by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — The World Cup of Amateur Racing will be contested in and around Paris, France next week. This international amateur harness driving competition comes on the heels of the recently completed World Cup of soccer.

Alan Schwartz, the United States representative in the prestigious World Cup, will be winging his way to Paris on Saturday, July 17 for the 13-country competition which will get underway on Monday, July 19, and continue through Saturday, July 24.

For Schwartz, who is the president of the Monticello Harness Horsemen’s Association, it will mark his third appearance in World Cup competition and he’s rather optimistic about his chances this time around.

NAADA photo

The United States hopes ride with Alan Schwartz.

“I don’t want to be overly confident but I think at this stage of my driving career, with the experience that I have under my belt and that I have driven many times overseas and twice in the World Cup, it will come down to the luck of the draw,” Schwartz said as he assessed his chances in the upcoming driving competition. “I feel that I now have the confidence and experience to give those other countries a good run for their money.”

Schwartz, who has raced in many European countries as well as in Australia and New Zealand, said that he’d been to Paris two times previously.

“I was there the year Varenne won the Prix d’ Amerique,” he added.

Schwartz is a member of the North American Amateur Drivers Association, the United States organization which is affiliated with F.E.G.A.T. the acronym for the European Amateur Drivers Association which stages the World Cup. He’ll be traveling with Joe Faraldo, the President of NAADA.

“I think we’ll have our best showing this year with Alan driving for us. His 377 (career) wins is the most of any active U.S amateur and second among all the participants in this year’s World Cup,” Faraldo said. “And Schwartz has World Cup and large field experience, having driven in Europe many times over the years. We’re hoping that the third time will be a charm.”

Schwartz can expect some fierce competition from the veteran amateur drivers he’ll be facing.

“My confidence is high and I hope I bring home the gold,” Schwartz said.

The World Cup kicks-off at Cabourg Racecourse, a small Norman version of Paris’ Vincennes, on Tuesday, July 20. Then on Thursday, July 22, the competition moves on to the Racecourse of Reims and finishes on Saturday at the Racecourse of Enghien.

Besides the USA, other countries participating in the World Cup are Austria, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, New Zealand, Hungary, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and, of course, France.