Four Teams withdraw from Furusiyya Nations Cup Finals…

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Norway’s late withdrawal means that Ireland, placed second-last in Europe Division 1 this season, will remain in the elite league for 2015. But for the teams at the Spanish venue this week it is all about the success of reaching the prestigious Final and the battle for the coveted Furusiyya title, which brings with it the richest Nations Cup prize-fund in the world.

Team France will defend the title they won at the inaugural Final staged at the same venue last year. Four qualified teams have withdrawn – Egypt, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Norway. There will be a total of 14 participating nations with 13 teams consisting of four horse-and-rider combinations and 1 team consisting of just three horse-and-rider combinations – Qatar.

A total of 55 horse-and-rider combinations in total will compete in Barcelona, Spain this week. Three of the riders competing at this week’s final also competed in Jumping at the 1992 Olympic Games at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona – Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum who claimed individual gold that summer, British legend Michael Whitaker and Juan Carlos Garcia who was then flying the Colombian flag but who now competes for Italy.

The order’s for tomorrow’s first day of Furusiyya Nations Cup Finals competition;

  1. Italy
  2. Sweden
  3. Australia
  4. USA
  5. Qatar
  6. Netherlands
  7. Venezuela
  8. Brazil
  9. France
  10. Belgium
  11. Great Britain
  12. Canada
  13. Spain
  14. Germany.

Source: FEI