The French Equestrian Federation has announced the list of horse-and-rider combinations that will represent France at the CSIO 5* in Rome, which will take place from 27 to 31 May in Italy.
The selection has been made by the national coach, Edouard Coupérie, alongside the federal technical team.
The French team will consist of Nina Mallevaey with Nikka vd Bisschop, Mégane Moissonnier with Crooner Tame, Nicolas Sers with Eleven de Riverland, and Kevin Staut with Visconti du Telman. All of them will compete in one of the major Nations Cups on a grass arena that will also serve as a reference point for the upcoming World Championships in Aachen.
Edouard Coupérie explained that for the past two years, the Rome format has forced the selection of only four combinations, making the choice a particularly demanding one. Regarding Nina Mallevaey, he highlighted the interest in seeing Nikka vd Bisschop on grass at this time of year, following their third-place finish in the CSIO 5* Grand Prix in Ocala.
The national selector also praised Mégane Moissonnier's return to a 5* Nations Cup. He recalled her good results in the Barcelona final last year and pointed out the strong start to the season achieved in Doha, as well as the horse's recent performances in Fontainebleau.
Regarding Nicolas Sers and Eleven de Riverland, Coupérie praised the preparation carried out between Spain and Italy and the performance shown both in Abu Dhabi and at the 5* Grand Prix in Fontainebleau, where they jumped a clear round.
Finally, the French coach expressed his anticipation regarding the return of Visconti du Telman, Kevin Staut's mare, following her standout performance in the World Cup final. The aim will be to test her feelings on grass in a competition that will bring together several of the best teams on the international scene.
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