Federation Equestre Internationale News SAMSUNG NATIONS CUP SERIES CSIO La Baule (FRA), 9-12 May

PREVIEW

12 teams will line-up at the Official Jumping of France, representing Europe, Asia, South and North America.

Belgium team includes four highly respected riders, including Ludo PHILIPPAERTS (3rd in the world rankings, individual silver medallist at the 2001 European Championships), Jos LANSINK (17th in the world rankings), Marc VAN DYCK and Philip LEJEUNE.

Spain: Ricardo JURADO and FALCON INTER GYSMO will be supported by two experienced riders: Fernando SARASOLA and Rutherford LATHAM.

The Netherlands has regularly been successful in La baule and will be lining up a resourceful team, including the silver medallist from Sydney Olympic Games, Albert VOORN, Angélique HOORN. They will be joined by a brilliant young rider (21 years old) Gert Jan BRUGGINK and his bouncing JOEL, a multi medal winning pair in European Championships for Juniors (18 years and younger) and Young riders (21 years and younger), and double clear round last year in the Samsung final at Madrid. Also a winner in Madrid alongside his team mates, Rob ERAS completes the squad.

The British team will be calling upon the experience of all its riders: the veteran John WHITAKER, who is still striving to reach the top level with a number one horse, and another couple from the first team, Tim STOCKDALE and Parcival. Once cannot be called a habit, but the English will be playing a sharing game by selecting two lady riders: Di LAMPARD, a member of the team since 1998 (except for the Olympic Games) with ABBERVAIL DREAM and Véronique WHITAKER, ex-wife of Michael WHITAKER, the youngest of the two brothers, who will be in the company of his grey ELDORADO, for whom this will be one of his first CSIO**** selections.

The United States will, without doubt feature strongly. Alice DEBANY CLERO, based in Paris, will be seconded by her fellow Olympic team mate Laura KRAUT (Liberty), who will continue her European circuit at La Baule following the World Cup final in Leipzig (1-5 May). Two other team members, Francie STEINWEDELL and Gabriella SALICK, complete this 100% female team.

France will be one of the favourites, as they defend their 2001 victory on their home soil. Jean-Maurice BONNEAU will only reveal the names of his four members on the 8 May, the day before the first day of competition, from among the 16 riders permitted to compete for the host nation.

One knows, in any case, that the French team is suffering from the absence of several of their top names, especially among the horses who remain in convalescence, (Uélème of Olivier JOUANNETEAU, Kannan of Michel HECART - the only double clear round in the Nations' Cup last year) or in a period of running-in following a prolonged break (Helios of Hubert BOURDY, sixth in the 2001 European Championships, Dollar du Mûrier Hauts de Seine of Eric NAVET.

The national trainer can, on the other hand, benefit from the comeback of Ludovic LEYGUE and Diabolo du Parc II, winner of the Paris-Bercy Grand Prix last March, or Olivier GUILLON with Baladine du Mesnil, twice runner-up in two Grand Prix competitions in March (Bercy and Gothenberg). He will also be able to count on Michel ROBERT (Olympia), Edouard COUPERIE (Pro Pilot II), winner of the La Baule Grand Prix last year and Hervé GODIGNON who could be among those making their comeback
for the French team. The new recruit of the French team is the ex-American Katie MONAHAN-PRUDENT, who took French nationality two months ago.

The Brazilian team will include Alvaro DE MIRANDA, winner of a team medal at the two last Olympic Games.

The Italian team will be leaving its 'tenors' at home, and test some newcomers with a view to their progressing to the first team between now and the World Equestrian Games.

The Japanese team will line up just three pairs, all French residents, including Takeshi SHIRAI and Vicomte du Mesnil.

Switzerland will bring a young team led by young rider Dehlia OEUVRAY, making her second appearance in the La Baule, and Pius SCHWIZER, who has acquired the very good Macanudo de Niro, former mount of American Pete Wylde with whom he won several World Cup Grand Prix classes.

Germany will be represented by a young team led by Hauke LUTHER (winner of the Grand Prix of Paris at Porte de Versailles).

Colombia will also be present with a team following an absence of a dozen years in a Nations' Cup, notably in Europe. With the exception of Andres PENALOSA, the other three riders are suitors for the World Equestrian Games. There still remains time for them to qualify before the end of June: by doing completing rounds of eight faults or less in the Grand Prix or the Nations' Cup.

Official website http://www.labaule-cheval.com

TV programme on http://www.labaule-cheval.com/labaule2002/racine/cadre_racine_gb2002.htm

Samsung Nations Cup standings after Wellington (USA)
1. BEL 20 pts
2. GER 18 pts
3. IRL 12 pts
4. USA 11 pts
5. SUI 11 pts

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Samsung Electronics has supported sports marketing activities world-wide with a strong initiative in equestrian sports since 1988. In 1996 Samsung took the world-wide sponsorship of the Nations Cup in co-operation with the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the ruling body of the world-wide equestrian SPORT. The fifth Nations Cup
Series season 2000/2001 started in September 2000 and will end with the World Final on 23 September 2001 in Madrid, Spain. The current season consists of 27 Nations Cups in 24 countries.

Samsung DIGITall, everyone's invited
For further information about the Samsung Nations Cup Series or other sports marketing activities, visit: http://www.samsungnationscup.com or http://www.samsungelectronics.com

www.horsesport.org

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