The Western European League of the FEI World Cup Jumping 2004/2005 series begins next Sunday in Oslo, Norway where 50 riders will line out in an effort to pick up some early points.

Now in its 27th season, the series has increased from 12 to 13 leagues due to the recent inclusion of the Arab League which is already well underway following competitions at Lattakia (Syria), Faqra (Lebanon) and Algiers (Algeria) and which concludes with its final qualifier in Damascus (Syria) next March.

Riders from the Japanese, New Zealand, Australian, Canadian, Central European, South African, South American, South East Asian, Central Asian and American East Coast leagues will qualify for the Final which returns to Las Vegas, USA  venue for a hugely successful final in 2003 - next April.

Oslo has attracted some of the sport's biggest stars including current World No. 1 and Olympic silver medallist Rodrigo Pessoa from Brazil and Germanys Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum who was runner-up behind the reigning World Cup champion Bruno Brouqsault from France at this years truly exciting final in Milan.

The German contingent is very strong indeed and includes Marcus Ehning, Otto Becker, Christian Ahlmann, Marco Kutscher, Toni Hassmann and Pia-Luise Aufrecht.

Riders from sixteen different nations will compete and Belgium sends five including Judy-Ann Melchior who is now armed with the former Marion Hughes ride Fortunus.

In Athens this grey stallion showed real class with the Irish rider on board until injuring himself when prodded by an upturned shoe and Judy-Ann, daughter of Zangersheide maestro Leon Melchior, competed with the 11 year old Oldenburg horse at the FEI World Breeding Championships in Lanaken two weeks ago. She is joined in Oslo by Ludo Philippaerts, Jos Lansink, and Jean Claude and Samantha Vangeenberghe.

Charlotte and Thomas Velin line out for Denmark alongside Tina Lund while Finnish miracle-man Sebastian Numminen, who survived an horrific car accident some years ago to rise to the top of his sport, will be sure to make an impression.

The French, buoyed up by their recent Samsung Super League double, will no doubt be in flying form and their four-strong contingent includes Hubert Bourdy and Edouard Couperie.

Gerco and Wim Schroder compete for The Netherlands along with Leopold van Asten while Rolf Goran Bengtsson, Helena Persson and Peter Eriksson fly the Swedish flag. Mexico will be represented by Jose Alfredo Hernandez and Marcela Lobo, Spain sends Cayetano Martinez de Irujo and Switerlands Steve Guerdat and Beat Mandli will also be in action.

Robert Splaine will be the sole Irish representative with his stallion Coolcorron Cool Diamond, Alessia Marioni competes for Italy and James Davenport rides for Great Britain while Clare Bronfman and Schuyler Riley carry the Star and Stripes for the USA.

However they will all have contend with the 11-strong Norwegian line-up which includes Connie Bull, Tony Andre Hansen and Geir Gulliksen.

Early success in the FEI World Cup Jumping series can leave riders with breathing space later in the season so the first few rounds are especially important. The beginning of the series also tends to highlight new and rising talent or point to a return to form for more experienced partnerships.

Indoor jumping can also provide a few surprises as horses can take some time to familiarise themselves again with the close proximity of the spectators and the tight dimensions of the arena after competing outside over the summer months.

World Cup-winning horses have often tended to be full of character - the kind of equine star that thrives on being the centre of attention and who likes to show off in front of the crowd.

Baloubet du Rouet who went into the history books when recording three successive victories between 1998 and 2000 for Rodrigo Pessoa is one of these as was the great Gladstone, victor with Austria's Hugo Simon in the saddle at the inaugural final in Goteborg back in 1979 and who can forget the lovely grey Milton ridden by Britains John Whitaker who stole the show every time he competed whether he won his class or not?

The 27th FEI World Cup Jumping series promises an autumn, winter and spring of great show jumping at venues all across Western Europe. Oslo is the first step on the way to the glamour, glitz and bright lights of Las Vegas where the 2004/2005 star will shine..

ORGANISER DETAILS FOR THE 2004/2005 FEI WORLD CUP SERIES:

1, Oslo  Show Director Morten Aasen, Show Secretary Annhild Furfjord - email annhild@oslohorseshow.no. Website: www.oslohorseshow.com.

