‘London is ready to welcome the world’, chairman Denis Oswald has said. ‘Seven years ago London gave us a clear schedule and now the organization is ready to organize a great event.’

The Finals and other competitions will offer a top prizemoney of € 1,138,025. The Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final has a total of € 632,000 in prizemoney with € 67,850 for the overall winner. In the other jumping competitions (CSI) there is € 231,000 (100,000 Grand Prix on Saturday) to win.

The combinations competing in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final have € 250,000 to divide with € 56,000 to the winner of the Freestyle. The CDI4* competions have 23,000 euros on offer. € 2,025 is available for all national classes.

The Rest of the World – made up of Brits Ollie Cudmore, Charlie Hanbury, Malcolm Borwick and Mark Tomlinson – thrashed Brazil 11-4 in the other game on Easter Sunday to secure second place, with two wins out of three.

Having comfortably won their opening two games, against the Rest of the World and Brazil, the hosts knew that anything but a heavy defeat against Chile would guarantee them the International Series title.

As is happened, Argentina – Matías Torres Zavaleta, Juan Zubiaurre, Juan Ruiz Guiñazú and Facundo Sola – needed an extra chukka to secure victory in this match. Chile battled back from 6-3 down to level at 6-6 at the end of normal time before seven-goaler Facundo Sola scored the decisive goal.

In the other game on Easter Sunday the Rest of the World led from the first chukka against Brazil and dominated the second half of the game to win by seven goals. Six-goaler Borwick scored six goals, while Ollie Cudmore had an excellent game and scored three.

“This was my first World Cup competition with this horse and my last chance to make sure that he could compete at the final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, so I’m delighted with the way things have worked out!” the 36 year old rider said afterwards.

Second to go in a five-horse jump-off against the clock, he clinched it with the coolest of performances, and completes the 12-leg qualifying series in fourth place.  It is Frenchman, Kevin Staut, who is the leading rider at the end of the qualification season however, having competed at every event from the outset in Oslo, Norway last October and finishing third today with Le Prestige St Lois de Hus behind runner-up Ludo Philippaerts from Belgium partnering Kassini Jac.

Ukraine’s Katharina Offel filled fourth spot while Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt slotted into fifth on an afternoon when clear rounds were at a premium.

The stage is now almost completely set for the Rolex FEI World Cup™ 2011/2012 Final in April where the top riders from all around the world will gather for the annual battle of champions to decide who is king, or queen, of the indoor international jumping circuit.  FEI Jumping Director, John Roche, confirmed the top-19 riders qualified from the Western European League, pointing out however that there may be substitutions down to 27th place.

(source: FEI/Louise Parkes – photo: FEI/Roland Thunholm)

Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2011/2012 Western European League – Final Standings after Round 12 at Gothenburg, Sweden:

1. Kevin Staut FRA – 88
2. Rolf-Goran Bengtsson SWE – 79
3. Denis Lynch IRL – 77
4. Marco Kutscher GER – 73
5. Patrice Delaveau FRA – 60
6. Pius Schwizer SUI – 55
7. Steve Guerdat SUI – 51
8. Ludger Beerbaum GER – 49
9. Malin Baryard-Johnsson SWE – 49
10. Nick Skelton GBR – 48
11. Edwina Tops-Alexander AUS – 47
12. Luciana Diniz POR – 46
13. Marcus Ehning GER – 45
14. Philipp Weishaupt GER – 44
15. Scott Brash GBR – 43
16. Ludo Philippaerts BEL – 42
17. Harrie Smolders NED – 42
18. Emilie Martinsen DEN – 41
19. Ben Maher GBR – 40
20. Maikel van der Vleuten NED – 36
21. Katharina Offel UKR – 35
22. Dermott Lennon IRL – 35
23. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum GER – 35
24. Angelika Augustsson SWE – 34
25. Rik Hemeryck BEL – 30
26. Alvaro de Miranda BRA – 29
27. Nina Fagerstrom FIN – 27

The pair snatched the honours from Australian runners-up Edwina Top-Alexander and Cevo Itot du Chateau.  Belgium’s Rik Hemeryck slotted into third with Quarco de Kerambars, while Ireland’s Denis Lynch finished fourth with his exciting new stallion, Contifex.

The competition was as much about the battle for positions on the Western  European League leaderboard as anything else. Following the next, and last, qualifying leg at Gothenburg, Sweden, the top-18 riders will make the cut for the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final which will take place in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands during Indoor Brabant at the end of April. So the placings all the way down the line are critical at this stage, and the pressure is at boiling point.

