The 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final, which kicks off with preliminary classes at the Palexpo Arena in Geneva tomorrow (Wednesday), has been blown wide open by the late withdrawal of Ireland’s Jessica Kuerten. When three-times champion Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, who gave birth to her first baby just six weeks ago, confirmed last week that she will not defend the title, then Kuerten’s position as long-time favourite was further strengthened.  But the Irish rider who topped the Western European League qualifying series by a considerable margin is counting her lucky stars that the helmet she was wearing when she took a nasty fall while training a young horse last Friday did its job. It was completely crushed as it protected her from a serious head injury, and although she was hospitalised and doesn’t feel well enough to compete this week Kuerten said yesterday that she will be back in action very soon.

SERIOUS CONTENDER
Kuerten had already decided that she would not bring her sensational mare, Castle Forbes Libertina, to Geneva so whether she would in fact have been a serious contender is a matter of conjecture.  In her absence however the spotlight moves across the vast field of talent that has emerged from the 13 leagues all around the world during the qualifying season – some young and relatively inexperienced, some considerably older and with a lot more mileage on the clock, but all dreaming the dream of holding that coveted trophy aloft, and many with an interesting story to tell.

Marcus Ehning’s recent victory in the Grand Prix in Paris will have put the German star in the right frame of mind.  He claimed the Rolex FEI World Cup™ trophy with Anka in Las Vegas in 2003 and again with Sandro Boy in Kuala Lumpur in 2006 and he’s hungry to do it all again.  It is 17 years since his German team-mate Ludger Beerbaum won the title riding the great Ratina Z but Ludger’s latest lady, the lovely 10 year old mare Gotha, is really coming into her own this season and should prove a valuable asset to his week’s work.  Four years ago it was Switzerland’s Beat Mandli who headed the line-up with Ideo du Thot in Las Vegas but, on home turf and following a sensational run of consistent form, it is the man who stands top of the Rolex World Rankings for the third consecutive month, Pius Schwizer, who may prove the one to beat.

CHARM AND SUBSTANCE
Schwizer is no shrinking violet as anyone who has ridden against him in a jump-off can confirm, but this is a man of charm and substance.  He is firmly rooted in the Swiss soil where he used to work with his father, Leo, on the family pig-farm in his younger years – training as a butcher and living a lifestyle far from the glamorous world in which he competes today.  His grounded attitude and lively sense of humour are powerful tools for the 47 year old who put his country on the road to that historic victory at last summer’s Alltech FEI European Championships in Windsor. And the Swiss challenge is firmly backed up by Steve Guerdat, while both Niklaus Schurtenberger and Jane Richard who have received wild-card entries.  Richard could hardly believe her luck when she got the late call-up last Wednesday.  “It was my birthday” said the Italian-based rider who had just turned 27, “and I couldn’t have had a better present!”

France will be represented by reigning European Champion Kevin Staut, Patrice Deleveau and the exciting Penelope Leprevost while the enigmatic Natale Chiaudani lines out for Italy.  Swedish chances have been bolstered by the late addition of Olympic silver medallist Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, winner of the last Western European qualifying leg in s’Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands last month who will join that other cool customer Svante Johansson to fly their national flag, while Michael Whitaker is Britain’s sole representative.

BEST SHOT
The Irish were more than pleased when qualifying three riders for the final for the very first time and the remaining two will be giving it their best shot.  Dermott Lennon, who claimed the individual title at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain in 2002 has returned to centre stage as his partnership with Hallmark Elite has matured and their third-place finish at the penultimate qualifier in Gothenburg last month suggests they are “in the zone”.  The surprise package however is 22 year old Darragh Kenny who has been taking the US circuit by storm.  The Irish lad’s undeniable talent has blossomed under the expert guidance of trainers and horse producers Missy Clarke and John Brennan of North Run Farm in Vermont where he has been based since last year, and he has done extraordinarily well to earn his passage in the company of America’s best.  

Double Olympic gold medallist McLain Ward brings the brilliant Sapphire with which he finished runner-up at last year’s Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final, and the fascinating US contingent also includes the “Master of Faster” Richard Spooner, 2008 runner-up Rich Fellers, Hillary Dobbs with the little 15.3hh Quincy B and the versatile Joe Gatlin.  She is as accomplished in the US hunter arenas as she is in the jumping ring, and she can turn her hand to a bit of stunt riding if required as she regularly works in the movie business with her father, Jerry, who is a stunt-coordinator.  Most fascinating of all perhaps is the presence of 45 year old Mario Deslauriers who was only 19 when he won the World Cup title with Aramis in Gothenburg in 1984.  He was competing for Canada then, but last year took up American citizenship and it will be quite something if he is in the shake-up next Sunday – 26 years after his first triumph.

CUT SHORT
Russia, Estonia, Venezuela, Lithuania, Portugal, Australia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, The Netherlands and Canada will all be sending out riders but the Brazilian contingent has been cut short by the tragic loss of Yuri Mansur’s Ideal de Balia which died last week following a colic operation.  The 30 year old rider from Sao Paolo learned his trade while working as a groom with Ludo Philippaerts in Belgium and, having finished second in the South American league, was relishing the thought of competing in the same ring as so many of his heroes this week, but fate has intervened to shatter that dream.  As former Swiss champion Markus Fuchs once said however, true champions are the ones who get back on their feet as soon as they fall to the ground, and Yuri intends to line out with his other horses in the ancillary competitions.  Carrying Brazilian hopes alone therefore is the only man who has ever won three consecutive finals – Rodrigo Pessoa who, with the great Baloubet du Rouet, was unbeatable between 1998 and 2000.

The stage is set.  Let the battle begin……

For further information check out website http://www.worldcupgeneva.com/

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE: 1, Oslo (Norway) 9-11 October; 2, Helsinki (Finland) 15-18 October; 3, Lyon (FRA) 28 Oct-1 November; 4, Verona (Italy) 5-8 November; 5, Stuttgart (Germany) 15-22 November; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) 15-21 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) 26-30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 21-24 January; 9, Zurich (SUI) 28-31 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) 5-7 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) 11-14 February; 12, Gothenburg (Sweden) 25-28 February; 13, s’Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) 25-28 March; FINAL – Geneva (Switzerland) 14-18 April.

Broadcast Schedule can be downloaded from www.feiworldcup.org

Photo Catalogue – Photographs of winning riders in high/low resolution can be downloaded from FEI Photo Calalogue at www.fei.org>Media>Photo Catalogue – no reproution fee ut photographer must be credited (name appears under picture).  Usage strictly for editorial purposes.

Media Guide – 2009/2010 Media Guide filled with useful facts, figures, statistics and contact details can be downloaded from www.feiworldcup.org – click on Jumping then Media.  Hard copy available from FEI Communications – Email olivia.robinson@fei.org.

FEI World Cup™ Jumping has entered its 32nd season. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 121 preliminary competitions will qualify for the final in Geneva, Switzerland which takes place from 14-18 April 2008.

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.