Samsung Super League with FEI - Rome, Italy

The USA got the best of the draw while the unfortunate Irish came off
the worst when the starting order for tomorrow's third leg of the
Samsung Super League with FEI series was decided this afternoon.

The draw is as follows:
1. Ireland
2. Italy
3. Switzerland
4. Great Britain
5. France
6. Germany
7. Sweden
8. The Netherlands
9. USA.

Although the Italian team no longer has access to a place in the
Sasmung Super League with FEI series after demotion at the end of the
inaugural 2003 season, their home venue at the Piazza di Siena in the
beautiful city of Rome remains one of the most popular in the eight-leg
series and they will be making their annual appearance in Super League
company when the action begins at 15.00 hrs local time tomorrow.

For the USA today's draw was nothing short of perfect, but team manager
George Morris was far from over-optimistic about his side's chances of
getting the better of the Germans who have dominated the first two
rounds. "They always have to be considered a dire threat, although in
my opinion the favourites to win tomorrow are the British".

German Chef d'Equipe Lutz Gossing politely tipped the Americans for the
win as did Irish team manager Robert Splaine but the British were
mentioned repeatedly and Derek Ricketts admitted that both he, and his
team, are in a very positive mood. "We've ended up with our strongest
team here by accident really - it's just the way things have worked
out. We are using the Super League competitions to test our riders for
the World Equestrian Games so tomorrow will be an important day for us"
he added.

He is, understandably, very excited about his new young star Tim
Gredley whose mature riding over the first two legs of the series has
belied his age. "He's only 20 years old but we have quite a few good
younger riders on the way up and last year Tim went to the Young Rider
European Championships and brought back two medals. Then we sent him
to the Super League final in Barcelona for his first nations cup and
the only mistake he made was a foot in the water in both rounds. He
did such a lot at Young Rider level that he was ready for it and he's
right on target this year" Ricketts pointed out.

Another young man will be put to a different test tomorrow when 23 year
old Ryan Crumley is pathfinder for the competition with Baltimore for
Ireland. The Irish know that they need to make a supreme effort to move
off the end of the league table and manager, Robert Splaine, said today
that he would be happy to show even a little improvement tomorrow - "a
mid-way placing would make us all feel a lot better but of course you
never know, we might just be really good and win it!" he said with a
smile.

SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI 2006 : LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 2 AT
AACHEN:

1. GERMANY - 20
2. USA - 14
3. SWITZERLAND - 7.5
4. GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE - 7
6. THE NETHERLANDS - 4
7. SWEDEN - 3.5
8. IRELAND - 2

SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE - NATIONAL PRIDE, INTERNATIONAL PASSION!