The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping competition, due to take place at Lummen (BEL) on Friday afternoon (29 April), has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. The decision was taken this afternoon, following a prolonged period of heavy rain.
Lummen was set to host the third leg of the 2016 series and the first leg of the premier Europe Division 1 League, with the host nation amongst the five countries chasing points towards the hugely popular Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona (ESP) in September.
In a statement released today, the Organising Committee explained that “since 16 April more than 30mm of rain a day has been falling in Belgium”, and that after a further 52.7mm and 58.9mm on Monday and Tuesday of this week, and even more expected today, the FEI delegates, together with the Organising Committee, decided to cancel the entire CSIO5*. The statement continued, “even for Belgium these are exceptional weather conditions”.
Points
There were five countries in the hunt for points at this first leg of European Division 1 – Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland and Italy. As a result of the cancellation of Lummen, the following rule will now be applied:
Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Series 2016
8.5 Cancellation of a 2016 Qualifying Competition
In the case of a qualifying Competition being cancelled in any Region or Division where teams are allocated Events counting for points the following procedure applies:
Teams whose result would have counted for points at the cancelled Competition are distributed points for the cancelled Competition, based on the total number of points obtained at their other allocated Events divided by the number of Events at which they have participated for points.
This calculation is carried out at the end of the season.
All-systems-go
However it’s all-systems-go for Friday’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping leg in Coapexpan (MEX) where the draw will take place later today. This competition is the second leg of the North and Central America and Caribbean League. Team USA won the first leg on home turf in Ocala (USA) in February and will be hoping to repeat that victory with a side consisting of four riders from their squad of five that includes Christine and Jonathan McCrea, Richard Spooner, Ali Wolff and Andrew Kocher.
Team Mexico finished second at the American fixture, so another good result on home ground could leave them in a very positive position, but the Canadian line-up includes 2008 Olympic champion Eric Lamaze along with Tiffany Foster, Yann Candele and Ben Asselin, so it certainly won’t be a walk in the park.
Rapid rate
Meanwhile the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping season rolls out at a rapid rate over the coming weeks, with the first leg of Europe Division 2 taking place at Linz-Ebelsberg (AUT) on 6 May followed by the always-exciting Europe Division 1 leg at La Baule (FRA) and a new Europe Division 2 event in Ceije (SLO) on the same day a week later.
Stop-offs at Odense (DEN), Rome (ITA), Lisbon (POR), Langley (CAN), St Gallen (SUI), Sopot (POL) and Rotterdam (NED) will fill the calendar up to the end of June. And July is packed with more action in Falsterbo (SWE), Budapest (HUN), Dublin (IRL) and Hickstead (GBR), before the last qualifying leg takes place at Gijon (ESP) at the end of August.
The Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP) will host the much-anticipated Final once again from 22 to 25 September 2016, and with team managers monitoring the strength and potential of horse-and-rider combinations ahead of this summer’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series will play a critical role and present the best of top sport throughout another thrilling season.
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