(source: FEI/Louise Parkes)

Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2011/2012 Western European League – Standings after Round 11 at Bordeaux, France:
1.    Rolf-Goran Bengtsson SWE  – 77
2.    Kevin Staut FRA  – 73
3.    Denis Lynch IRL  – 67
4.    Patrice Delaveau FRA  – 60
5.    Marco Kutscher GER  – 53
6.    Steve Guerdat SUI  -51
7.    Ludger Beerbaum GER – 49
8.    Pius Schwizer SUI – 48
9.    Nick Skelton GBR – 48
10.    Edwina Alexander AUS – 47
11.    Luciana Diniz POR  – 46
12.    Marcus Ehning GER – 45
13.    Scott Brash GBR – 43
14.    Harrie Smolders NED – 42
15.    Emilie Martinsen DEN – 41
16.    Malin Baryard-Johnsson SWE – 41
17.    Maikel van der Vleuten NED – 36
18.    Ben Maher GBR – 32
19.    Philipp Weishaupt GER – 32
20.    Dermott Lennon IRL – 30
20.    Rik Hemeryck BEL  – 30

In a dramatic climax to the first Grand Prix of the new season, the reigning 2011 GCT champion beat off her rivals in a high powered seven-strong jump off. Edwina was first to go in the jump off and admitted she did not believe her time of 40.99 was fast enough to win.

The crucial first Grand Prix of the year marks the start of a very intensive road this year for riders and horses and, for many, it will include the London Olympics this summer. Over 80 horses were flown to Doha, Qatar, for the event which is a key indication of form for the season ahead and is seen as serious preparation for the months ahead.

It was a story of split second timing in the Grand Prix jump off as second place Marco Kutscher of Germany, third place Pius Schwizer and fourth place Billy Twomey all finished within a hair’s breadth of each other on 41.24, 41.32 and 41.44 respectively.

Edwina, the world’s No1 female rider and already GCT’s first euro millionaire, spoke of her delight at winning the €148,500 prize money out of a total of €450,000. Speaking at the post-event press conference she said: “Itot is in great shape. It is his first outdoor show this year. He is 16 years old but he feels fresh and I have had a wonderful show.

“Titus and all my horses have really been super,” said Australian rider Edwina. “Going first in the jump off is definitely difficult. I came out of the ring and said to Jan ‘I don’t think I am fast enough’. But the horse jumped amazingly and as a rider you are only as good as the horse you are sitting on and he was good.” Edwina also praised Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani as “one of the best in the world” and said his courses had delivered top level competition in Doha.

Runner up Marco Kutscher of Germany, who was riding Cornet Obolensky, said: “It was a good jump off and I am really pleased with second place and I am happy my horse is in good form.”

Third place rider Pius Schwizer, who was second in Doha in 2011, praised his horse Verdi III and predicted he has a great future.

GCT President Jan Tops summed up the jump off and the three days of show jumping in Doha as “absolutely top sport”. Jan said: “The jump off results are amazing, half a second between 1 and 4. This is absolutely top sport, great precision, deft riding.”

A field of 44 riders started out in the Grand Prix of Doha with 16 jumping clear in the first round. A further seven jumped double clears including GCT 2010 winner Marcus Ehning, Christian Ahlmann and Maikel van der Vleuten setting the scene for a true nail biting jump off between some of the giants of the sport today.

The victorious riders were cheered by a passionate crowd as they took a lap of honour under floodlights at the immaculate large sand arena at the Qatar Equestrian Federation’s Al Rayyan last night.

Qatar Equestrian Federation President Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah praised the partnership with GCT and said discussions are underway for 2013. Mr Al Attiyah said at the press conference: “Co-operation with GCT is developing nicely and we are in discussions to see how we can go forward together.”

Leading Qatari rider Sheikh Ali bin Khaled just missed out on the jump off after his super horse Whitaker had the last fence down. In an interivew before the Grand Prix Sheikh Al Thani said: “It is a pleasure for us to have this GCT in Qatar. It is good to start here with the young horse and then we will see about the rest of the year. It is the first time he jumped this Grand Prix. He is just nine this year but I have been impressed so far. In terms of the sport here in Qatar, six riders are doing the 5* now and others want to get there. We have some good riders and that is good for the future.”

Longines is GCT timekeeping partner for Doha and three other events this year. At the press conference Charles Villoz, vice president sales for Longines, said the global brand’s long history of involvement in equestrian sport made for a fitting partnership with GCT.

Mr Villoz said: “We are very glad and very honoured that we are now working with GCT and Doha was a very nice experience. We have this passion. Horse sport for us is very important.”

