The international equestrian event Partner Pferd in Leipzig will host the fifth leg of the FEI World Cup Driving. Four nations are represented in the Leipziger Messe from 20 to 23 January 2005. The current leader of the standings, "Mr. World Cup" Michael Freund, has received a wild card, as well as the local four-in-hand driver Steffen Scholz. Scholz has been a steady member of the German B-kader for many years. He has achieved several top-ten placings at international events amongst which the third place at the CAI Nebanice in 2004. Scholz also received the wild card at the 2004 FEI World Cup Driving in Leipzig where he was placed seventh. Sweden is well represented by Tomas Eriksson, Jan-Erik Pålsson and Fredrik Persson. Australia¹s Boyd Exell and Switzerland¹s Werner Ulrich, currently in third and fourth position, are determined to collect as many points as possible in order to secure a starting place at the last FEI World Cup competition in Gothenburg. The warm up competition (one round) will take place on Friday, January 21st at 22.30 hrs during the Gala Show. The World Cup is scheduled on Sunday, January 23rd, at 13.45 hrs. This competition will take place over two rounds, the best three competitors of the first round qualify for the second round.

For further information on the FEI World Cup Driving season, including standings, future competitions, driver¹s biographies, rules: www.worldcupdriving.com

Created in 2001, the Driving World Cup has provided an innovative new style of competition for indoor events, with courses combining marathon and cone driving obstacles. The 2004/2005 season of the World Cup includes seven
competitions: Hannover (GER), Stuttgart (GER), Stockholm (SWE), Mechelen
(BEL) in 2004; Leipzig (GER), 's-Hertogenbosch (NED) and Göteborg (SWE) in 2005. The top 5 after 6 events will qualify for the 7th event in Göteborg. The winner of the first three editions of the World Cup was Michael Freund (GER).

Media contact CAI-W Leipzig:
Andreas Kerstan, MediaNetworking, phone: +49 4307 827970, fax +49 4307 827979, e-mail: info@kerstan.de

For further information:
CAI-W Leipzig: www.partner-pferd.de
FEI: www.horsesport.org