Malmö, Sweden – March 20, 2011 – The Organizing Committee of the FEI Reining World Final announced today that Entries in Principle for the 2011 event will be the strongest in the sport’s history.  With intended participation from 20 nations, the WRF will be held at the renowned equestrian facility of Bökeberg, just outside of Malmö, Sweden, offering several days of FEI Reining classes and the $100,000 FEI World Reining Final on May 21, 2011.

The FEI Reining World Final is a reinvention of the old FEI World Reining Masters. Each National Federation may send athletes to compete on behalf of their country in the annual championship with national pride, prize money and the individual title of World Reining Champion at stake.  “Malmö 2011” will represent the first time that the annual individual final has been held outside North America since 2005.Nations that have indicated they intend to field athletes include:AustraliaAustriaBelgiumCanadaCzech RepublicDenmarkDominican RepublicFranceGermanyGreat BritainIsraelItalyThe NetherlandsNorwayPolandSouth AfricaSpainSweden (host nation)SwitzerlandUnited States of AmericaReining is a sport born of the American West with maneuvers similar to those a working ranch horse might have been asked to perform on day-to-day tasks.  Today, the sport has exploded around the world as the level of technical sophistication and horsemanship style has evolved into an intricate and beautiful display of power and finesse.Photo Credit:  US Reining Team taken at the World Equestrian Games. Photographer – Diana DeRosa