The Irish got the worst of the starting order and the home team came off best when the draw for tomorrow’s fourth leg of the Samsung Super League with FEI series took place in Lucerne today.
And the weather has taken a nasty turn, with Switzerland experiencing conditions more suited to mid-winter than summer and rain already threatening to significantly influence tomorrow’s competition.
The draw is as follows:
1. Ireland
2. France
3. USA
4. Sweden
5. Germany
6. The Netherlands
7. Great Britain
8. Switzerland.
As a result of the weather the starting time has been brought forward to 14.45, leaving a 70-minute interval between the two rounds during which time a whole new track will be built. “We are doing this to save the horses - the ground is already a little bit heavy and we want to do everything we can to help them” said Show Director Urs Schiendorfer.
The second round is scheduled to begin at 17.15.
The team managers were cautious in their predictions but, as usual, the Germans are well-fancied while their biggest rivals in this series to date, the team from the USA, are also highly considered. “We really need to win tomorrow” said Sweden’s Henk Nooren. “I am trying to be as optimistic as the French Chef, Jean-Maurice Bonneau, was last weekend
and that worked for him!” he pointed out, adding however that “Germany should be on top if they have horses that can cope with the weather”.
Mons. Bonneau replied that “the team that will win tomorrow will do a good job!” suggesting that it would not be easy. “I want to trust my riders and we hope to change the leaderboard with a good result - I would be happy if we had Germany finishing ahead of the USA and both of them behind France!” he pointed out.
American Chef d’Equipe George Morris said that German team manager Kurt Gravemeier had “brought his weapons of mass destruction” with him - “I think Germany should win but the British are seasoned riders on this sort of going and I think The Netherlands have a strong team” he added.
Ireland’s Robert Splaine decided to take a positive approach to his side’s first-to-go draw - “It’s the second Super League in a row in which we have been drawn first and under normal circumstances I would be not be at all happy but maybe we are in luck this time because we should get the best of the ground - the win should be decided between the USA and Germany tomorrow but the ground will be a big factor” he said. Riders have been restricted to just one, instead of two, horses each for the morning’s Table C class, again in an effort to do the least possible damage to the surface of the arena.
The managers talked about their team selection plans for the World Equestrian Games and Robert Splaine said that he will be reviewing his pool of riders after Lucerne while Rolf Grass said that his team are all lining out tomorrow but that Willi Melliger is also a contender. The Swiss line-up includes Christina Liebherr (LB No Mercy), Markus Fuchs (La Toya), Beat Mandli (Principal) and Pius Schwizer (Unique).
George Morris explained that his first-tour riders competed at Palm Beach, La Baule and Aachen and that he swopped Lauren Hough for Laura Kraut who is now part of his second-tour group. “We will be making a selection of five and picking some reserves as well” he pointed out. Jean-Maurice Bonneau said that he has eight riders on his list and that they all competed - both on the team and individually - at La Baule. “Four then went to Aachen and four different riders are here. We still have three months and anything could happen. Some riders know already that they will go but that they must continue their preparation for August.
Britain’s Derek Ricketts explained that all the early Samsung Super League with FEI events are being used as part of the British selection process. “It’s quite a long time to go before the Games and lots can go wrong so we will be making our final selection during the middle to end of July” he pointed out. German manager Kurt Gravemeier will be
doing the same while Rob Ehrens explained that the Dutch team will be chosen “after Rotterdam. We have not been able to see all of the riders yet, and Dubbeldam is having his first nations’ cup start this week” he pointed out. “We only have six horses in the country who could do WEG this year” Sweden’s Henk Nooren said, adding that his team
will also be announced after the Dutch fixture which will take place later this month.
So the stage is set for the fourth leg of the 2006 Samsung Super League with FEI series - and with the weather proving unkind, tomorrow’s challenge promises to be a tough one…..
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI 2006 : LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 3 IN
ROME - (Revised calculation of points):
1. Germany - 21.625
2. USA - 20
3. France - 17
4. Great Britain - 13
5. Switzerland - 9.125
6. Ireland - 6
7. The Netherlands- 5.625
8. Sweden - 5.125
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE - NATIONAL PRIDE, INTERNATIONAL PASSION!
The NEXT LEG of the series takes place in Lucerne, Switzerland on Friday 2 June. Show President is Mr Peter Stoessel, Show Director is Urs Schiendorfer and Press Officer is Peter Wyrsch - email [email protected]. WEBSITE www.csio.ch.
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