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SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE : LA BAULE

The Samsung Super League with FEI is the highlight of the international show jumping outdoor calendar. For the 6th time, La Baule will "kick-off" the Super League's season presenting the world's best riders and horses ! The Samsung Super League with FEI will be held on Friday, May 9th at 2.30 p.m. where 8 teams of 4 riders will compete. This event takes place over two rounds, over the same course, during the same day, with a time allowed for both rounds. The best three scores of a team of four are added together for each round, and the winning team is the one with the fewest penalties at the end of the competition. At he end of each Samsung Super League event, the winning teams will earn points based on their rankings : 1st place will earn 10 points ; 2nd : 7 points ; 3rd : 5 points ; 4th : 4 points ; 5th : 3 points ; 6th : 2 points ; 7th : 1 point ; 8th : 0.5 point. The points are doubled for each respective ranking order for the Final Super League event in Barcelona, that means 1st place will earn 20 points instead of 10 and so on...

The best 8 ranking nations worldwide qualify to compete in 2008, based on their 2007 Samsung Super League with FEI results : Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United States, Belgium, Great Britain, Sweden and Ireland.(Please note that France, Italy and Spain are not represented as qualifying nations in the Samsung Super League with FEI 2008. However, they have been invited to participate as a host nation.) A total of eight events including the final will be held in 8 prestigious cities : La Baule, 08-11 May (FRA) / Rome, 22-25 May (ITA) / St. Gall, 29 May-01 June (SUI) / Rotterdam, 18-22 June (NED) / Aix La Chapelle, 1-6 July (GER) / Hickstead, 24-27 July (GBR), Dublin, 6-10 August (IRL) et the final in Barcelona, 18-21 September (ESP). At the end of the 8 events, the points earned by each participating nation will be totalled for a final ranking. The last ranking place (8th) is eliminated for the following season and is replaced by the winner of the FEI Nations Cup Series.

THE TEAMS COMPETING

GERMANY : As at the beginning of each season, the Germans are considered the strong favorites with their extremely well trained riders and horses. Victorious in 2007 and 2006 and second place in 2005 and 2004, the Germans are naturally positioned as winners for all combined categories for the 2008 season. Even if they did not earn important recent world team titles (Olympic Games won by United States, World Equestrian Games and European Championships won by the Netherlands), Germany has widespread talent among their riders and horses. Within this talented reserve, is the well-known Beerbaum family : Ludger is four-time Olympic champion (1992 Olympic Individual Champion riding Classic Touch ; 2000 Olympic Team Champion riding Goldfever, 1996 Olympic Team Champion riding Ratina as well as in 1998 riding The Freak.) ; Ludger's sister-in-law, Meredith and her fabulous Shutterfly, were the glorious 2007 European Champions in Mannheim as well as Bronze medal winner in the 2006 World Equestrian Games ; and Meredith's husband, Markus, was European Team Champion in 1998. Significant others include : Christian Ahlmann, Marcus Ehning, Marco Kutscher (2000 Olympic Bronze Medalists in Athens and 2005 European Champion) as well as Daniel Deusser... Germany is clearly positioned as the favorite...

THE NETHERLANDS : Second-place winners in the 2007 Samsung Super League with FEI, the Netherlands are positioned as formidable competitors for the 2008 Samsung Super League with FEI Title. The Dutch team won the 2006 Team World Championships with Piet Raymakers (2000 Olympic Champion), Jeroen Dubbeldam, Albert Zoer et Gerco Schröder. The eminent Dutch team surprised the Germans when winning the European Team Title in Mannheim last year with Zoer, Schröder, Dubbeldam and Vincent Voorn. This year they present an imposing threat for the German Samsung League title-holders.

SWITZERLAND : The Swiss are among the top ranked with their 5th place Team title victories in the 2000 Olympics and the World Equestrian Games in 2006. Beat Mandli and his French horse, Ideo du Thot, were winners of the 2007 World Cup Show Jumping in Las Vegas ; Steve Guerdat's successes add to their chances of a top-ranked position as well as the talented, Christina Liebherr (2005 Vice-Champion of Europe)... the Swiss delegation can reasonably expect a top placement !

THE UNITED STATES : Winners of the Samsung Super League with FEI in 2005 as well as Team Vice-Champions in the 2006 World Equestrian Games with Margie Engle (Hidden Creek's Quervo Gold), Laura Kraut (Miss Independent), McLain Ward (Sapphire) and Beezie Madden (Authentic) ; the United States Equestrian team is once again the only non-European nation to compete in the Samsung Super League with FEI. It is important to note that Beezie Madden was Vice-Champion in the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Mannheim and was the only rider to compete with three horses : Integrity, Authentic and Judgement.

BELGIUM : Of the 8 qualifying nations to participate in the Samsung Super League with FEI, Belgium, along with Ireland, is the only non-qualifying nation for the 2008 Olympics. Jos Lansink, individual 2006 World Champion is an automatic Olympic qualifier, the other team members will be able to fully devote themselves to the Samsung Super League with FEI : Ludo Phillippaerts (105 Nations Cup participations), Judy-Ann Melchior, Philippe Lejeune, Mark Van Dijk, Dirk Demeersman or Patrick McEntee.

GREAT BRITAIN : Impossible to talk about Great Britain without thinking of the Whitaker's, particularly John and Michael, who dominate the circuit, accumulating honours along the way. They are ready to rise to the challenge with young talent such as John's son, Robert (25 years old) and Stephen Whitaker's daughter, Ellen (22), who have both been riding in the Samsung Super League with FEI for already a couple of years. While Nick Skelton and Tim Stockdale are essential pillars on this British team, the Whitakers remain the foundation.

SWEDEN : In 2007, the Swedish team superbly held onto its 7th place during the Samsung Super League with FEI finals in Barcelona, thus qualifying for the 2008 season thanks to the commendable Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, Malin Baryard-Johnsson, Helena Lundbäck and Royne Zettermann.

IRELAND : Since September 2006, Ireland was promoted to the first division with the adept talent of Cian O'Connor, Conor Swail, Commander Gerry Flynn and Captain Shane Carey. The Irish team would not be complete without Darragh Kerins, Ryan Crumley, Marion Hughes, Denis Lynch, Shane Breen and Edward Doyle, who have all contributed to their elite world ranking status. Their team will also include the talented 5th world-ranked individual, Jessica Kürten !

PRACTICALS INFORMATIONS

• DATES : May 9th 2008
• PLACE : Stadium François André - LA BAULE (44)
• ENTRY : FREE OF CHARGE
• VILLAGE : More than 60 exhibitors
• RESTAURANT AND FOOD SERVICES : Available in the Village
• ACCESS BY AIR :
  International Airport Nantes Atlantique - CP 3 - 44340 Bouguenais
  Tel : 00 33 2 40 84 80 00 Fax : 00 33 2 40 84 95 02
  Air France : Reservation and information www.airfrance.com
  4 daily flights between Nantes and Paris CDG Daily flights between Nantes and Lyon , Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg, Bordeaux.
• ACCESS BY TRAIN :
  - TGV trains between Paris - La Baule : 2 to 6 daily trains (3 hours)
  - Regional trains to/from Orleans, the "Interloire"
  - TGV trains to/from Lyon and Lille
  Information, reservations, schedules : www.sncf.com
• ACCESS BY CAR :
  450 kms (4-hour drive) from Paris on the A11.
• GPS Locate : 47.283625,-2.414299
• Official Website

 

La Baule International Jumping of France : Samsung Super League