Yvonne Losos de Muniz, Tanya Seymour, Adrienne Lyle, and Emmelie Scholtens have joined the line-up for the 2019 World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 3 - 7 April 2019.
The field of 18 starters is now complete.
Each year the FEI determines a field of 15 competitors based on the final ranking and placings in the World Cup leagues across the world. Three "extra starting places" are allocated to bring the field to 18 riders in total.
The allocation of the extra starting places is based on:
- 5.2.1 Permanently domiciled athletes who qualify in the League where they are domiciled (Art. 8, max one extra starting place).
- 5.2.2. One athlete from the host NF, if no host NF athlete is already qualified.
- 5.2.3 If more starting places are available, these will be allocated to the athlete/horse combination(s) with the highest ranking (as a combination) on the February of the current year FEI World Dressage Ranking List, and who have participated in at least two (2) CDI-W.
Dominican republic's Yvonne Losos de Muniz, who is based in Wellington, Florida, received the spot as a non-league rider. She will ride her second GP horse, Aquamarijn.
German based South African Tanya Seymour has received the slot according to Art 9.5.2.1 Permanently domiciled athletes who qualify in the League where they are domiciled.
Adrienne Lyle and Emmelie Scholtens were invited based on rule 5.2.3. As Pacific League winner Rozzie Ryan declined her spot, not wanting to make the trip from Australia to Sweden for the event, two extra starting places were available. These were allocated to the athlete/horse combination(s) with the highest ranking (as a combination) on the February 2019 FEI World Dressage Ranking List,
Adrienne Lyle was the third ranked rider in the North American League was ranked 16th in the February FEI World Dressage Ranking List
Initially Dutch Madeleine Witte-Vrees (22nd on the FEI World Ranking List - 28th on the Western European League World Cup ranking) was invited for an extra starting place, but she declined the spot as she withdrew her horse Cennin already from the CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch because he was not entirely fit. Country mare Emmelie Scholtens (ranked 27th on the World Ranking and 17th on the WEL ranking) accepted the spot.
An FEI spokesperson confirmed that, "two athletes were ranked before Emmelie. However the invitations were declined."
Western European League qualified rider Dorothee Schneider withdrew from her spot and has been replaced by coutry mate Benjamin Werndl. Schneider's Sammy Davis Jr is not fit enough to compete. Werndl will bring Daily Mirror.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Link
Eurodressage coverage of the 2018-2019 World Cup Dressage Show Circuit