Jumping Verona: Rolex FEI World Cup 2012
Steve Guerdat, Olympic Champion, Rolf Goran Bengtsson number 1 in the FEI/Rolex riders ranking and reigning European Champion, and Philippe Le Jeune, World Champion… There are still two weeks to go to the closing of “Entries in Principle” for Jumping Verona, but initial confirmations so far received already suffice to define the 2012 edition of the only Italian stage of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ as, quite simply, extraordinary.
The riders taking the top medals over the last three years in the main competitions in the calendar (Olympic, European and WEG) are the tip of the iceberg in a starting line-up that promises to be absolutely “star-studded”. A prestigious field is expected, because Jumping Verona this year boasts an even more impressive visiting card: an overall prize fund of €476,000 as well as a Rolex watch for the winner of the last event, the fourth stage of the Rolex FEI Word Cup ™ series.
The two-thirds of the prize fund not assigned last year following the suspension of the Grand Prix, decided by riders themselves and the Organising Committee after the tragic death of Hickstead, have helped boost the winnings by an astonishing € 100,000. The Rolex Grand Prix is up from €150,000 to €190,000, while even the mixed event on the first day now boasts a prize fund of €100,000 to become yet another not-to-be-missed appointment.
The highly functional Hall number 7, which this year is home not only to the competition ring but also the warm-up ring for the first time, even as early as Friday will welcome a festival of sport in a true gala atmosphere. The regulations of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ envisage the presence of the Top Ten in the current rankings, and with all likelihood they may well and truly all turn up in Verona this year. Confirmation will be finalised on 22 October, the deadline for named enrolments.
The Rolex FEI World Cup™ stops off in Verona for the twelfth edition. As personally confirmed by the riders customarily in the top positions of the FEI Ranking List, the Italian stage is held in extremely high regard.
“After the first three appointments (Oslo and Helsinki in Scandinavia and Lyons), the Jumping Verona stage sees the calendar of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ – Western European League – come alive,” said Eleonora Ottaviani, competition Show Director. This scheduling, and the organisational efficiency demonstrated over the years by VeronaFiere staff, has helped the Verona event become particularly sought-after among the top riders.”
In 2010, Ludger Beerbaum enthusiastically highlighted the availability of a large, peaceful and functional warm up ring – something that is hard to find at other events. Eric Lamaze loves Italy and its warm-hearted audiences: Verona impresses him through the respect with which horses and riders are treated. The sad experience at the last edition helped him feel just how close the organisation and the public are to the protagonists of the competition. The needs of horses and riders – champions of extraordinary calibre – together with the warm welcome by audiences are the primary objectives of the Organising Committee, as ever engaged in maintaining the event in line with the technical features of the main world events in show jumping.
“Important innovations are also being prepared this year,” said Luciano Rizzi, Fieracavalli Brand Manager. “The stables and warm-up area for horses taking part in the FEI World Cup™ events will be housed in Hall 7, adjacent to the hall that has welcomed Jumping Verona since 2010. The space dedicated to these facilities and the stands of exhibitors focusing their activities in the specific show jumping sector will expand significantly, from 8,167 square metres at the last edition (Hall 5) to 14,167 this year.
Everything will be more concentrated, with evident improvements for all logistics associated with the needs of the competition and visitors.
Fieracavalli is in full swing and training young, well-prepared staff to ensure continuity in the work achieved so far and amazing growth” Mr Rizzi points out.