Portuguese Horse Coltaire Z Withdrawn from FEI European Jumping Championships

Madrid (ESP), 16 September 2011 – The Portuguese have withdrawn Coltaire Z (Frutuoso de Melo) from today’s team final at the FEI European Jumping Championships in Madrid (ESP) for veterinary reasons. The 14-year-old stallion, which was in 36th place in the individual standings, has a leg injury.

The Portuguese team was lying in 10th place overnight and had earned a place in today’s top-10 team final, but as Portugal had fielded a team of only three horses, Coltaire Z’s withdrawal means that the Portuguese have now had to pull out of today’s team final.

Winningmood (Luciana Diniz), in 10th overnight, and Maestro St Lois (Joao Mota), in 35th, will both jump in today’s competition as individuals.

Under FEI Rules for Jumping Championships and Olympic Games, the withdrawal of one of the top 10 teams does not allow for a replacement team to be promoted into the team final.

Italian chef d’equipe Stefano Scaccabarozzi put in a written request to the Ground Jury asking for permission for the 11th-placed Italian team to compete in today’s team final. This request was considered by the Ground Jury under Article 326.3.2 in Chapter II (Continental Championships) of the Rules for Jumping Championships and Olympic Games. The Rules state that round two of the team competition (the team final) “is open only to the 10 best placed teams and those teams equal on penalties for 10th place after round one of the team competition.”

As Italy had finished outside the top-10 in yesterday’s first round of the team competition, the Ground Jury ruled that Italy is not eligible to compete in today’s team final. The Italians lodged a protest with the Appeal Committee, but the decision of the Ground Jury has been upheld by the Appeal Committee.

As a result, only nine teams will start in today’s team final, which gets underway at 16.30 CEST.

The FEI Rules for Jumping Championships and Olympic Games are available here.

Media contacts:
At FEI
Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

At Madrid
Patricia Herranz
prensacsi@clubvillademadrid.com
+ 34 913995045
+ 34 637703848
http://www.europeanjumping2011.com/