Grand Prix Longines of La Baule. (PSV Jean Morel)
After the World Equestrian Games in 2014, the international jumping elite will compete in the European championships in 2015, in the legendary Aix-La-Chapelle (GER) venue, from the 19th to the 23rd of August. To prepare this European meeting, the best professional riders and horses of the world will gather at the unique CSIO5* of France on the very famous arena of La Baule.
It is now a tradition that the CSIO5* of France launches every year the outdoor jumping season in France. Known as the favourite show of the international riders, the Longines Jumping International of La Baule is the 2nd leg of the European Division 1 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup series and also the 2nd leg of the national FFE French Tour circuit. The CSIO5* of France offers a sport program based on the championships or Olympic Games model, with as a common denominator, a team class and a Final (the Grand Prix in the case of the CSIO5*).
The CSIO5* of France will be the opportunity for its participants to prepare themselves under the best conditions. La Baule will also enable the national coaches to review their forces at the beginning of the season. Among the 9 classes of the CSIO 5* program, 3 competitions will mark the highlights of these 4 days:
– THE FURUSIYYA FEI NATIONS CUP, on Friday 15th May at 2:00pm, with a dozen teams engaged in the competition
– THE DERBY MEETING OF PAYS DE LA LOIRE, on Saturday 16th May at 2:15pm
– THE GRAND PRIX LONGINES OF LA BAULE, on Sunday 17th May at 1:00pm, reserved to the 50 best couples of the CSIO5*.
Besides the CSIO5* of France, the Longines Jumping international of La Baule will also propose a CSI1* (8 classes) for amateur riders and two para-equestrian competitions. 3 competitions of different level for a total of 585 500 euros prize-money.
As an extension of the 2014 strategy to improve the infrastructures of François André stadium to offer both best sport conditions to the athletes (riders and horses) and an optimized visibility to the partners, the city of La Baule continues the equestrian site improvement. This includes the arena improvement by the city technical staff, and also the equestrian centre facilities improvement by the organizing committee of the Jumping, which used the boxes and the sand track for the accommodation and the warm up of horses.
More information: www.labaule-cheval.com.
Véronique GAUTHIER / Agence Consulis – veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr – +33 672 770 600