As the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ series gets underway in La Baule, France next week there could hardly be a more cutting-edge to this century-old sporting series.  For the second consecutive season a total of 10 countries will do battle, but the competition will be more ferocious than ever because four will be relegated following the final leg in Dublin, Ireland in early August in order to re-create an eight-nation tournament in 2011. 

The French come out this season as defending champions, but they know only too well just how difficult the forthcoming battle will be.  They dominated the early years of the highly-popular Samsung Super League which preceded Meydan’s arrival, but were then relegated at the end of 2006 and were forced to face the long climb back to the top of the game.  They made a spirited return to take the inaugural 2009 Meydan FEI title under the quiet guidance of Chef d’Equipe Laurent Elias, but their story underscores the thin line between success and failure in this super-tough team sport. 

The ability to pull together, especially when things are not going according to plan, plays a major role in the story of Nations Cup jumping.  It is a test of grit and determination as well as a demonstration of horsemanship, sportsmanship and national pride.  The heady mix of all those elements creates a supremely challenging environment for both horse and rider.

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