FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing: Ten teams start the season at Fontainebleau

Olympic and European champion Michael Jung (GER) will rub shoulders with top names in Eventing this weekend at the first leg of FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2016 in Fontainebleau (FRA). (FEI/Leszek Wojcik)

The 2016 international Eventing season promises to get off to an exciting start at Fontainebleau (FRA) this weekend with up to 10 nations fielding teams in a highly competitive first leg of this year’s FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing. 

Flying the French flag - series opener

Top names in the field at Fontainebleau include Olympic and European champion Michael Jung (GER), World champion Sandra Auffarth (GER), the host nation’s former European champions Nicolas Touzaint (FRA) and Jean-Lou Bigot (FRA), alongside Christopher Burton, a key member of the prominent Australian squad last year, and World team bronze medalist Tim Lips (NED).

Great Britain, firm supporters of the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing since its inception in 2012, and the leading nation last year, brings another strong group including Boekelo winner Nicola Wilson, plus fellow European squad members Izzy Taylor, Laura Collett and Gemma Tattersall. Ireland has also entered a strong squad, which includes all four members of the team that produced a stunning performance to win the final event at Boekelo (NED) last year, and Belgium, Italy, Spain and Sweden will field teams.

First for USA

There are eight legs at CIC3* level in this year’s FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing, including a brand new addition in the USA at The Plains, Virginia on 8-10 July.

This event will also serve as one of the final trials for the US Olympic Eventing team and other nations with just a month to go to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the first Games to be held in South America.

Team experience

The FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing was designed to help national coaches give valuable team experience to up-and-coming riders. Last year, 15 nations contested the series which culminated in a thrilling finale at Boekelo.

This year, the series will be of particular value in view of the forthcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and the athletes will be able to get a flavour of the Olympic Cross Country Course Designer’s style as Pierre Michelet (FRA) is also officiating at Fontainebleau this weekend.

“The FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing continues to go from strength to strength as national coaches realise how useful it is for evaluating and preparing riders for championships,” said Catrin Norinder, FEI Director, Olympic & Eventing. “As it is an Olympic year, I would expect the series to be even better supported and more competitive. We are in for a really exciting season.”

Follow the action at Fontainebleau with live results on www.thecrazyride.fr.

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