Eighteen of the world’s top dressage riders will be travelling to Gothenburg, Sweden to compete for the prestigious title of 2003 FEI World Cup dressage champion on 27-30 March.
For the first time the kr will be split into two with the best 12 riders from the grand prix going forward to the final from which the World Cup champion will be crowned. The remaining six riders will take part in a ‘runners-up’ competition. The grand prix will be a qualifying competition only and won’t count towards the final result. Seven international judges will oversee proceedings.
One notable absence will be the Olympic champion Anky van Grunsven, leader of the World Cup standings of the Western European League after San Patrignano (24-26 January), who will not be able to compete because of a broken leg. Click here to read about Anky’s accident.
Britain’s hopes for the final are carried by Richard Davison, who was fifth in the Western European Leagueafter he added a strong performance in San Patrignano to a run of success in recent World Cup qualifiers.
The World Cup dressage final is one of seven competitions taking place during the four-day Gothenburg Horse Show, which will also host a qualifier of the FEI World Cup Jumping and a round of the FEI World Cup Driving.
The event will take place in the Scandinavium arena, which is in the centre of Gothenburg, and can hold up to 12,000 spectators. It is held in conjunction with theEuroHorse Fair, which takes place in the Swedish Exhibition Centre next to the arena.
This will be the sixth time Gothenburg has hosted the event. It was last there in 1998 when Swedish rider Louise Nathhorst triumphed.
For more information about the show and to book tickets visit: www.goteborghorseshow.com