Irish First into the Ring at Aachen

The Irish have the unenviable task of being first into the ring when the sixth leg of the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ series gets underway in Aachen, Germany tomorrow evening. The draw took place this afternoon, and it was Sweden, the surprise winners of last Friday’s fixture on their home turf in Falsterbo, who clinched the prime last-to-go slot. The drawn order for the competition, which begins at 19.30 local time and which will run late into the night, is as follows:

1. Ireland; 2, The Netherlands; 3, Poland; 4, Spain; 5, France; 6, Great Britain; 7, USA, 8, Switzerland; 9, Germany; 10, Sweden.

NEVER EASY

It is never easy competing at Aachen, one of the most revered and respected showgrounds in the world. Its a place where the giants of the sport have left their mark and where success, of any kind, counts for a very great deal. The pressure on riders competing in this formidable arena is enormous, and there is plenty of pressure on the teams in tomorrow’s competition.

The 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ season has been one of the toughest ever, and there are only three more legs left to go now. Its reaching critical point, particularly for the countries lying at the lower end of the leaderboard, because four of the 10 competing nations will be relegated after the last round in Dublin in three weeks time.

LED FROM THE OUTSET

It was the French who took the honours at Aachen last year on their way to taking the 2009 Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ title, and they came out again at the beginning of this season with all guns blazing, and have led from the outset. Great Britain, the USA, Germany, Spain and Ireland hold the next five places, but the Irish, in particular, are still in a vulnerable position. They are just outside the bottom-four relegation zone which is, surprisingly, occupied by two of the most successful teams of recent times – the reigning World Champions from The Netherlands and the reigning European Champions from Switzerland – along with Sweden and Poland.

The Irish have to ensure that they are not overtaken this week by the Dutch, who showed much-improved form when second in Falsterbo last Friday, and the Swedes who secured an all-important victory that day. Tomorrow’s competition could be pivotal in deciding which countries will be in, and which will be out of the premier league of international team show jumping next year.

For more information on the German fixture go to website www.chioaachen.de or contact Press Officer Niels Knippertz at email niels.knippertz@chioaachen.de

2010 MEYDAN FEI NATIONS CUP™ – STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 5 AT FALSTERBO:

1. France – 39.0

2. Great Britain – 27.5

3. USA – 25.5

4. Germany – 21.5

5. Spain – 21.5

6. Ireland – 18.5

7. Netherlands – 14.0

8. Sweden – 12.0

9. Switzerland – 10.5

10. Poland – 0

Facts and Figures:

– Aachen is the venue for the sixth round of the 10-leg 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ series.

– Following three wins early in the series, France continues to head the leaderboard.

– The French won the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ at Aachen in 2009.

– Aachen is one of the biggest equestrian sporting events in the world, and today 37,500 people turned up for the opening ceremony which was attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

– The first nations cup took place in Aachen in 1929 and the defending champions from France have won on just four occasions – in 1980, 1988, 1990 and 2009.