Free entrance

On 6, 7 and 8 June, the world’s best riders will be present at the
Franconville International Show Jumping Competition

This year the level of competition has moved up several rungs. Indeed, for its 23rd year
of existence, the Franconville Show Jumping Competition has found its bearings again
and has renewed its status as an official CSI **** , a four star international show jumping
competition, the maximum number of stars awarded to a competition being 5. Four-five
star competitions and Grand Prix classes allow riders to have direct access to major
international competitions: World Equestrian Games, Nations Cups, the Samsung Super
League, and the European Championships etc. Therefore the best French, British,
German, Swiss, Irish, Belgian, Dutch, Brazilian, American, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian
and Spanish riders are expected in Franconville. The elite of the equestrian world will
be brought together for three days in the pleasant setting which will be offered to competitors
and visitors by the Bois des Eboulures: 50 hectares of green vegetation, which have been
specially fitted out, of which 8 will be used for the competition area, with an exhibitors village,
hospitality boxes and stands to which the public will have access, free of charge. 
The show jumping competition is a sports event which is intended for the general public.
It attracts approximately 20,000 spectators, who come from all over the Ile-de-France
region during the three days of competition. The pupils of Franconville’s schools will be
the first spectators to take advantage of the competition as they have been invited on Friday.

Sunday 8 June at 3.00 p.m. the Grand Prix Ikea
A qualifier for the Beijing Olympic Games

2008 is a remarkable year with the highlight being the Olympic Games which will take
place this summer in Beijing. The French team will not take part in these Games, by the
way, due to their unfortunate elimination at the European Championships in Mannheim
last year. Even so, the French riders, who have been historically placed among the best riders
in the world, will nevertheless be in the running for the individual competition. On an individual
level, France has some very talented riders: Roger-Yves Bost, Olivier Guillon, Eugénie Angot,
Michel Hécart, Michel Robert, Kévin Staut, Patrice Delaveau or even Eric Navet to name just a few
of them.
In Franconville, the representatives of the French show jumping elite will have to distinguish
themselves all the more so as the Grand Prix which is organised on Sunday 8 June will
be a qualifier for the Olympic Games and for the 2009 European Championships. The French
riders will have to compete against foreign riders that they are used to encountering on the
world circuit, during the eleven classes which make up the competition’s programme.
The nations which are renowned for this discipline – Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the USA,
Greta Britain, Italy, Ireland, Brazil and the Netherlands will be sending the leading riders from
their national teams. 50 riders and 200 magnificent competition horses will provide a true equestrian
display. Each rider has the possibility to come with 2, 3 or a maximum of 4 horses. The fact that the
competition has become a CSI 4* is also the recognition of the quality of the event’s organisation
which traditionally features two highlights: the purely sports show with the competition’s show
jumping classes and the festive and spectacular interlude on Saturday evening.


Shows

Saturday 7 June in the evening

- Caracole: a show in thirteen acts set around the theme of Spain.
- Lorenzo: He was part of the “Crinière d’Or” Show in Avignon in 2004 and today he is a specialist of
the “Hungarian Post”, a vaulting figure, where he stands atop a pair of horses, with one foot on each
horse. The “Flying French Man”, as he is known throughout the world will present his new show
called “Lorenzo Action”. It is guaranteed to thrill spectators!
- “Groupe F” a company which designs and creates firework shows throughout the world (Paris,
London and the Athens Olympic Games) will light up the sky in Franconville and will provide the final
act of this new edition of the International Show Jumping Competition.

Catering area

Exhibitors, pony rides provided by the Montfrais Stables and fast-food stands make up the Show
Jumping’s Village. Moreover, two restaurants will be open:

 the Panoramic Restaurant which overlooks the competition ground, provides refined French
cooking (reservations are required for Saturday evening: they should be made by dialling 00 33 1 39 32 66 40).
 The Paddock Restaurant which allows visitors to enjoy a great meal while watching the horses warm up
at the same time.

Technical Lexicon

Show jumping involves a rider and his horse which are situated in an enclosed area that is marked
out with fences. Consequently, the rider and his horse must jump the fences in a specific order and
in a given time. Penalties are recorded in faults (table A) or in time (table C) if the horse refuses
to jump a fence, in the event of a fall during the round or when several of the fences are knocked down.
The fences are positioned in the jumping area according to the level and kind of competition.
Two official tables are used during the classes and each kind of course uses one of them. 

Table A: faults are penalised in penalty points or may eliminate the rider from the round, according
to the following table:
- 4 penalties for a fence which is knocked over when jumping;
- 4 penalties for a first disobedience;
- elimination for a second disobedience;
- elimination if the rider or horse falls;
- elimination if the time limit is exceeded.

Table C: faults are counted in seconds which are added to the time taken by the rider to complete
the course.

Jump off: in the event of a tie in terms of the riders’ results, those who are concerned take part in
a jump off, to determine the overall winner of the class.

