Hamina Bastioni Horse Festival 2011 - Holland and Sweden as favorites in Nations Cup

Holland and Sweden as favorites in Nations Cup

The historical Hamina Bastioni Fortress hosts the 5th Hamina Bastioni Horse Festival with the Nations Cup of Finland. Six nations, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Norway and Finland, take part in the Nations Cup competition on Sunday. FEI Nations Cup leader Holland is the big favorite in this Promotional League competition. Holland sends a strong team with Jur Vrieling, Piet Raymakers Jr., Henk van de Pol and Frans Wijlaars. The Swedish Team consists of Championship riders Lisen Bratt-Fredricson, Jens Fredricson and Peder Fredricson added with young talents Sanna Olsson and Daniel Zetterman.

Former world number one, Chef d´Equipe Marcus Fuchs leads the Italian Team in Hamina. The Danes won the Hamina Nations Cup two years ago, and are back to defend their victory. Norway and Finland will surely want to take the others by surprise. Especially Finland has good memories from Hamina. The Finnish Team took its first and only victory in Hamina Bastioni in 2005.

The Finnish Team has not been selected yet. The riders on the long list are lead by young Jessica Timgren and Ville Kulkas who both rode in the team in Drammen, Norway some weeks ago. Eight times Finnish Champion Raimo Aaltonen is in great form. He won both the Finnderby and the Ypäjä Grand Prix two weeks ago. Experienced Jukka Rantanen leads the group of other potential Nations Cup riders Joonas Vaahtera, Marina Ehrnrooth and Mikael Wahlman.

Iranian course designer Hossein Shafiee

Iranian course designer Hossein ”Ramin” Shafiee makes his first visit to Finland. Ramin was the first Asian course designer in Europe, and he has assisted and built already in the Athen Olympics, the European Championships in Donaueschingen, the Asian Games and this year in Aachen.

FEI rankingpoints, The Horse Men and Bläk

The riders especially will appreciate that Hamina Bastioni has every day one class with more than 20 000 euros and valuable FEI ranking points. The Bastioni venue is spectacular, beautiful and historical, and the huge tent roof over the arena gives shelter from the burning sun and occasional rain. The audience especially will love the charming and daring French performers, The Horse Men. The young (and handsome) men will jump over huge fences, even 170 cm high, barefoot, without horses. The new catering partner Bläk, the high-end private club in Helsinki, treats everyone with its fabulous cuisine.

Nations Cup live on TV on Sunday

The Nations Cup of Finland is broadcasted live on YLE TV2 on Sunday at 16.57-17.45, and delayed on Tuesday July 5th at 18.00-18.50. Well-known Inka Henelius is the commentator, Tapani Parm/YLE the director and the production is by Videpe Ltd.

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