With Germany at the head of the leaderboard following the opening round of the 2004 Samsung Super League at La Baule ten days ago, the stage is set for a fascinating season of Nations Cup jumping at its very best. In its inaugural year in 2003 there was much speculation about whether the Super League concept could really work for the sport of show jumping but any scepticism was quickly sidelined by the enthusiasm, energy, emotion and sheer competitiveness which has been the hallmark of the series so far. The Samsung Super League has created a whole new environment in which the top eight teams in the world – this year Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, the United States of America, Ireland, The Netherlands and Italy – do battle. It has put team show jumping on a par with soccer’s Champions League and motor-racing’s Formula 1, raising the profile of the sport and capturing the public imagination like never before. And the battle has been fierce. There was a real dog-fight between the Italians and Swedes at the lower end of the leaderboard in the closing stages of last season’s series – the Italians holding on as much through grim determination as anything else – and it has now become a matter of pride for those nations included in the elite group to maintain their Super League rating. For most non-Super League teams their single ambition is to gain promotion out of the normal Samsung Nations Cup series and into the ranks of the Samsung Super League. That is what team USA did in 2003 and, on their Super League debut, the American squad in La Baule showed that they have what it takes when slotting into fifth position. It is no mean feat for any nation with so few of its competitors resident in Europe to hold their ground in such esteemed company and clear rounds from both Kimberly Frey riding Marylou and Laura Kraut with Anthem at this tough opening leg indicate that they are a force to be reckoned with over the next few months. Clear rounds are, of course, what jumping is all about and Germany’s victory at La Baule was bolstered by a double-clear performance from Marco Kutscher with Montender and single clears from Markus Ehning (Anka), Christian Ahlmann (Coster) and Ludger Beerbaum (Goldfever). On home soil, the French had beaten the Germans in 2003 but fortunes were reversed on this occasion as the scoreline remained the same – Germany completing with just four faults on the board to take the trophy while France slotted into second with 12. Perhaps the Germans have already thrown down the gauntlet in this Olympic year. As defending Olympic champions their dominance at this opening leg of the Samsung Super League gives them the psychological advantage as they face into the tough challenges ahead and, following their white-wash of last summer’s European Championships, they look very strong indeed in the lead-up to Athens. The French however have been almost unstoppable in recent times. Armed with a wealth of quality horses and top-class riders they have demonstrated consistency and flair and there is every possibility that this year’s Samsung Super League series could turn into a game of cat-and-mouse between these two great powerhouses in world show jumping – Germany and France. Certainly the country which performs best in the Super League will be bursting with confidence going to Greece in August. The Belgian squad finished third in La Baule thanks to conservative scoring from their four team-members while Britain’s fourth placing was much-assisted by a double-clear from Nick Skelton and Arko. The Dutch and Irish shared sixth spot behind the Americans but the Dutch had less to worry about in the final analysis as each rider produced at least one good result in each round. The Irish however looked considerably less convincing with Peter Charles producing the discount score in both rounds as he clocked up a total of 37 faults with Pershing. The Irish Olympic selectors have big questions ahead of them now but they have brought Jessica Kurten and Quibell into the reckoning for Athens and Kevin Babington’s superb Grand Prix victory with the ever-reliable Carling King at La Baule succeeded in raising team morale. The Italians finished bottom of the order but their 44-fault tally was, perhaps, deceptive. Massimo Grossato and the brave little Loro Piana Elkintot collected just four faults over their two rounds while Emanuele Fiorelli and Western Union Gibus du Mon lowered just one fence in the opening round before returning to pick up 12 faults at their second attempt. It was the elimination of Bruno Chimirri and Landknecht in round one that did the damage as it necessitated the inclusion of the 20 faults collected by Roberto Arioldi and Loro Piana Dime de la Cour, and this left them very vulnerable despite a dramatic improvement for Roberto who lowered just one fence next time out. The Italian team will be hoping for a better run of luck when lining out on their home territory in Rome in eleven days time. The Piazza di Siena in the heart of the Italian capital, with its unique style and character, provides one of the most charming show jumping locations in the world and there will, as always, be a great buzz of excitement when the second leg of the 2004 Samsung Super League series gets underway next week. The French enjoyed their second successive Super League victory there in 2003 but the German squad, buoyed up by their initial victory, may be difficult to hold down this time around. Last season, early dominance proved a vital ingredient in the French success story so the title-holders will be striving to ensure that they do not allow their German rivals to get too strong a grip at the top of the league table. The battle has truly begun….. For further details on CSIO Rome and the second leg of the Samsung Super League 2004 contact Press Officer Caterina Vagnozzi at equiequipe-csio@libero.it or telephone ++39 063218857. Website address is www.piazzadisiena.com. SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE LEADERBOARD (after Round 1 at La Baule): Germany 10 points France 7 points Belgium 5 points Great Britain 4 points USA 3 points Equal 6. Ireland and The Netherlands 1.5 Italy 0.5. SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE 2004 CALENDAR OF EVENTS: ROUND 1, La Baule (Fra) 6-9 May; ROUND 2, Rome (Ita) 27-30 May; ROUND 3, Lucerne (Sui) 3-6 June: ROUND 4, Rotterdam (Ned) 17-20 June; ROUND 5, Aachen (Ger) 13-18 July; ROUND 6, Hickstead (GBR) 21-25 July; ROUND 7, Dublin (Irl) 4-8 August; ROUND 8 and FINAL, Barcelona (Esp) 16-19 September. SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE – NATIONAL PRIDE, INTERNATIONAL PASSION!