Preview of the 2009 Rolex FEI World CupTM Jumping Final

A total of 60 horses were flown in from all over the world to compete at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Finals to be held in Las Vegas (USA) from 15 to 19 April. The 35 European based Jumping and Dressage horses left from Liege airport in Belgium at 7h19am local time on Saturday 11 April and arrived without incident in Las Vegas at 8h55am local time after a direct flight that took 10 hours and 35 minutes. At the same time, airplanes from all over the world delivered their precious loads from the other World Cup Leagues.

Facts and Figures

The FEI World Cup™ Jumping has been the climax of the indoor season since 1979. The 2009 Final is the fifth FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final to be held in Las Vegas. The first final in the Thomas & Mack Centre in 2000 only featured show jumping.

Forty-six riders from 22 countries have confirmed their participation in the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. Twelve riders from the United States, six from Germany and three from Switzerland will compete in the Jumping final. The full list of participants is available here.

Mother and Son

For the first time in history a mare and her son will compete together in an FEI World Cup Final. American rider Michelle Spadone qualified with her mare Melisimo in the USA East Coast League. Before becoming a show jumper, Melisimo (by the 1994 World Cup winner Libero H) was a brood mare in The Netherlands. In 1998 she gave birth to Robin Hood W, who has qualified with Ben Maher from Great Britain. In order to produce Robin Hood W Dutch horse breeder Bennie Wezenberg chose multiple World Cup participant Animo as partner for his mare Melisimo.

Course Designer

American course designer Anthony d’Ambrosio will be assisted by Leopoldo Palacios from Venezuela.

Schedule of Events:

Wednesday, 15 April 2009
9:30 am Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Warm-Up Class I and II
1:30 pm Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage Warm-Up Class

Thursday, 16 April 2009
Noon Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage Grand Prix
7:00 pm Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final I

Friday, 17 April 2009
Noon Las Vegas Dressage Showcase Brentina's Retirement
7:00pm Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final II

Saturday, 18 April 2009
Noon Las Vegas Jumping Grand Prix
7:00pm Rolex FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final

Sunday, 19 April 2009
Noon Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final III

Western European Leader Relies on Rookie

For the final in Las Vegas, Western European League winner Gerco Schröder has to rely on Eurocommerce Seattle, the least experienced of his three horses meeting the criteria for competing in the Final. “Eurocommerce Milano was not feeling very well, which showed in a blood analysis,” said the Dutch rider. “Eurocommerce Pennsylvania has not been competing for a couple of weeks, so that would not be a good idea. Eurocommerce Seattle has only done three World Cup qualifiers, this is his first big test. But he was second in the Championat in Dortmund, he gives me a very good feeling.”

Favorites

Once more title defender Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is one of the big favourites. The American born German rider took the title last year in Göteborg and didn’t compete her top horse Shutterfly too frequently during the indoor season, to keep him as strong as possible for Las Vegas. Both Meredith and her super star Shutterfly know the way in the small arena of the Thomas & Mack Centre. The pair also won the 2005 Final, held in Las Vegas.

Another contestant who may do very well in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final is Michael Whitaker. He secured his ticket to Las Vegas in the last leg of the Western European League, ending up third in the last leg in ‘s Hertogenbosch.

Sixth Final

Michael Whitaker: “I really wanted to qualify with Portofino. This will be her sixth final!”

Ludger Beerbaum lost his top horse All Inclusive NRW to Denis Lynch, but managed to win the Dortmund Grand Prix with Coup de Coeur and doesn’t seem weakened. Beerbaum’s employee Marco Kutscher is in the winning mood, after being victorious in Vigo and Arezzo. Kutscher rides his Olympic mount, the spectacular stallion Cornet Obolenski.

Dutch rider Albert Zoer looks with high hopes and a little bit of uncertainty to the World Cup final. “Okidoki jumps great,” said the winner of the Bordeaux leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ competition. “But the arena in Las Vegas is very small, that doesn’t really suit Okidoki, he needs a bit more space. But the same goes for my other horse Sam. He is less experienced and has not flown before. That’s why I chose Okidoki.”

Edwina Alexander, the Australian rider who qualified in the Western European League, rides the small power house Isovlas Ithot du Chateau, the winner of London Olympia. Her pony sized horse may deal very well with the difficult circumstances in the small arena of the Thomas & Mack Centre.

Hope for the Future

Olympic gold and silver medalist Beezie Madden is not among the big favorites. She gave her top horse Authentic a big break after the Games in Hong Kong. “I’m riding my 9-year old horse Danny Boy”, said Beezie Madden. “I only started to ride him in Grand Prix this year, so if I would end up in the top 10 I would be ecstatic. I have a lot of hope for the future with him and I think it’s good for both him and myself to compete at a championship such as the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.”

News and results at www.worldcuplasvegas.com and www.feiworldcup.org