FEI World Cup™ Jumping: Bordeaux (FRA)

Michel Robert, one of the most respected riders in the sport of international show jumping, put on a brilliant exhibition with Galet d'Auzay to clinch the tenth leg of the 2006/2007 FEI World Cup™ Jumping series at Bordeaux in France tonight.

In a five-horse jump-off the 58 year old Frenchman raised the game with a superb second-to-go effort that could not be bettered, and it was an excellent evening for the home supporters when Michel Hecart secured second spot. Germany's Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Ulrich Kirchhoff had to settle for third and fourth places respectively while Sweden's Rolf-Goran Bengtsson slotted into fifth.

"I'm very happy with my horse tonight" Robert said afterwards. "This is his first win indoors, normally he goes better outside but he was settled tonight even though it was a difficult competition" he pointed out.

Course designer Frank Rothenberger's first-round track created just enough problems to leave 15 of the world's best riders sitting on the sidelines during round two after posting four-fault results. Britain's Michael Whitaker was the quickest of these when breaking the beam with Insultech Portofino in 63.71 seconds, slotting into sixth spot ahead of Austria's Thomas Fruhmann and The Sixth Sense, but one of the most interesting surprises of the opening round was an excellent four-fault performance from William Whitaker, yet another member of that ultra-talented British dynasty and a young man who is beginning to show some real promise under the stewardship of his Uncle Michael. The four-fault list also included reigning FEI World Cup™ champion Marcus Ehning and Gitania along with 2006 WEG champion Jos Lansink riding Al Kaheel Spender S. This horse and rider are in the early stages of establishing their new partnership following the acquisition of the 12 year old stallion from Sweden's Maria Gretzer, and things are already looking good.

Michel Hecart led the way against the clock with the 11 year old stallion Itot du Chateau and put on plenty of pressure when returning clear in a time of 38.05 seconds but his fellow-countryman, Robert, shaved almost a second off that when home and hosed in 37.12.

Then came the Swedish challengers, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and his tough gelding MacKinley, who hit the FEI fence for four faults in 38.50 seconds before Germany's Ulrich Kirchhoff and Carino returned four-tenths of a second quicker, but also with one down. The competition was far from over however as the last combination into the ring were the formidable World No 2 Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and her former FEI World Cup™ champion Shutterfly who set off at a blistering pace and galloped through the finish in 37.09 seconds. But they knocked the very last fence and so had to settle for third place.

Robert knew that the line he had ridden had made it difficult for the rest. "I took short turns and it was not going to be easy to beat me but I still didn't go completely crazy!" said the man who has been a master of his art for many years now. A team bronze medallist at the Olympic Games in both Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992, there are few honours he has not clocked up during his glittering career. In 1982 he won the World Championship in Dublin riding Ideal de la Haye, four years later he took bronze in Aachen and at the World Equestrian Games in The Hague he steered the great mare, Miss, into silver medal position. He has claimed three European individual silver medals and one bronze along with team silver at the European Championships in Gijon in 1993 and he has been Mediterranean champion on two occasions. And before show jumping became his No. 1 game, this horseman extraordinaire enjoyed a hugely successful career as a three-day event rider, competing in Burghley in 1971 and at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. A staggering 35 years later he is still at the top of his form, and tonight marked another milestone. Because only once before has this great rider won a qualifying round of the World Cup series - and that was in exactly the same venue, Bordeaux, back in the 1991/1992 season riding Nonix.

Robert said tonight that he had not included a trip to Las Vegas in his plans for the next few months - "but maybe now I will think again" he pointed out. "Galet d'Auzay had a great mentality today. I have only done one other qualifier with him, in Amsterdam last week, and he is really only getting started. I had already planned to go to Vigo next weekend so maybe if we do well there, who knows, we will see....." he added after collecting tonight's €27,000 first prize.

Another win at in Spain next Saturday night would be just about enough to ensure his passage to the 2006/2007 FEI World Cup™ Jumping final next April and would provide the veteran French super-star with the chance to add yet another title to his incredible tally......

FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING QUALIFIER presented by Congres et Exposition du Bordeaux
RESULT: 1, Galet d'Auzay (M Robert) Fra 0/0 37.12; 2, Itot du Chateau (M Hecart) Fra 0/0 38.05; 3, Shutterfly (M Michaels-Beerbaum) Ger 37.09; 4, Carino (Ulrich Kirchhoff) Ger 0/4 38.46; 5, MacKinley (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) Swe 0/4 38.50; 6, Insultech Portofino (Michael Whitaker) GBR 4/63.71; 7, The Sixth Sense (Thomas Fruhmann) Aut 4/63.86; 8, Controe (Marco Kutscher) Ger 4/64.17; 9, Cyrenaika FRH (Philippe Leoni) Fra 4/64.62; 10, Ilostra ark (Eugenie Angot) Fra 4/64.86; 11, Gitania (Marcus Ehning) Ger 4/64.89; 12, First de Launay HN (Florian Angot) Fra 4/65.06; 13, Sinclaire (Christian Ahlmann) Ger 4/65.25; 14, Couleur Rubin (Ludger Beerbaum) Ger 4/67.06; 15, Arielle (William Whitaker) GBR 4/67.10; 16, Jadis de Toscane (Philippe Rozier) Fra 4/67.39; 17, Eurocommerce Berlin (Gerco Schroder) Ned 4/67.46; 18, Grande Dame Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) Bel 4/67.86; 19, Al Kaheel Spender S (Jos Lansink) Bel 4/68.02; 20, SIEC Hippica Kerman (Cameron Hanley) Irl 4/68.34; 21, Isaac (Royne Zetterman) Swe 5/69.18; 22, Quibell (Jessica Kuerten) Irl 8/63.32; 23, Maddock (Jesus Garmendia) Esp 8/66.43; 24, Indigo (Beat Mandli) Sui 8/68.39; 25, Nanta (Jonella Ligresti Bonomelli) Ita 8/82.57; 26, Camiro (Tony Andre Hansen) Nor 7/70.76; 27, Sam (Albert Zoer) Ned 12/63.12; 28, Inedite de Balme (Simon Delestre) Fra 12/63.55; 29, La Toya (Markus Fuchs) Sui 12/64.43; 30, Gabelou des Ores (Stephan Lafouge) Fra 12/65.83; 31, Van Schijndel's Rascin (Piet Raymakers Jnr) Ned 12/66.75; 32, Jalisca Solier (Steve Guerdat) Sui 12/67.22; 33, Fresh Direct Corlato (Tim Stockdale) GBR 12/67.83; 34, Ideal de la Loge (Roger-Yves Bost) Fra 12/67.93; 35, Icare du Manet (Julien Eppailard) Fra 13/69.89; 36, Iasco Mouche (Robert Breul) Fra 16/68.61; 37, VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 17/87.01; 38, Isovlas Pialotta (Edwina Alexander) Aus Elim; 39, Isaac du Jonquet (Mikael Forsten) Fin, Andante (Tina Lund) Den Ret.

FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2006/2007 - WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 10 AT BORDEAUX:

1. Christian Ahlmann - 82
2. Beat Mandli - 64
3. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum - 63
4. Albert Zoer - 56
5. Michael Whitaker - 50
6. Markus Beerbaum - 45
7. Judy-Ann Melchior - 44
8. Gerco Schroder - 42
9. Rene Tebbel - 42
10. Patrick McEntee - 42
11. Malin Baryard-Johnsson - 36
12. Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst and Marcus Ehning - 34
14. Eugenie Angot - 34
15. Marco Kutscher - 33
16. Steve Guerdat - 30
17. Daniel Deusser and Leopold Van Asten - 30
19. Mark Armstrong - 28
20. Jos Lansink - 27

For further information on the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Qualifier at Bordeaux contact Press Officer Marie-Sol Fournier at Tel: +33556 119943 or Email: presse@bordeaux-expo.com. Show President at the French fixture is Marc Lecoq, Show Director is Francois-Bernard Martin and Show Secretary is Sabine Palau. WEBSITE is www.jumping-bordeaux.com

The NEXT leg of the series takes place in Vigo, Spain on Saturday 10th February. Show President at the Spanish fixture is Manuel Fernandez de Sousa-Faro, Show Director is Marcelino Cendon Estevez, Show Secretary is Irene Gonzalez Garcia and Press Officer is Alejandra Mier Rodriguez - Tel (mobile) +34657 593093 or Email: amier@csivigo.com. WEBSITE: www.csivigo.com.


2006/2007 FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING SERIES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE:
1. Oslo (Norway) 13-15 October: 2, Helsinki (Finland) 19-22 October; 3, Verona (Italy) 10-12 November; 4, Stuttgart (Germany) 15-19 November; 5, Geneva (Switzerland) 7-10 December; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) 12-18 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) 26-30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 18-21 January; 9, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) 25-28 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) 2-4 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) 8-11 February; 12, Gothenburg (Sweden) 22-25 February; 13, 's-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) 22-25 March. Final - Las Vegas (USA) 19-22 April.

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

FEI World Cup™ Jumping has entered its 29th 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 Las Vegas, USA which takes place from 19 to 22 April 2007. The title-holder is Germany's Marcus Ehning.

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.