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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
Brazilian
leg of FEI Eventing World Cup begins today in Lagoa Santa
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The
Brazilian city of Lagoa Santa will host the only FEI Eventing
World Cup qualifier held in South America. Lagoa Santa is located
in the state of Minas Gerais, south-eastern Brazil, near Belo
Horizonte, the country's third largest city. It is the second
time that this venue hosts a World Cup event, the inaugural qualifier
having taken place in April 2003.
WHO
Eighteen Brazilian riders and 24 horses will take part in the
competition. Among them, Lourenço Vieira da Silva, one
of Brazil's leading Eventing riders, who won CCI*** and CCI**
held in Sao Carlos (BRA) last March and who was 2nd in last year's
FEI Eventing World Cup qualifier. The participation of André
Paro, who placed 3rd in the 2001 South American Championship,
should also be noted. The younger generation of riders will also
be well represented by 25-year old Fabricio Reis Salgado and 23-year
old Fabio Dragone who took part in last year's World Cup competition
placing 9th and 16th respectively.
The
full list of entries is available on the website of the Federaçao
Hípica de Minas Gerais http://www.fhmg.com.br
WHEN
The event begins today Friday and will span over three days, commencing
with Dressage at 10h30), Cross-Country on Saturday 8 May morning
(9h00) and Jumping on Sunday 9 May (12h30).
After the first four qualifying events, USA's Darren Chiacchia
dominates the FEI Eventing World Cup leader board with 123 points.
He is followed by Matthew Grayling of New Zealand (118 points)
and Phillip Dutton of Australia (110 points). Andrzej Pasek (POL)
with 101 points and Robyn Fisher (USA) with 100 points are in
4th and 5th position respectively. Lagoa Santa will be the fifth
event of the series and is guaranteed to lift the winning Brazilian
rider into at least fifth position. The point system is weighed
so that if a rider wins a leg, they will almost certainly qualify
for the Final vying for the anticipated EUR 80,000 prize-money.
The FEI Eventing World Cup complete standings can be consulted
on http://www.horsesport.org/fei/pdfs/consult/02_03/C_04_st_WC.pdf
***
The
FEI Eventing World Cup is the sport's first linked series consisting
of 17 qualifiers culminating in a yearly Final. It is organised
at the highest level (three-star) of the short Eventing format
which is the new standard for Championships and the Olympic Games.
The series is designed in manner to encourage the participation
of the world's best riders and horses and thus promote such emblematic
values of Eventing, as the constant quest for harmony between
physical skills and mental balance, contact with nature, precision,
stamina, agility and insightful training. The FEI Eventing World
Cup is a showcase of a sport resolutely turning to the future.
www.horsesport.org
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