Las Vegas, Nevada – April 23, 2015 – The 2015 FEI World Cup™ Finals, featuring the Reem Acra FEI World CupTM Dressage Final and the LONGINES FEI World CupTM Jumping Final, held April 15-19 in Las Vegas, will be broadcast on Saturday, April 25 from 8:00-10:00 pm EDT on CBS Sports Network.

The 2015 FEI World Cup™ Finals provided a unique opportunity to witness the world’s best horses and riders in both dressage and show jumping perform under one roof at the Thomas & Mack Center, which hosted a total of 73,895 spectators for the event. This is the first time that the FEI World Cup™ Finals were held in the U.S. since 2009, and the fourth time that Las Vegas hosted the Finals.

Eighteen of the world’s top dressage riders and horses competed in the Reem Acra FEI World CupTM Dressage Final. The performances were superb, but no one could hold a torch to Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and her wonder horse Valegro, who successfully defended the title they won last year in Lyon, France. Dujardin and the 13 year-old bay gelding  scored an amazing 94.196% for their FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle to music performance – nearly 10% higher than their closest competitor – to clinch the championship and the coveted Reem Acra World Cup™ trophy. They are the only duo in the history of the sport to hold Olympic, World, European and World Cup titles simultaneously, as well as the three world records in the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle competitions.

2015 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Champions Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain and Valegro (c) McCool Photography

 

The LONGINES FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final featured 41 of the world’s best show jumping horses and riders who vied for the title over three days and several rounds of competition. In the end it was Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, the 2012 London Olympic gold medalist, who clinched the title of FEI World Cup™ Jumping Champion aboard the 12 year-old chestnut mare Albfuehren’s Paille. This is Guerdat’s tenth FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final appearance – his fourth in Las Vegas – but his first trip to the podium, having placed second in both 2012 and 2013.

 

2015 LONGINES FEI World Cup Jumping Champions Steve Guerdat of Switzerland and Albfuehren’s Paille (c) McCool Photography

 

Started in 1979, the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final is an annual international showdown among the world’s best show jumping horses and riders. In the 36 Finals held through 2014, Germany (10) and the United States (9) have emerged with the most titles, having won the championship nineteen times between them. Previous FEI World Cup™ Jumping Finals held in the United States include Baltimore (1980), Tampa (1989), Del Mar, CA (1992) and Las Vegas (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009).

 

First held in 1986, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final features the world’s best dressage horses and riders. The United States has won the championship twice – in 2003 (Debbie McDonald with Brentina) and 2009 (Steffen Peters with Ravel). The Final has been held in the U.S. in Los Angeles (1995) and Las Vegas (2005, 2007, 2009).

 

Las Vegas Events is a private, not-for-profit organization that serves as the exclusive major special events agency for the city.  Founded in 1982, LVE is funded by hotel room tax.  Through its Signature Event initiative, LVE has created a model to integrate all elements of special events and formally improve communication between event producers and Las Vegas’ hotel properties and sponsors.  Since 1991, Las Vegas Events has produced, presented or supported more than 600 events.

For further information, please visit the World Cup’s website at www.WorldCupLasVegas.com.