World crosscountry cup becomes a reality?


World Crosscountry Cup


Following a fruitful meeting in Paris, there will be advanced discussions in Pardubice in September about holding a World Crosscountry Cup. It may start as early as 2010. The series will comprise races that already exist, and it is not anticipated that any horse will compete in more than 3 or 4 of the races.


Important matters still to be agreed on are some kind of harmonisation of the obstacles to be included in the races, and details of how the races will be linked into a series. Sponsorship may not be a great problem, as most of the races are already well established in the racing calendar in their home countries. However, it would be a good idea to work intensively on harmonising the rule books and the way in which they are interpreted and implemented in the different countries.


The preliminary programme is:

February: Pau (France) - Grand Cross Country de Pau, 6200 mČeská pojišťovna Velká November/December (or March): Cheltenham (England) - Glenfardas


Handicap Cross Country Steeplechase, 6200 m


April: Punchestown (Ireland) - La Touche Cup, 6800 m


alternating

April: Compiegne/Fontainebleau (France) probably

May: Lion d´Angers (France) - Anjou-Loire Challenge, 7300 m


de la Ville de Dieppe, 5800 m

June/July: Dieppe (France) - Grand Steeple-Chase Cross Country


4600 m

August: Waregem (Belgium) - Grote Steeple Chase de Vlanderen,

September: Merano (Italy) - Gran Premio di Merano, 5000 m


Pardubická, 6900 m

October: Pardubice (Czech Republic) -