Saudi Fund fuels Nation’s Cup Series

By Staff Report April 30, 2012

The Saudi Equestrian Fund is providing a fresh infusion of financing to the FEI Nation’s Cup Series, which the Fédération intends to freshen-up and rebrand.

Announcing the agreement to 250 delegates at the opening of the Fédération Equestre Internationale Sports Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, today FEI president HRH Princess Haya informed delegates that the SEF will provide full financial support for the 2012 series and has also agreed to a five-year title sponsorship commencing in 2013. The Saudi Equestrian Fund was created by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz by royal decree in November 2009 to give the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a lasting legacy in equestrianism through sport and cultural events.

The heightened involvement of the Arab nations in various aspects of equestrian sport – from endurance to show jumping – has had a major impact in the past few years, driving up the price of top horses but also enhancing competition through things sponsorships, the construction of new facilities and hosting duties for major events in places like Qatar and Dubai.

“We believe this is a fantastic opportunity to preserve one of the flagship events and heritage of the FEI. We want to be part of the process that will enhance the Nations Cup concept, and help it become a truly global, contemporary product. The objective is to make the Nations Cup universal, fresh and exciting,” said HH Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Al Saud, chairman of the Saudi Equestrian Board of Trustees.

“Supporting the Nations Cup series fits perfectly with our mission to improve and promote the growth of equestrian sport inside and outside Saudi Arabia,” Ziyad Abduljawad, managing director of the SEF said. “The Nations Cup should be the pinnacle of equestrian sport. National pride and competing for your nation provide an extra dimension that drives the individual to produce peak performance. We believe in the power of the Nations Cup to bring the best of equestrian sport to the world.”

Organizers of the eight FEI Nations Cup Top League events were informed at a meeting with the FEI in Geneva last December that a funding solution had been found for the series, but details of the agreement were not released at that time as the FEI continued ongoing discussions with the SEF to formalize the agreement.

The Saudi Equestrian Fund will be part of discussions with the FEI on prize money, branding and the revitalization of the series, with the twin goals of improving the overall prize money for each event and the overall level of competition. As part of the restructuring of the series, the concept will be debated at this week’s Sports Forum, and the FEI will also create a dedicated e-platform to facilitate a transparent and open process, allowing stakeholders further opportunities to voice their opinions, and provide feedback and follow-up.

The Saudi Equestrian Fund is keen to facilitate the change and has expressed the wish that the outcome of the renovation process is a concept that is supported by all parties. The Fund will provide financial support in order to ensure the continuity of the 2012 series during the transition to the new concept which will be launched in 2013.

The Board of Trustees of the Saudi Equestrian Fund is also supporting a major exhibition in the British Museum in London entitled “The Horse: from Arabia to Royal Ascot.” The exhibition, which runs from 24 May to 30 September, charts the history of the horse, from ancient civilization to modern day sporting events and includes important loans from the British Library, Fitzwilliam Museum and the Royal Armories, as well as rare material from Saudi Arabia.

The FEI Nations Cup is the oldest of the FEI competitions. It has existed for over a century, but it was in 1964 that the Nations Cup became a series when a ranking was established. Since then it has gone through a number of transformations, run as the President’s Cup, the Prince Philip Trophy, and more recently as the Super League. In recent years a sentiment has emerged that the concept is in need of review and an overhaul is  seen as key to ensuring the future of the series.

The FEI Nations CupTop League is currently run at eight selected European venues, but that f0rmat will be examined at the Sports Forum in Lausanne and, following further consultation, proposed changes to the series will be voted on at the General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey,  in November.

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