Accommodating accessibility is often an afterthought in the planning of a sport event. But the Organising Committee of the FEI Dressage and Para Dressage European Championships here in Riesenbeck (GER) have ensured that everyone in attendance has an opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the Championships, regardless of their disability.

In order to create a welcoming environment for all, accessibility considerations have been included in all aspects of the organisation of this week-long event which will host athletes, staff and spectators with different disabilities and mobility requirements.

Based on the learnings and good practices of the FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN) and Pratoni (ITA) in 2022, the Championships in Riesenbeck are the first to be organised in line with the requirements set out in the FEI Accessibility Handbook for Event Organisers

Relevant links:
Para Equestrian Digest: Ferdinando Acerbi
FEI launches Accessibility Guide for Event Organisers

This handbook, which is the result of consultation and collaboration with accessibility experts, individuals with disabilities and professionals in the equestrian industry, covers venue layout, accommodation and transportation among other areas of Event planning and delivery.

It is an advancement that has made Denmark’s former Para Dressage World Champion Stinna Tange extremely happy.

“The level of consideration and the attention given to accessibility and inclusion here in Riesenbeck has impressed me greatly,” said Stinna who has assisted the Organising Committee with their accessibility planning and is also the FEI Para Dressage sports reporter for the Championships.

“As a wheelchair user, it has been an absolute pleasure to be able to move around the venue as freely as any abled bodied person, and this should be the goal of accessibility of any and all equestrian events, regardless of the discipline.

“The FEI Handbook has been thoroughly studied and implemented by the Organisers here in Riesenbeck and I applaud the level of consideration and the seriousness with which the organisers have approached the job of assuring accessibility and inclusion at the venue.

Tools like this that result in a more inclusive event site are important to ensuring that wheelchair users like myself feel included and part of the action.”

In preparation for the Championships, the Organising Committee carried out an extensive outreach process where they contacted individual national federations to   understand the specific accommodation requirements of their athletes.

“We wanted to create an Event where everyone feels welcome and comfortable regardless of whether they are a participant or a spectator,” said the Event Manager for the Organising Committee, Verena Gravemeier who has played a front and centre role in Riesenbeck’s accessibility journey.

“But sometimes it is difficult to know where to start and how to effectively address all the different types of disabilities. Moreover, as an able-bodied person, it can be hard to understand, or even see, the barriers that a person in a wheelchair can experience, for example. And even if you do see the problem, the solution may not always be obvious. 

“So, we were fortunate to have Stinna’s assistance in the lead up to the Championships and together we worked to enhance all areas of our operations and we are extremely pleased with the feedback we’ve been receiving. Bringing Stinna into the planning process earlier rather than later, allowed us to resolve many issues before the Championships started, and in many areas the solutions were simple enough to implement.

“Once you start thinking about accessibility in terms of your end result, it is just a matter of time before you find yourself anticipating the various disability needs and requirements that need to be implemented in the Event planning process. We hope that our experiences here will help to build on the guidelines already provided in the handbook, which Organisers of future equestrian Events can also put into practice.”

North Rhine-Westphalia’s State Secretary for Sport and Volunteerism Andrea Milz summed it up well when she said, "If you are attending the FEI Para Dressage European Championship here in Riesenbeck you will see why this beautiful facility has been praised by the athletes, trainers and all visitors.

“The excellent venue construction and organisation should become a blueprint for future events, and we hope that other organisers will continue to treat Dressage and Para Dressage equally in all matters of operations. This way athletes with disabilities will also have the same opportunities as their able-bodied colleagues to take part in more top equestrian events."

Editor notes

The FEI was one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The Para Equestrian Committee was created in 2006 when the governance of Para Equestrian passed from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to the FEI.

Over the years, there has been more integration of Para Equestrian sport into the FEI Governance and World Championship structures, which has raised the profile of Para Sport alongside the FEI’s other disciplines.

At the 2020 FEI General Assembly, the Chair of the FEI Para Equestrian Committee became a voting member on the FEI Board, ensuring that Para Sports has a place at the top table’s discussions alongside able-bodied disciplines.

Other governance related initiatives included in the FEI’s host bidding requirements, require world and continental championships for para athletes and able-bodied athletes to be held at the same venue.

The FEI Solidarity and Para Dressage Departments have worked together to create the FEI Para Dressage World Challenge series, a development programme in place since 1 January 2023. The Series aims to give athletes, who are unable to participate in international events due to financial or geographical reasons, the opportunity to compete in events in their own country. These competitions are in place to help National Federations develop Para Dressage, and close the gap between National and first level international competitions.

While these top-down initiatives have been important to the development of Para Equestrian within the FEI’s structures, it has also had a positive impact on the general attitudes towards disability and inclusion within the equestrian community more generally.

The FEI’s online Para Sport magazine – The Para Equestrian Digest – launched in February 2022 was created for Para Equestrian athletes and the people connected to the sport so they can share – in their own words – their personal experiences and disability stories. The Digest puts the spotlight on an athlete or project in Para Equestrian sport with the aim of increasing visibility for the sport and improving disability awareness and inclusion.

Photo credit: FEI/Liz Gregg

Great Britain took the early lead in the team standings on the opening day of the FEI Dressage European Championship 2023 in Riesenbeck, Germany today.

A breathtaking Grand Prix performance from 56-year-old veteran Carl Hester with his relatively new ride, the 13-year-old gelding Fame, earned 78.540 for the biggest score of the day, giving his country a narrow advantage over Germany in second place while Denmark slotted into third.

