March 29, 2004 
 
- FEI World Cup Dressage, CDI-W 's-Hertogenbosch and Duesseldorf Final
- FEI World Cup Jumping
- FEI Top Ten Final supported by Gandini and Rolex allocated to Geneva
- Silver Camera Award, conditions of participation
- Death of famous Dressage stallion Dutch Gold (owned by Jennie Loriston-Clarke and Miss Maragret Clayton)

FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE
CDI-W 's-Hertogenbosch
Anky Sweeps to top of the League

A superb performance from Anky Van Grunsven and Gestion Salinero secured the Dutch diva victory in the final qualifier of the FEI Western European League in front of an ecstatic home crowd at Indoor Brabant.

With wins at Mechelen and Amsterdam under her belt plus a second on her initial outing at Maastricht, the five-time World Cup winner goes into the Final next week as Queen of the League. " Gestion Salinero was great, the best he has been so far" said van Grunsven. " The atmosphere here was brilliant, very special as always, and we are having a big party tonight for sure!"The especial reason for a party was the Gestion team's clean sweep of the top three places. Van Grunsven's pupil Edward Gal ride Gestion Lingh to second place on 78.45 per cent, securing his ticket to Duesseldorf next week, and third marked the return to top form of Gestion Goliath for a delighted and emotional Arjen Teeuwissen for third on 76.42.

In fourth place, Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff did a great job with her beautiful mare Wahajama-Unicef to finish the League in seventh place. However, there are three German riders ahead of her - Heike Kemmer, Hubertus Schmidt and Isabell Werth, who finished sixth here on Apache to cement her fourth place in the standings four points above Linsenhoff.

Due to the high quality seen throughout this Western European League season, it had already been decided that three further Final places would be awarded instead of the normal eight. Sweden's Louise Nathhorst and Danish dental student Nicole Ahlefeldt Laurvig-Lehn secured their places here as expected.However, unforeseen circumstances arose this week with the withdrawal of the title-holders Debbie McDonald and Brentina, and while Finland's Kyra Kyrklund had qualified under the new arrangements, the former titleholder has retired from the fray. Therefore the FEI World Cup Director Joep Bartels has announced the increase to twelve of qualified Western League riders with the availability of two further wild cards, one for a thrilled Linsenhoff and, for balance, one for Dutch rider Marlies van Baalen standing in thirteenth after her ninth place here on Blom's Idocus. Sweden's Tinne Vilhelmsson, 14th on points, completes the quota.A capacity crowd of 8,000 watched the last FEI World Cup qualifier of the season.

Just before the prize-giving World Cup Director Joep Bartels was honoured for his exceptional contribution to the World Cup, as he is retiring as Director at the end of this season. The competition was fierce, but in a wonderful finale to a fantastic season, all the prize-winners made an impromptu 'show', taking the applause in passage in one impressive cadre down the arena. But the show is not over yet. Duesseldorf here we come.

FINAL DUESSELDORF 1- 4 APRIL 2004
Debbie McDonald and Brentina will not defend their title in Duesseldorf

FEI World Cup Champion Debbie McDonald has had to withdraw Parry and Peggy Thomas's chestnut mare Brentina from the FEI World Cup Dressage Final in Duesseldorf due to injury. After their warm up competition at CDI Dortmund three weeks ago, where they won both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special, Brentina was found to have a slightly swollen leg. Despite careful monitoring, hopes that the US combination could defend their title were dashed when leading veterinarian Dr Peter Cronau diagnosed a mild tendon strain. While not serious for the mare's future, this would however make any performance during the next few weeks inadvisable.

FEI World Cup Dressage Final to be broadcast on Eurosport Highlights of The FEI World Cup Dressage Final are scheduled to be broadcast on Eurosport in a prime time slot - Wednesday 14 April at 21.00 C.E.T.

FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING
Ludger Supreme in 's-Hertogenbosch

On his sixth start in the 2003/2004 FEI World Cup Jumping series Ludger Beerbaum at last made his mark when victorious today with Goldfever at the penultimate qualifier in s'Hertogenbosch, Holland.

It has been a strange season for the German ace who had only picked up eight points on his previous outings at Berlin, Geneva, Leipzig, Vigo and Paris but it came together for him at the Dutch fixture at which spectators enjoyed a thrilling seven-horse jump-off.

Ludger was first to jump against the clock and he said afterwards "I had to set the pace but I feel I had luck on my side today because I only won by 100th of a second and one other rider was faster than me". He threw down a strong challenge when steering Goldfever home and clear in 31.81 seconds and fellow-countryman Otto Becker presented no real danger when following with two mistakes from Dobel's Fiala. However Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, winner at Mechelen in December, had the hand-brake off as he galloped through the finish more than a second faster with Mackinley but a single error cost the Swede dearly.

