CSIO5* HICKSTEAD (GBR) Updated 31 July 2015
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PRESS KIT 2015 CSIO5* HICKSTEAD (GBR) Updated 31 July 2015 Contents Extensive information on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 is available on the FEI website HERE. Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 – sport at its finest .................................. page 4 Presentation of Furusiyya ...................................................................................... page 5 Presentation of Longines ....................................................................................... page 7 The rules ............................................................................................................ page 8 The calendar ..................................................................................................... page 10 The teams ......................................................................................................... page 11 The athletes – CSIO5* Hickstead (GRB) ................................................................ page 13 FEI TV broadcast timetable .................................................................................. page 18 News ................................................................................................................ page 18 Results and standings ......................................................................................... page 21 Facts & figures .................................................................................................. page 30 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping online .......................................................... page 31 Contact details (Organisers, TV Coordination, FEI) ................................................. page 32 Cover photo caption: The Netherlands' team celebrate victory in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final in Barcelona, Spain. (L to R), Jeroen Dubbeldam, Gerco Schroder, Chef d'Equipe Rob Ehrens, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jur Vrieling. (FEI/Dirk Caremans) 2 CSIO5* Hickstead (GBR)) 31 July 2015 #SupportYourNation Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 – sport at its finest By Louise Parkes The third season of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series is filled with so much promise. This sport, enjoyed by participants and public alike for over a century, has been transformed since Furusiyya first injected its support and enthusiasm two years ago, encouraging development and expansion on a grand scale. That was exactly what was needed in order to ensure it grasped the mantle of modernisation while maintaining the tradition and dignity for which it has always been admired. When Nations Cup competitions first took place early in the last century, the teams were filled with military men, and only a limited number of countries took part in the battle for the title of supreme Jumping nation in the world. Horses played a major role in everyday life in those days and were, therefore, a familiar sight. Urbanisation has changed all that however and the world is a very different place today. But the love of the most magnificent of creatures lingers on, and in cities and towns right across the globe once again this season, crowds will flock to see their own riders compete against visiting sides partnering the finest steeds in the land. Horsemanship and sportsmanship of the highest calibre will be displayed, realising the concept of the term “Furusiyya” which embraces equestrian expertise along with purity, nobility and chivalry. The first leg of the 2015 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ season took place at a new venue in Ocala, USA in February and was the first qualifier for the North American region. That was followed by the single leg in the Middle East at Abu Dhabi, UAE before the action crossed back to Coapexpan in Mexico for the second round of the North American series in April. The month of May saw Europe come alive, with a calendar of 16 events beginning at Lummen in Belgium and accommodating two levels of competition. One of the most exciting aspects of the new-look FEI Nations Cup™ is the potential for development it provides. Significant numbers of previously unknown horse-and-rider combinations have emerged to show their potential during the past two seasons and a whole new range of countries have raised their game and seriously challenged the long-time elite. A year ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games the Furusiyya series will provide the perfect stage for talent-spotting and testing of ability, but the country they will all be keen to beat will be The Netherlands. Crowned new world champions just two months earlier, the Dutch team proved unbeatable once again at the 2014 Final in Barcelona, Spain last October and the question this season is whether their victory-roll will continue. The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series however is not all about the winners. It is about all the men, women and courageous horses who carry the hopes and dreams of their country onto the field of play with great passion and pride. It is, quite simply, about sport at its finest, and we can expect plenty of memorable moments on the road to the 2015 Final which will again return to Spain. 4 CSIO5* Hickstead (GBR)) 31 July 2015 #SupportYourNation Presentation of Furusiyya has embraced the idea of (هيسورف :For centuries, the ancient term Furusiyya (Arabic horsemanship and equestrian knowledge, and now this same sense of purity, nobility and chivalry has been brought to the FEI Nations Cup™ – the Show Jumping’s leading team competition. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman, and faras, a horse. Reflecting a huge growth in popularity for the sport around the world, the new structure of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping embraces more countries than ever before, who will compete head to head in a competition which pits the traditional powerhouses of the sport against teams from developing nations. Furusiyya is immensely proud to be the title sponsor of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping until 2017, and to be the catalyst for the international expansion of this great equestrian competition. During the inaugural 2013 season, no less than 37 nations competed for 18 places at the Final, which will was staged to great success in Barcelona (ESP) at the end of September. The first Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final featured teams representing countries from around the world and was a true reflection of the popularity of the Jumping sport on the global stage. But 2013 was only the start. The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping has been created to make the sport more accessible to all nations, and Furusiyya believes that the competition will lead to more countries than ever before wanting to compete against the best in years to come. This will see an increase in the number of Nations Cup shows being staged around the world and ultimately, higher standards of competition across all levels. So, we at Furusiyya wish all the horse and rider combinations the best of luck today, and let’s all enjoy the start of a new era and look forward to some top class international team Jumping throughout the 2015 season. 5 CSIO5* Hickstead (GBR)) 31 July 2015 #SupportYourNation Photo Caption: Riders from around the globe in Barcelona for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2014 draw inspiration from the iconic Piscina Municipal de Montjuic, home of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Diving Finals. L-R: Simone Coata (ITA), Alexander Zetterman (SWE), Andres Rodrigez (VEN), William Whitaker (GBR), Julia Hargreaves (AUS), Ben Asselin (CAN), Pedro Vennis (BRA), Margie Engle (USA), Simon Delestre (FRA), Paula Amilibia (ESP) and Dirk Demeersman (BEL) Photo: Jude Edginton /FEI 6 CSIO5* Hickstead (GBR)) 31 July 2015 #SupportYourNation The official timekeeper Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to Elegance, Tradition and Performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations. Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1912, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for a show jumping event in Portugal. Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrian sports includes jumping, endurance and flat racing. Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 140 countries. http://www.longines.com/ For further information please contact: Longines International Public Relations 2610 Saint-Imier, Switzerland [email protected] 7 CSIO5* Hickstead (GBR)) 31 July 2015 #SupportYourNation The rules Under the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 rules, the world has been divided into six regions for the purpose of qualifying teams for the Final: • Europe (Divisions 1 and 2) • North & Central America • South America • Middle East • Asia/Australasia • Africa The number of qualifiers for the 2015 season is limited to 19, with eight in both Europe Division 1 and Europe Division 2. The North and Central America & Caribbean Region has two qualifiers. The season opens at Ocala (USA), with the CSIO4* running from 10-15 February. The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final will once again be held at the Real Club de Polo of Barcelona (ESP), venue for the equestrian