There was plenty of praise about Doha from Edwina and runners up Marco and Pius.

Edwina said: “I find it really interesting coming to a different culture and I really enjoy coming to this part of the world. There is massive growth here and it is fantastic to have Arab riders involved and very strong in our sport of show jumping.”

Marco spoke about the vast scale of the buildings compared to his hometown in Germany and added: “I have seen the Qatari riders getting better and better and that is good for our sport.”

And for Swiss rider Pius it was all about the weather. He said the sunshine was enough to make him think about relocating to Qatar.

The Global Champions Tour moves to the Oliva Nova resort south of Valencia in Spain next month for the second leg of the 2012 season.

See below for Ticket information, calendar, map, Team Line-up & the Game Schedule. 

10 Teams Entered in the 26 goal USPA C.V. Whitney Cup (Sponsored by Royal Salute)

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Sunday Tickets will be available match day at the gate.
Advanced Ticket sales including the Nespresso Brunch will be available online at:

www.InternationalPoloClub.com or by
Calling the Polo Box Office at 561-204-5687 ext 107

Staut and Silvana are brilliant in Bordeaux on the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2012 in Bordeaux French hero, Kevin Staut, won the eleventh qualifying round of the Jumping    

The brainchild of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai World Cup is a fitting tribute to his love of horses and of horseracing.

For more than two decades, horse owners and breeders from the Arab world have worked to establish the Arab presence in international thoroughbred racing, not only by winning top trophies in the United States, Great Britain, France and Japan, among others, but also by bringing world-class racing and breeding back to the Arabian Peninsula, the home of the thoroughbred’s renowned ancestor, the Arabian.

Horse racing began in the Emirate in October 1981, when the dusty Camel Track hosted the first thoroughbred. The race meeting consisted of three races – a sprint, a mile and a mile and a half. Just over a decade later in 1992, the now world-famous racing stable Godolphin began, followed by the inaugural Dubai World Cup meeting in 1996.

The initial Dubai World Cup racemeeting put the United Arab Emirates on the map, as it has become the home of one of the world’s top racing challenges, and has drawn the attention of millions of enthusiasts around the globe.

The standard was set and history was made by the American ‘wonder horse’ Cigar, when he claimed the first Dubai World Cup. Cigar appeared to be in trouble when from last came Soul of the Matter who began to cut into Cigar’s lead. Like all true champions, Cigar called upon extra reserves and defied his rival in the final 200m. Described as a heroic battle, this encounter indeed set the benchmark for all future renewals. 

With the establishment of the annual invitation-only Dubai World Cup, the United Arab Emirates became the home of one of the world’s top racing challenges, and drew the attention of millions of enthusiasts around the globe. Among the horses entered in the inaugural race was a 13-time winner from Australia, a seven-race winner from Great Britain, the ‘dirt horse’ champion from Japan, and Cigar, North America’s ‘Horse of the Year’ for 1995.

Reflective of the overwhelming generosity of the UAE and embodying the warm of traditional Arabian hospitality, contenders for the purses are flown in from all corners of the world, such as North and South America, South Africa, South East Asia, Australasia and Europe, and horsemen enjoy generous travel subsidies for their support of racing in the UAE.

To celebrate the 15th renewal of the Dubai World Cup and opening of the iconic Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse an extension of the programme was announced, and the Dubai World Cup meeting staged eight races, with the addition of the at-the-time Group Three Al Quoz Sprint, a 1200m turf race worth US$1 million. That race now enjoys Group One status and is run over 1,000m.

The meeting, traditionally taking place at the end of March, will surpass its own record in 2012 as Meydan officials announced the addition of the newly renamed Dubai Gold Cup to the programme, a move that will increase the racecard to nine events with overall prize money to US$27.250 million. This latest addition to the already highly-competitive card completes the Dubai World Cup programme’s offerings to feature significant events for all divisions, on all surfaces, from sprinters to stayers.

The Dubai World Cup, worth US$10 million in prize money alone, is classified as a ‘Group One Flat Race’ for four-year-old thoroughbreds and above, and spans a distance of 2,000m (one mile, two furlongs, previously run on dirt it is now contested on an All-Weather surface.

Chief supporting races are the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free and the US$5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, sponsored by Longines – the two richest races run on turf, anywhere in the world. The Group Three Dubai Gold Cup to be run over 3,200m, also on turf.

Perhaps part of the Dubai World Cup’s success is not only due to the state-of-the-art race track, but the burgeoning status of Dubai as an international crossroads and global transport hub, and of course a first-class tourist destination, evidenced by more than 50,000 racegoers attending the Dubai World Cup meeting each year.