Irishman Shane Breen who is based at Hickstead made good use of home advantage yesterday by winning both the big international classes, The Bunn Leisure Trophy and then the Amblin Eventing Grand Prix.
 Shane Breen and Dorada in Hickstead's eventing grand prix. 
Breen and World Cruise.
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He beat 50 of the world's best show jumpers in the first, coming off best in an 11-horse jump off with World Cruise and then followed up by being only the third show jumper to win the Amblin sponsored cross-country class with a rare clear round on Irish bred Dorada, recent winner at Aachen and Einhoven.
He said afterwards "that it makes not much difference being at home and I have had him since he was three. The only thing he doesn't like is puissance classes but anything else I have asked him to do he has done it. Asked if he was planning a future eventing career Breen commented that "I wouldn't mind a whizz round Badminton but the qualifying is rightly hard. Maybe next year!"
Earlier the draw had been made for Friday's Meydan Nations Cup, the seventh round of the eight leg series. Poland sadly had to withdraw after a late injury to one of the team horses and that left nine teams to compete. France, the current series leaders, will be first in followed by USA, Sweden, Ireland, Switzerland, Great Britain, Germany, Holland and Spain. The French and the USA are almost certain to qualify for next season what ever happens tomorrow but then the next teams are very close together and with only six certain to go through to next years Top League there is much to play for.
During the press conference British Chef D'Equipe Rob Hoestra confirmed that the coming World championships were not a priority for the British as they were not a qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games and the British, as home side were already pre qualified as a team. "We will be concentrating on the Nations Cup and next years European Championships.
Poland's Jumping Manager Ruiger Wassibauer later confirmed why his team had to withdraw from both this show and Dublin but also said that he was very satisfied with the performance of his team and the effect it had had on the sport in Poland.
"It was not easy for us as we did not get confirmation of our participation until the end of January (when Canada dropped out) and that did not leave us so much time to source new horses and riders. But I said we would get better the more experience we got and we did. Last time in Aachen we only missed jumping in the second round by a fence."
Rudiger also mentioned the difficulty of getting sponsors for the team and thought that being in the Top League had undoubted raised the profile of the sport and would lead to future investment.
"Yes, we will be back in the Promotional League probably for a couple of years and we will use the time to consolidate and train and develop our horses. Unfortunately for us, offers were made for some of the current horses after their performances in the Top League and some have been sold but we will have more coming along. We will be back!"
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