The German team had a lucky draw at the CHIO Aachen: In the Mercedes-Benz Prize, part of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™, on Thursday evening (7.30 p.m.) Coach Otto Becker's team will be the tenth, i.e. the last team, to compete. Becker thanked a beaming Mohammed Al Kawit, Meydan Director of Communications, who drew the balls out of the bag together with Show Director Frank Kemperman. "Of course we will try to repeat last year's victory in front of our home crowd," said the National Coach. "But of course it won't be easy here in Aachen amid this amazing floodlit atmosphere in front of 40,000 people." Becker's team comprises of the two experienced Nations Cup riders Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Marcus Ehning, as well as Carsten-Otto Nagel and Philipp Weishaupt. It will be their premiere performance in the Mercedes-Benz Prize, part of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™, at least in Aachen.

Both the International Equestrian Federation, the FEI, and the CHIO organisers are celebrating important anniversaries this year: The first Nations Cup ever was staged precisely one hundred years ago and it was held in Aachen for the first time exactly eighty years ago. "Aachen has set so many standards and continues to do so again and again. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for this. As well as for the commitment of Meydan, which is ultimately making our series possible this year," commented John Roche, FEI Show-Jumping Director. Mohammed Al Kawit called it a "great honour to be part of all of this".

The starting order for the Mercedes-Benz Prize, part of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ is as follows:

1. Ireland
2. Sweden
3. The Netherlands
4. France
5. USA
6. Italia
7. Great Britain
8. Belgium
9. Switzerland
10. Germany