Ireland part of new European challenge
Monday, 9 November 2009 12:10Ireland is one of six European nations to host a new Cross Country Steeplechase Challenge in 2010, identifying the most successful stable to run horses over Europe's unique cross country courses of hedges, walls, ditches, banks and rails.
The Crystal Cup brings together a total of 10 races in France, Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic, Ireland and Britain, with combined prize money of over €700,000.
The most successful stable, accumulating the highest number of points throughout the series, will receive the Crystal Cup and €10,000, to be shared between the trainer and stable staff.
The schedule for the 10 participating races starts in Pau (Western France) in February, with the Grande Cross worth €75,000.
The series features four further races in France at Fontainebleau, Compiégne, Lion D'Angers and Craon and travels to Punchestown in Ireland for the La Touche Cup in April, Waregem in Belgium for the ING grote Steeple Chase van Vlaanderen in August, to Merano in Italy for the Grand Cross in September and to the Czech Republic for the world famous Velka Pardubika in October.
The final race of the series is at Cheltenham's International Meeting in December.
This multi-national challenge will see Cross Country Steeplechase champion trainers Josef Vana from the Czech Republic, Enda Bolger from Ireland and France's Guillaume Macaire compete head-to-head with their strong teams of horses to produce the first European Crystal Cup Champion.
Points will be awarded to the first six horses to finish in each race, with extra bonus points awarded to horses that have travelled from abroad to take part.
All runners taking part in the final race at Cheltenham in December will receive an additional bonus point. As well as the €10,000 award to the winning stable, there will be individual trophies celebrating both the horse and rider who accumulate the most points over the 10 race series.