2, Helsinki  Show Director Tom Gordin, Show Secretary Hanna Hurme  email hanna.hurme@helsinkihorseshow.fi, Press Officer Kati Hurme-Leikkonen Tel. (mobile) ++356 40 5144753, email kati.1.hurme@kolumbus.fi. Website: www.helsinkihorseshow.fi.

Verona  Show Director Maria Emer Agostini, Show Secretary Roberta Agostini, email agostini@veronafiere.it and Press Officer Caterina Vagnozzi, Tel (mobile) ++39 335 6107070. Website: www.veronafiere.it.

Geneva  Sport Director Alban Poudret, Show Secretary Chantal Rothen, email contact@concours-hippique.ch and Press Officer Corinne Druey Tel ++41 213128222, (mobile) ++41 79 2267859. Website: www.concours-hippique.ch.

London-Olympic  Show Simon Brooks-Ward LVO, Show Secretary Penny Henderson, email pennyh@hpower.co.uk, Press Officer Candy Burnyeat, Tel (mobile) ++44 1753 847900, email candyb.hpim@easynet.co.uk. Website: www.olympiashowjumping.com.

Mechelen  Show Director Peter Bollen, Show Secretary Yolande Wauters, email ewpromotion@skynet.be and Press Officer Edith De Reys, Tel (mobile) ++32 475 659281. Website www.jumping-mechelen.com.

Leipzig  Show Director Volker Wulff, Show Secretary Conny Reuss, email reuss@engarde.de and Press Officer Andreas Kerstan, Tel (mobile) ++49 177 7532624, email a.kerstan@kerstan.de. Website: www.engarde.de.

Amsterdam  Show Director Chris Van Dam, Show Secretary Noelle Nanning, email nmanning@jumping-amsterdam.nl and Press Officers Tita Heybrock and Chris van Dam, Tel (mobile) ++31 20 4655446, email: titia@eqi.nl. Website: www.jumping-amsterdam.nl.

Bordeaux  Show Director Francois-Bernard Martin, Show Secretary Sabine Palau, email s.palau@bordeaux-expo.com and Press Officer Marie-Sol Fournier, email presse@bordeaux-expo.com. Website: www.jumping-bordeaux.com.

Vigo  Show Director Marcelino Cendon Estevez, Show Secretary Irene Gonzalez Garcia and Press officer Alejandra Mier Rodriguez, Tel (mobile) ++34 657 593093, email amier@csivigo.com. Website: www.csivigo.com.

Paris-Bercy  Show Director Frank Kemperman, Show Secretary Jacqueline Dubuisson, email triple-galop@wanadoo.fr and Press Officer Olivia Payerne, Tel (mobile) ++33 614 041095, email payerne@club-internet.fr. Website: www.paris-horse-show.com.

's-Hertogenbosch  Show Director Frank Kemperman, Show Secretary Joyce Lebon, info@indoorbrabant.nl and Press Officer Gerrit Jan Swinkels, email info@indoorbrabant.nl. Website: www.indoorbrabant.nl.

Goteborg  Show Director Tomas Torgersen, Show Secretary Wiveka Lundh, email w.lundh@horsesport.org and Press Officer Mayvor Thorin, Tel (mobile) ++46 705 828420, email mayvor.thorin@gotevent.goteborg.se.

2004/2005 FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING SERIES  CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

1, Oslo  10 October; 2, Helsinki  17 October; 3, Verona  7 November; 4, Geneva  12 December; 5, London-Olympia  19 December; 6, Mechelen  30 December; 7, Leipzig  23 January; 8, Amsterdam  30 January; 9, Bordeaux  5 February; 10, Vigo  12 February; 11, Paris-Bercy  12 March; 12, s-Hertogenbosch  20 March; 13, Goteborg  27 March.

BIOGRAPHIES of riders competing in the FEI World Cup series are available
at http://bios.horsesport.org.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE RULES for the World Cup for Jumping Riders from FEI website: www.horsesport.org.

FEI World Cup jumping has entered its 27th year. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 13 leagues on all continents. The best riders from over 100 World Cup preliminary competitions will qualify for the Final in Las Vegas, USA which takes place from 20 to 24 April 2005. The title-holder is Bruno Broucqsault (FRA).