Strides: they are crucial for each class, especially, with regard to the number of strides which
the rider decides to take and that he will oblige the horse to make between two fences. Indeed,
on a show jumping course, the space between two successive fences is calculated in such
a way that the rider is obliged to interrupt his horse’s galloping stride. According to the distance
which separates two fences, the cavalier must reduce or increase the horse’s stride so that it
can take off at the correct distance from the fence which is placed in front of it.
Walking the course: before each class the riders are invited to walk the course on foot and to
measure the distance between the fences using their own strides. This will allow them to
adjust the number of strides that their horses will be required to take.

Puissance: the aim of the most spectacular class which is called the “puissance” is to illustrate
the horse’s ability to jump over a limited number of impressive fences (4 to 6 fences), which are
progressively raised in height once they have been jumped. The first fence must be at least 1.40 m
in height, followed by two fences measuring 1.60 m to 1.70 m before a wall or vertical fence which
can vary between 1.70 m and 1.80 m in height or may be even higher.

Six Bars: in this class, six straight fences are placed in a straight line, approximately 11 m from each
other (the height of the fences can be identical or they may progressively increase up to 1.60m).
In the event of a refusal or a run-out, the competitor must continue the round from the point where the
fault was made.

------------------------------

Free shuttle service:

The Lacroix Bus Company will provide a free shuttle service for visitors on Friday 6 June
(from 12.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. and from 6.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.),
On Saturday 7 June (from 12.30 p.m. to 1.00 a.m.) and on Sunday 8 June (from 11.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.).
The last drop-off point for passengers will be at the Chaussée Jules César stop.
Shuttle route: the Show Jumping ground > the Place du Général de Gaulle (town centre) >
the Place de la République (railway station)>the Chaussée Jules César> the Show Jumping ground.
Hours: the shuttle will leave every 30 minutes:

o Stop at the Show Jumping ground (in front of the Ecole Maternelle Montédour): on the hour and
30 minutes past the hour.
o Stop at the Place du Général de Gaulle: at 10 minutes and 40 minutes past the hour.
o Stop at the Place de la République: at 15 minutes and 45 minutes past the hour.
o Stop at the Chaussée Jules César: at 20 minutes and 50 minutes past the hour.

Programme

Friday 6 June 2008

 10.30a.m. – for 6 /7year old horses  - Class 1 – The OMS Prize  
“The SHF-FFE -Future Elite Prize”
Table A not against the clock, without a jump off
Height of the fences: 1.30-1.35m – speed 350m/mn
1 horse per rider – a 6/7 year old horse
 1.00 p.m. - CSI**** – Class 2- The Hippopotamus of Franconville Prize
Table A against the clock.
Height of the fences: 1.35m- speed 350m/ mn
1 horse per rider– for 7 year old horses and older

 3.30 p.m. – CSI**** – Class 3 – The Quai des Marques of Franconville Prize
Table A against the clock in 2 phases.
Height of the fences: 1.35m – speed 350m/ mn
1 horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older
 6.00 p.m. – CSI**** – Class 4 – The Town of Franconville Prize
Table A against the clock with a jump off against the clock.
Height of the fences: 1.45m – speed 350m/mn
1horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older

Saturday 7 June 2008

 1.00 p.m. – CSI**** – Class 5 – The Etablissements Prunevielle Prize
Accumulator competition with 2 jokers
Table A against the clock.
Height of the obstacles: 1.40m – speed 350m/mn
1horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older

 4.00 p.m. – CSI****– Class 6 – The Small Grand Prix of the Conseil General du Val d’Oise
Table A against the clock without a jump off.
Height of the obstacles: 1.50m – speed 375m/mn
1horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older

 6.00 p.m. – for 6 /7year old horses - Class 7 – The Grand Prix Dalkia France
“The SHF-FFE -Future Elite Prize”
Table A not against the clock with jump off against the clock.
Height of the fences: 1.30-1.40m – speed 350m/mn for 6 year old horses, 375m/mn for 7 year old horses
1 horse per rider – a 6/7 year old horse

9.00 p.m. – CSI****– Class 8 – The Six Bar Competition-The E.Leclerc Prize
Table A with a maximum of 4 jump offs (5 rounds in total).
Class open to horses which have taken part in classes 5 and 6.
1 horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older 

Sunday 8 June 2008

 9.30a.m. – CSI****- Class 9 – The Kaufman & Broad Prize
Table A against the clock, without a jump off.
Height of the fences: 1.40m – speed 350m/mn
1 horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older 

 12 noon – CSI****– Class 10 – The Small Grand Prix of the Communauté d’Agglomeration Val et Forêt
Table A against the clock, with a jump off against the clock.
Height of the fences: 1.50m – speed 400m/mn
1 horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older 

 3.00 p.m. – CSI**** – Class 11- The Grand Prix Ikea
Competition in 2 rounds against the clock
1st round: Table A against the clock.
The starting order for the first round will be determined by a random draw.
2nd round: Table A against the clock.
Height of the fences: 1.50-1.55m – speed 400m/mn
1 horse per rider – for 7 year old horses and older


Trophies: The Best Rider who will be rewarded by “Diagnostica Stago”
The Best Lady Rider who will be rewarded by “Cavalassur”
The Best Horse which will be rewarded by “Les Cars Lacroix”

A qualifier for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
A qualifier for the 2009 European Championships.