USA, Canada, Australia World Cup Finalist Horses to Have Transportation Paid By Swedish Organizer

Jacqueline Brooks of Canada on D Niro at the 2013 World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden. The organizers of Gothenburg this year will reimburse much of the transportation costs for horses and riders from outside Europe. (C) 2013 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

World Cup dressage horses and riders from North America, Australia and other nations outside Europe for the first time will be reimbursed for most of the transport expenses by the organizers of the Final in Gothenburg, Sweden Mar. 24-17.

This is believed to be the first time an organizer of the annual world championship when staged in Europe have been required to reimburse for transportation costs of horses and riders from outside Europe. Details of the reimbursement were in the event schedule approved by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Riders from the United States and Canada will be paid almost US$15,000/EUR13,730 to cover transportation of each horse and almost US$1,500/EUR1,373 for the rider.

Riders from Africa, Asia, Pacific and South America will be paid almost US$20,000/EUR18,300 per horse and about US$ 2,000/EUR1,830 per athlete.

North America is allocated two starting places at the Final while the Pacific is given one out of the total of 18 that are invited, mostly from Western Europe. The reimbursement requirement applies to riders based outside their Western European home country, such as Lars Petersen and Mikala Gundersen of Denmark who are based in Wellington, Florida and compete in the North American League.

Expenses of all riders in hotels and horses in the show's stabling are covered by the competition organizer, as is reimbursement for ground transport for European combinations.

Dressage horse transportation expense has long been an issue especially as organizers of World Cup Finals in the United States have been required to pay expenses for European horses and riders under contracts that were negotiated by the FEI but kept confidential.

Organizers of the World Cup Final in Lyon, France in 2014 took it upon themselves to offer reimbursement to dressage riders after an Egyptian rider based in California was reimbursed for his transportation under the agreement for the jumping World Cup Final.

Total prize money of the dressage Final is EUR250,000/US$273,000 with EUR25,000/US$27,300 going to the Grand Prix and EUR225,000US$245,000 distributed to Freestyle competitors.