Dublin was different today...............the Aga Khan Cup ran differently, in line with the "new look" Meydan/FEI Nations Cup and the general feeling is that it is perhaps not the perfect way of doing things - but as with all new concepts, this one needs a bit of tweaking to get it perfect.

For the new look of this competition league there are now 10 teams, with the bottom two being relegated to the B League in the following season and at each individual leg the top 8 teams from round one go through to round two, while the bottom two teams sit on the bench for round two.

The general feeling amongst spectators, riders and chef d'equips is that there is too big a time lag between rounds one and two.

Today's class saw round one begin at 1.20pm and round two began at 5.30pm which meant that the horses need a full warm up between rounds and also meant today that the light was rapidly changing to dusk for round two.

The change in programming also saw a change in the wonderful and traditional welcome to the visiting teams complete with marching bands - this was shortened considerably today and was run in between rounds one and two - the spectators sitting around us were disappointed that this was run so differently, proving that people love to see the teams escorted by Irish Army personnel as flag bearers.

But enough of this - the competition itself is what is important - and today's was nothing less than spectacular for some and very disappointing for others!

The Italians came to this last league as a certain relegation as they were last by too great a margin - and they would have been forgiven if they came, did a mediocre job, with a mediocre team - but this was not to be the case!

The Italian team of Juan Carlos Garcia, Giuseppe D'Onofrio, Natale Chiaudani and Piergiorgio Bucci came armed with their newly appointed Che d'Equipe, Markus Fuchs in his first official tour of duty - and they were not there to simply make up the numbers that was for sure!

Looking a little swamped by his very tall team, Fuchs walked the course and discussed in great depth every fence and lines to and from the fences - Markus and his team pictured above and pictured right Fuchs in action!

Fuchs recently retired from International competition

after one of the most successful and long spanning careers in showjumping, where he was consistently in the top 10 in the world. There is no question that his experience will be invaluable to his new job with Italy!

And so to the competition - the Italians were not only assured that after today they would be relegated to the B League but they also had the misfortune to draw first in the order today.

Letting the other 9 teams know their intention was done when Garcia and the 14 year old Bayard D'Elle gelding Hamilton De Perhet jumped a perfect round which saw no jumping penalties and no time penalties perhaps leading the following riders to believe that the Alan Wade track of 12 fences, 15 jumping efforts was to be a walk in the park!

Pictured left - Juan Carlos Garcia jumping the 1.54m/1.20m Meydan City fence 10 coming off the 4.20m open water.

Second out for Italy was Giuseppe D'Onofrio and the 14 year old Landadel gelding, Landzeu - pictured below right - who were heading to a second clear round when things came a little unstuck at fence 11A, the 1.53m/1.90m triple bar!

When this combination came through the finish flags their time was right and they had captured 4 faults when the 1.54m vertical at fence 5A came down. This fence proved to be one of the most difficult ones to get through so there was no disgrace in this result.

So at the end of round one the Italian Team were in the lead with only four penalties to carry forward to round two - and this was not a result anyone had predicted with the bookies offering over 500/1 odds on this team winning today before Round one and then in the break the odds dropped to 100/1!

Pictured left - Italy's Piergiorgio Bucci.

Some statistics from this leg of the Meydan/FEI Nations Cup league.

Seven women competed in todays leg.

The youngest rider was Alexander Zetterman who only moved from Junior competition at the end of 2008 as he is now 19 years old.

The oldest rider is the ever jovial Geoff Billington who has attained the mature age of 54.

Fence 11B, the 1.56m vertical in the middle of the treble combination was lowered 9 times in round one but only 3 times in round two.

Fence 2, a 1.52m vertical was the only fence to remain in place in

Pictured - the British Team...

Above left - Ben Maher - Above right - Geoff Billington

Left - Tim Stockdale Below - Peter Charles