It's The Final Countdown.......

There is still plenty of jumping to be done before the final line-up for the 2007/2008 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series is decided tomorrow when the Western European League qualifying rounds conclude at s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands and the USA West and East Coast Leagues come to an end.

Three-in-a-row champion, Rodrigo Pessoa from Brazil who dominated the series with Baloubet du Rouet between 1998 and 2000, could yet make the cut. Since January he has added 18 points from the US circuit to the 17 collected in Europe earlier in the season - his second-place finish at Green Cove Springs in Florida in January proving pivotal. So if he can produce another good result at the final leg of the West Coast series at San Juan Capistrano in California tomorrow he could rocket even further up the Western European League table where he currently occupies 19th position with 35 points.

The line-up at s'Hertogenbosch is a formidable one, and those just outside the qualification zone will be giving it all they've got in an effort to book their ticket to the final in Gothenburg, Sweden next month. When the calculations have been made at the end of the competition the top-18 will have earned their stripes but substitutions are allowed up to 27th place if, for any reason, riders cannot travel.

At the FEI Jumping Committee meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland in 10 days time a decision will be made about who will receive the single Wild Card. The 2006/2007 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Beat Mandli, automatically qualifies.

The standings on the Western European League table going into tomorrow's competition are as follows, Ireland's Jessica Kuerten continuing to hold a strong lead:

1. Jessica Kuerten - 79
2. Rutherford Latham - 63
3. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum - 59
4. Tim Stockdale - 50
5. Gerco Schroder - 49
6. Steve Guerdat - 48
7. Rolf-Goran Bengtsson - 47
8. Patrick McEntee - 47
9. Albert Zoer - 46
10. Ludger Beerbaum - 44
11. Helena Lundback - 42
12. William Whitaker - 39
13. Harry Smolders - 39
14. Marcus Ehning - 38
15. Heinrich-Hermann Engemann - 38
16. Michael Whitaker - 37
17. Eugenie Angot - 36
18. Mikael Forsten - 35
19. Rodrigo Pessoa - 35
20. Malin Baryard-Johnsson - 35
21. Markus Fuchs - 34
22. Max Kuhner - 33
23. Judy Ann Melchior - 33
24. Omar Bonomelli - 31
25. Nick Skelton - 30
26. Luciana Diniz - 29
27. Marco Kutscher - 26
28. Michel Hecart - 25
29. Thomas Fruhmann - 24
30. Lars Nieberg - 24
31. Daniel Deusser - 24
32. Piet Raijmakers - 24

The class begins at 14.45h.

For further information on the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifying leg in s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands check out website www.indoorbrabant.nl. Show President is Gerrit Jan Swinkels, Show Director is Frank Kemperman and Press Officer is Cindy Velstra - Tel (mobile) +31 654 674 396, Email cindy@head2tail.nl.

The series final take place in Gothenburg, Sweden from 24-27 April. For full programme and details check out WEBSITE www.goteborghorseshow.com. Show President at the Swedish fixture is Per Lojdquist, Show Director is Tomas Torgersen, Sport Secretary is Wiveka Lundh and Press Officer is Mayvor Thorin - contact (mobile) +46 705 828420.

PHOTO CREDIT: 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup TM Champion Beat Maendli of Switzerland on Ideo du Thot (c) Kit Houghton