Following the last World Cup qualifier in 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, on 25 - 27 March 2011, the qualified riders for the 2011 World Cup Finals are known. The Netherlands is best represented as a nation with both the title defender and leader of the Western European League being Dutch and competing in the Finals which will take place in Leipzig, Germany, 27 April - 1 May 2011.
Title defender Edward Gal is automatically qualified as he fulfilled the requirement of riding in at least two qualifiers during the indoor show season. The leader in the Western European League and favourite for the victory is Adelinde Cornelissen on Parzival. She will be joined by Hans Peter Minderhoud (either on Nadine or Tango). Christa Laarakkers (Ovation) just missed out on the finals as she is the fourth qualified rider for The Netherlands and only three per country are allowed to go.
Germany will be represented by Ulla Salzgeber (Herzruf's Erbe or Wakana), Isabell Werth (Satchmo) and Helen Langehanenberg (Responsible OLD). The other Western European qualified riders are Richard Davison (Hiscox Artemis), Patrik Kittel (Scandic), Tinne Vilhelmson-Silven (Favourit), and Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (Digby).
Two North Americans are qualified to compete. American Catherine Haddad has confirmed to make the journey. Tina Konyot and Jan Ebeling have scored the two highest American World Cup qualification marks, though Konyot has previously announced to the American press that she's not travelling to Germany. The last North American World Cup qualifier is next weekend in Burbank, CA. One South American rider will be in Leipzig as well.
Eighteen riders in total will compete at the 2011 World Cup Finals. Three are allowed per country and nine come from the Western European League. Katarzyna Milczarek and Robert Acs are the Central European League representatives, while Chantal Wigan qualified by winning the Pacific League. She, however, decided not to make the trip to Europe.
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