Game on for McVean and Delphi

Katie McVean and her superstar home-bred mare Dunstan Delphi head into the one of the biggest events of their lives completely inspired by Mark Todd's Badminton win.

McVean, who will represent New Zealand this week at the Showjumping World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany, says Todd was simply “legendary” in his win, and she draws plenty of inspiration from the master equestrian.

And the 24-year-old from Mystery Creek is going to need it as she faces the best combinations in the world, representing 21 nations that compete in the 14 qualifying leagues around the globe. They are chasing the sport’s biggest prize pool of €633,000 (Euros) over the four rounds of competition.

Delphi has looked completely at home in her indoor starts in Europe so far, but will be tested in every way in the world’s most prestigious indoor event which consists of three rounds starting on Friday (NZ time) with a speed class.

McVean opted to ship Delphi, co-owned by the McVean and Shore (Ashburton) families to Europe in February to give her time to acclimatise, rather than rush her across after defending their Olympic Cup crown at the NZ Horse of the Year Show in March.

Instead, McVean flew in for just five days, won NZ’s most important showjumping class on catch-ride NRM Seremonie VDL (owned by Richard and Wendy Keddell from Tauranga), and herself was back on a flight to Europe within hours of the win

McVean started Delphi at the World Cup qualifier at s’Hertogenbosch, Holland, where they had a couple of rails, but the horse was not fazed by the hyped indoor atmosphere – something many Kiwi horses struggle with as they do so little indoor jumping in New Zealand.

McVean and Delphi have been training with French coach Henk Nooran in their build-up.

“I'm more excited than anything going into this,” says McVean, who has her eyes set firmly on making the last round of the final.

There has been plenty of talk as to whether defending champion Marcus Ehning (Germany) or Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum can secure a historic fourth victory. Just four riders have ever won the final three times, and these are the only two competing in 2011.

Ehning and Michaels-Beerbaum were members of Germany's gold medal World Equestrian Games team last year, and having the final on their own turf can only be a bonus.

The competition gets underway with the 1.55m speed class on Friday (NZ time), the second qualification class on Saturday and the two round 1.6m final on Monday.

Competitors must be well-placed after the opening two rounds to make the cut through to the final which sees just the top two-thirds progress.

Watching nervously from the side-line will be McVean's father Jeff, who is no stranger to competing at World Cup level, albeit a few years ago. His best finish was fifth after leading into the last day.

It is the first time in the history of equestrian sport that the world cup finals in showjumping, dressage, driving and vaulting have been held under one roof.

The event runs from April 27 through to May 1.

FEI WORLD CUP™ FINALS 2010/2011

Some facts and figures about the 2010/2011 FEI World Cup™ Finals at Leipzig:

• For the first time in the history of international equestrian sport, four finals will take place under one roof between April 27 and May 1 - Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ dressage, FEI World Cup™ Driving and FEI World Cup™ Vaulting.
• Leipzig staged its first national event in 1998, and in 2002 held its first international show - the FEI World Cup™ Jumping final - Germany's Otto Becker won that year on Dobel's Cento.
• A total of 50 competitions will take place at the Leipziger Messe exhibition centre between April 27 and May 1.
• The total prize money for the finals is €1.6 million.
• 21 nations will be represented in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final.
• There are 11 lady riders amongst the 43 starters in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final.
• Course designer for the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final is Frank Rothenberger (Germany).
• 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the event.
• Three halls - each sized 21,000 square metres, will be in use during the finals.
• Hall 1 - 9,500 seats, arena size 40 x 80 metres, Hall 2 - 3,000 seats, Hall 3 - stabling for 900 horses, 750 of these stables are allocated for competition horses.

Source: Diana Dobson.