2009 winner of the World Cup Qualifier at Wits End Horse Trials, Buck Davidson (USA) on My Boy Bobby

It has been confirmed that Canada will be losing the only HSBC FEI World Cup Eventing Qualifer in the country with the decision by Wits End Horse Trials located in Mansfield, Ontario to not hold a CIC3*-W this year. Organizers, Bill Mckeen and Jo Young, who have been running the event since 2004 recently made the tough decision to run only national level divisions on the weekend of their August 7th and 8th omnibus dates . It is understood that the obligations of running a World Cup Qualifier were just too much for the oganizers to commit to in 2010.

The loss of this FEI calendar date leaves only Rebecca Farm held July 21st to 25th in Kalispell, Montana and Red Hills Horse Trials the weekend of March 5th to 7th in Tallahassee, Florida on the North American WC calendar. Rebecca Farm is a rider favourite, the event being always very well subscribed. Red Hills which ran a World Cup Qualifer 2008 was cancelled last year due to lack of entries. It should be interesting to see how the change in XC course designer from Capt. Mark Phillips to Hugh Lochore affects the 2010 Red Hills entries.

There has been some speculation that Bromont Horse Trials in Bromont, Quebec which runs a CCI3* in June would apply to the FEI for the World Cup Qualifier but this rumour was recently quashed by Bromont Organizing Committee member, Tom Todaro.

HSBC FEI World Cup Eventing - Qualifiers 2010 as of January 05, 2010

1. Tallahassee FL (USA), 05 - 07 March 2010
2. Kihikihi (NZL), 02 - 04 April 2010
3. Sydney (AUS), 07 - 09 May 2010
4. Marbach (GER), 07 - 09 may 2009
5. Chatsworth (GBR), 15 - 16 May 2010
6. Tattersalls (IRL), 27 - 30 May 2010
7. Strzegom (POL), 24 - 27 June 2010
8. Minsk (BLR), 21 - 25 July 2010
9. Kalispell MT (USA), 22 - 25 July 2010
10. Malmö (SWE), 13 - 15 August 2010
11. Martinvast (FRA), 18 - 22 August 2010
12. Schenefeld (GER), 26 - 29 August 2010