Dubai Barcelona’s Real Club de Polo is buzzing with excitement and anticipation as it hosts the FEI Nations Cup Final at the historic stadium, home of the jumping finals at the 1992 Olympics.
Some of the world’s top riders from the Netherlands, France and United States, won won the team gold, silver and bronze medallists at last month’s World Equestrian Games in France, are being tipped as the ones to watch in the event which runs till Sunday, October 12,
The event is the world’s top international team Jumping event, and 14 countries are fielding strong teams in a bid to win the title and more than €2 million in prize money.
The French come to Barcelona as defending champions but will have to contend with the mighty Dutch squad represent by the same gold-medal winning quartet from the Games in Normandy.
The United States, winners of three of the series’ 20 qualifying rounds, are also strong contenders.
Germany, another jumping superpower who will be looking to make amends for missing the cut for last year’s Final, have sent some of their best riders to Spain.
Other notable squads are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Qatar, hosts Spain, Sweden and Venezuela.
The Qataris claimed team gold at the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, and will be full of confident.
Shaikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani will be joined by two other members of the Asian Games heroes including Khalid Mohammad Al Emadi and Bassem Hassan Mohammed, together with Faleh Suwead and Hamad Ali Al Attiyah
Nations Cup Jumping celebrates its 105th season this year and has seen a total of 40 nations compete in 20 qualifiers around the globe in the lead-up to this event, with the world divided into four regions for qualification purposes.
