The FEI Nations’ Cup™ Top League series this year reverts to the eight-leg, eight-team format that was originally established in 2003, and next Friday the 2011 season is set to kick off at La Baule in France.
The most enduring of all FEI disciplines, Nations’ Cup jumping has stirred the hearts and souls of competitors and spectators alike for more than a century now, and the air of excitement and expectation ahead of the new season is tangible.
Visiting many of the most prestigious venues on the international equestrian circuit, the FEI Nations Cup™ has a cachet all of its own. It is always an honour to be selected to represent your country, and riders proudly fly their national flags in this annual battle for supremacy. But it’s not just about which country fields the strongest sides, this series is also a test of the leadership skills of the all-important Chefs d’Equipe, and a test of the character, courage and determination of the competitors who must ride the waves of the fluctuating fortunes that always accompany competitions of this calibre.