues come to an end.

Three-in-a-row champion, Rodrigo Pessoa from Brazil who dominated the series with Baloubet du Rouet between 1998 and 2000, could yet make the cut. Since January he has added 18 points from the US circuit to the 17 collected in Europe earlier in the season - his second-place finish at Green Cove Springs in Florida in January proving pivotal. So if he can produce another good result at the final leg of the West Coast series at San Juan Capistrano in California tomorrow he could rocket even further up the Western European League table where he currently occupies 19th position with 35 points.

The line-up at s'Hertogenbosch is a formidable one, and those just outside the qualification zone will be giving it all they've got in an effort to book their ticket to the final in Gothenburg, Sweden next month. When the calculations have been made at the end of the competition the top-18 will have earned their stripes but substitutions are allowed up to 27th place if, for any reason, riders cannot travel.

At the FEI Jumping Committee meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland in 10 days time a decision will be made about who will receive the single Wild Card. The 2006/2007 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Beat Mandli, automatically qualifies.

The standings on the Western European League table going into tomorrow's competition are as follows, Ireland's Jessica Kuerten continuing to hold a strong lead:

1. Jessica Kuerten - 79
2. Rutherford Latham - 63
3. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum - 59
4. Tim Stockdale - 50
5. Gerco Schroder - 49
6. Steve Guerdat - 48
7. Rolf-Goran Bengtsson - 47
8. Patrick McEntee - 47
9. Albert Zoer - 46
10. Ludger Beerbaum - 44
11. Helena Lundback - 42
12. William Whitaker - 39
13. Harry Smolders - 39
14. Marcus Ehning - 38
15. Heinrich-Hermann Engemann - 38
16. Michael Whitaker - 37
17. Eugenie Angot - 36
18. Mikael Forsten - 35
19. Rodrigo Pessoa - 35
20. Malin Baryard-Johnsson - 35
21. Markus Fuchs - 34
22. Max Kuhner - 33
23. Judy Ann Melchior - 33
24. Omar Bonomelli - 31
25. Nick Skelton - 30
26. Luciana Diniz - 29
27. Marco Kutscher - 26
28. Michel Hecart - 25
29. Thomas Fruhmann - 24
30. Lars Nieberg - 24
31. Daniel Deusser - 24
32. Piet Raijmakers - 24
 

The class begins at 14.45h.
 

For further information on the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifying leg in s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands check out website www.indoorbrabant.nl. Show President is Gerrit Jan Swinkels, Show Director is Frank Kemperman and Press Officer is Cindy Velstra - Tel (mobile) +31 654 674 396, Email cindy@head2tail.nl.

The series final take place in Gothenburg, Sweden from 24-27 April. For full programme and details check out WEBSITE www.goteborghorseshow.com. Show President at the Swedish fixture is Per Lojdquist, Show Director is Tomas Torgersen, Sport Secretary is Wiveka Lundh and Press Officer is Mayvor Thorin - contact (mobile) +46 705 828420.

PHOTO CATALOGUE - Photographs of the winning riders in high and low resolution can be downloaded from the FEI online catalogue. To access it, please visit www.horsesport.org>Media Centre>Catalogue. There is no reproduction fee, but please credit photographer (photographer's name will appear under each photo)/FEI. Usage is strictly for editorial purposes.

MEDIA GUIDE - The FEI is pleased to provide you with a Media Guide for the 2007/2008 season. The Guide is filled with useful facts, figures and statistics including the list of winners since the series began in 1978 and contact details to help you access all the information you need. You can download it from the Media Centre on the FEI website www.horsesport.org or order a hard copy from FEI Communication - Email o.robinson@horsesport.org.

 2007/2008 ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING SERIES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE:

1, Oslo (Norway) 12-14 October; 2, Helsinki (Finland) 18-21 October; 3, Verona (Italy) 8-11 November; 4, Stuttgart (Germany) 14-18 November; 5, Geneva (Switzerland) 6-9 December; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) 17-22 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) 26-30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 17-20 January; 9, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) 24-27 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) 1-3 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) 8-11 February; 12, 's-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) 27-30 March; FINAL - Gothenburg (Sweden) 24-27 April.

YOU CAN SEE IT ON TV
2007/2008 ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING BROADCAST SCHEDULE FOR ROUND 12 AT S'HERTOGENBOSCH:
Live/Delayed Live

NOS (The Netherlands) - Sunday 30 March 14.40
RAI (Italy) - Check local service
SVT (Sweden) - Sunday 30 March 17.00
Equidia (France) - Sunday 30 March 20.45, Sunday 6 April 21.45

Highlights
CBC Country (Canada) - Saturday 5 April 14.00
CNBC Asia - Check local service
CNBC Europe - Saturday 5 April 17.00
ESPN Brazil - Check local service
ESPN Star (Pan Asia) - Check local service
Eurosport - Wednesday 2 April 18.55
Finnish Sport TV - Saturday 12 April 14.45
Fox Australia - Check local service
Fox Middle East - Monday 21 April 16.00, thursday 24 April 10.00, Friday 25 April 04.00
M-Net (Pan Africa) - Thursday 17 April 17.30, Friday 18 April 00.00, 06.00, Saturday 19 April 10.00, Sunday 20 April 11.00,
Monday 21 April 13.30, tuesday 22 April 13.00, Wednesday 23 April 19.30, Thursday 24 April 23.00
Sport TV (Portugal) - Check local service
Sport Plus (France) - Monday 7 April 21.30
WCSN (USA) - Wednesday 23 April 20.00.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE RULES FOR FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING RIDERS FROM FEI WEBSITE www.feiworldcup.org

FEI World Cup™ Jumping has entered its 30th season. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 132 preliminary competitions will qualify for the final in Gothenburg, Sweden which takes place from 24-27 April 2008. The title-holder is Switzerland's Beat Mandli.

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. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.