Dutch riders had been extremely dominant throughout the show and Leopold Van Asten, representing competition-sponsors VDL Groep with Think Twice 11, had the crowd behind him as he galloped across the line clear but almost one second off the target-time in 32.67 seconds while Germany's Franke Sloothaak also left all the timber intact but could not match Ludger's time when breaking the beam in 32.55 seconds.
Markus Fuchs was second-last to go but the Swiss rider is clearly still suffering considerable pain from the leg-problem that has been dogging him for some time now. Due to the difficulties he has been experiencing, the FEI agreed to give him a wild-card qualifying spot for the final in Milan next month if he could earn his place in an FEI World Cup competition jump-off and, having done that today, he decided to retire with Tinka's Boy leaving only Bruno Broucqsault to challenge Ludger for pole position. And the Frenchman proved well up to the challenge, keeping the crowd on the edges of their seats as he produced a superb round from the 14 year old mare Dileme de Cephe who stopped the clock just a frustrating 100th of a second off the German rider's time in 31.82.

Commenting on the length of time it has taken him to make any real impression on this year's series Ludger said "it's difficult to know why it has been like this but you know life is a bit like that sometimes don't you think? You can't explain it, it just happens, but things are better now and I will travel to Goeteborg to see if I can qualify for the final - that's my goal". He must feature prominently in the line-up again at the final qualifying leg if he is to make the cut as, despite today's success, he still only has 28 points on the board and approximately 40 will be required to firmly secure his place.

Ludo Philippaerts remains at the head of the FEI World Cup leaderboard but Otto Becker has improved from seventh position to runner-up spot while Rolf-Goran Bengtsson joins Rodrigo Pessoa in fourth behind Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum in third after today's competition.

It's still all to play for at the final qualifier in fourteen day's time and, with luck now back on his side, Ludger Beerbaum will have all guns blazing when he lines out in Goeteborg for what promises to be a tense and exciting battle for those precious last-minute qualifying points.

THE WORLD'S TOP TEN IN GENEVA FOR THE FOURTH TIME

Spring has brought excellent news for the Geneva International Horse Show: the confirmation that the fourth edition of the Top-10 World Final will once again take place in conjunction with the CSI-W in December 2004.

The International Jumping Riders' Club (IJRC) voted in favour of CSI-W Geneva organising the fourth edition of the Top-10 world final.

This final, held once a year, is only open to the 10 best riders of the planet, i.e. the Top Ten of the FEI / Gandini World Jumping Riders Rankings. The two first Finals were won by Ludger Beerbaum (GER), with Goldfever in 2001 and with Gladdys'S in 2002. Last year Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and Baloubet du Rouet took the honours.

The fourth edition of the Top 10 Final will thus ensure the highest level of participation at the Geneva Horse Show, which always attracts so many equestrian fans.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Top-10 World Final will be presented by the watch company Rolex and the Italian High Fashion Fabrics Gandini. Rolex has been sponsoring the Geneva International Horse Show since the 1996 World Cup Final.

SILVER CAMERA AWARD 2004 - CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

The Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e.V. (ALRV), the FEI and the Sparkasse announce the contest "Best Equestrian Photo of the Year", for which the Silver Camera Award is presented on the occasion of CHIO Aachen 2004, from 13 to 18 July.

A jury of experts will determine the winner and present the prizes. In addition to the "Silver Camera" trophy, the winner will receive a cash prize of EUR 2.600.-, the second EUR 500.- and the third placed EUR 250.-. 

The contest is open to professional photographers who may present a maximum of 3 photographs. The photographs showing equestrian sport scenes from around the world must have been taken between 1 April 2003 and 30 April 2004.

The closing date for submission of the pictures is on 15 May 2004.

Pictures and CV of the photographer shall be sent to: Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein, "Silver Camera Award", Albert-Servais-Allee 50, D-52070 Aachen, Germany

The full conditions of participation are available on the FEI website, http://www.horsesport.org/fei/news/news_08/new_08_02.html


IN MEMORIAM

Grand Prix Dressage stallion, Dutch Gold, died recently at the grand old age of 28 years.
 
Sired by Jennie Loriston-Clarke's famous Dutch Courage, Dutch Gold retired at the end of 1992 having competed at Grand Prix level since 1985. He was a member of the British Team at the Seoul Olympics and all European Championships since 1985.
 
Dutch Gold was the sire of 2 graded stallions and numerous eventing and dressage horses and was famous for doing displays of the Grand Prix movements to music which were seen by audiences all over the world. Dutch Gold was owned by Jennie Loriston-Clarke and Miss Maragret Clayton.