FEI World Cup Jumping Australian League 2007-08 Season completed

Christine Haigh, EFA National Office,

Tuesday, 30 October 2007

After just five of the scheduled 14 qualifying rounds, the 2007-08 FEI World Cup Jumping Australian League season has been declared completed. Only the first three qualifiers (at Sydney Royal, Toowoomba and Brisbane Royal) were held in the eastern States before equine influenza forced the cancellation of all events for the remainder of the season. The only exceptions were the Perth Royal and Brigadoon (WA) qualifiers in October.

Laurie Lever and Ashleigh Drossel Dan have been declared the winners on 35 points, having placed 2nd at Toowoomba and 1st at Brisbane. Second placegetters were Tim Amitrano and Mr Innocent on 30 points.

Laurie and Ashleigh Drossel Dan are now set to represent the Australian League at the World Cup Final in Gotteburg in Sweden in April 2008. Laurie Lever leaves with his horse Ashley Drossel Dan on Wednesday 7 November bound for Australian National Showjumping Coach Gilbert Bockman’s home in Germany. They will be based with Gilbert at his yard in Lastrup in Lower Saxony and campaigning in Europe for the World Cup Final and the 2008 Olympic Games.

Australian World Cup Chairman Peter Cooke has congratulated Laurie on his win and also commented on how well event organising committees worked in coping with the EI outbreak and the effects it had on the World Cup season in Australia. Peter says, ‘Despite the disappointment of a much-reduced 2007-08 season and the uncertainties that EI still poses the 2008-09 season is well-positioned with 15 World Cup shows scheduled, the first being Sydney Royal Show in March 2008’.