Austria and Spain, both fighting for one of the three team spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, are in overnight fourth and fifth places. And France and The Netherlands share that fifth place with the Spanish after all three sides finished on exactly the same scoreline.

The team medals are decided over two days, so another 33 horse-and-rider combinations will compete in the Grand Prix tomorrow before the podium places are confirmed.

Strong target

Mathias Alexander Rath set the first strong target when putting 74.845 on the board with the stallion Thiago GS. “He felt really fresh yesterday at the vet-check, you could see he had a lot of energy and a lot of power. Today I was super-happy how he behaved in the arena, you have to remember that he’s just ten years old and still developing and still at the beginning of his career”, the German team pathfinder pointed out.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen and the 12-year-old stallion Vayron then put  Denmark on the map when slotting in behind the German pair on a score of 74.146, despite losing a shoe in the corner of the arena at the end of the final extended trot. 

“Going down the centreline he was fine, but then I went outside and I felt he wasn’t lame, but he felt different. The shoe came clear off and the hoof is perfect so we just have to get it back on!”, he said afterwards. 

He described Vayron as “a very green horse, he’s in his very first Grand Prix season - I think this was his eighth Grand Prix in his life”. He said he’s been riding the horse for just over a year “and we’ve grown together, we had to find each other. He was educated by a top rider, (Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg), but with a complete other length of body and body strength, so I had to get to know him and we had to do some things differently. And I had to give him some show experience as he hasn’t been going to many shows”, the tall Dane explained.

Then Gareth Hughes got even closer to Rath’s score with a lovely performance from the mare Classic Briolinca. After putting 74.565 on the board the British rider said, “I’m over the moon with her, I thought it was one of the best tests she’s done! Very clean, no real mistakes, I was slightly disappointed with the mark but so happy with the mare”. The horse has been a much-loved member of the Hughes family since she was three years of age.

“She’s 17 now and has done several championships and she’s been amazing for me and amazing for the team”, he added.

Leaderboard

As the first day was drawing to a close, the legend that is Isabell Werth produced a new leading score of 77.174 from DSP Qantaz. 

“I think it was his best competition this year!”, the German superstar said. “He was more relaxed and not fighting, it was easy-going, so that was really nice to feel”.

The 13-year-old gelding competed in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ series over the winter months to give him more experience, “and I think that was quite helpful. And then we had a little break…..and the next was Aachen”, she explained.

She is really enjoying the facilities at Riesenbeck. “The venue is very super, it’s so professional in the infrastructure, so great, especially now in this temperature and with this weather. When the horses are in the stables it is cool and the air is fresh, so the conditions are perfect.” It has been extremely hot all week, with temperatures today reaching over 30 degrees.

Werth was followed into the ring by Andreas Helgstrand and the extravagant young stallion Jovian who slotted into fifth behind Hughes and pushed Bachmann Andersen down to sixth when posting 74.410. 

The Danish pair were late into the warm-up arena because Jovian lost a shoe, but neither horse nor rider lost their cool. 

“He’s a horse you need a big driving licence for!”, Helgstrand said. Jovian was very full of himself this morning so he took him for a walk. 

“My strategy was to get him to calm down so I could show that walk (in the test) and the walk was there. I couldn’t make it as good as I wanted in piaffe and passage, but at the end of the day I’m happy. He’s a dream horse, and in one more year he will be very, very nice!”, he added.

Master-class

Third-last to go, Carl Hester then put Great Britain out in front with a master-class in the art of horsemanship. 

“If I never did another test again it would be a lovely one to finish on!”, said the six-time Olympian after putting 78.540 on the board with Fame for the biggest score of the opening day and with a test that had the crowd roaring in appreciation as the pair moved into their final halt.

“I absolutely love this horse, I worship riding him. I look forward to riding him every day!”, he said of the 13-year-old gelding that was formerly competed by team-mate Fiona Bigwood, but who was offered to Hester at the end of last year due to her busy life full of family commitments. “She always said this one’s for you when she was riding him and she was right, it was love at first ride!”, Hester said today.

He described Fame as “very spicy and hot” and “a full-time job. It’s not just a case of get on him. He’s in the field all day, he’s a stallion, he goes out all day in his paddock and you have to manage him so he relaxes. 

“He’s the kind of horse I love, a bit quirky and hot but wonderful and kind. You need someone who has time to ride a horse like that…..he wants to go, but he’s the kindest person in the stable and with children and other horses…there’s not been a morning since January when I haven’t thought I can’t wait to get on him!”, he said.

Stands tallest

Meanwhile in the race for Olympic qualification it is Team Austria that stands tallest after today, their top score of 71.724 from Florian Bacher and Fidertraum OLD giving them the edge over the Spanish who also posted two 70 percent scores, the best of which came from Alejandro Sánchez del Barco with the charming PRE stallion Quincallo de Indalo who earned a mark of 71.584.

It will be quite something if Austria can succeed in taking one of the Olympic slots in Dressage this week, just days after their Jumping team earned their ticket to Paris next year against all the odds at the FEI Jumping European Championship 2023 in Milan (ITA). 

Florian Bacher believes they can do it. “It’s looking quite good!”, he said after his impressive ride with the 14-year-old Fidertraum who is competing in his fifth championship.

However there’s plenty more sport to play out before those places are confirmed and the 2023 FEI Dressage European Team Championship medals are handed out. Luxembourg’s Fie Christine Skarsoe and Imperador Dos Cedros will kick off the second day of action at 09.30 local time, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Startlists and Results here

The first day of competition at the FEI Para Dressage European Championship has come to an end which means the first champions have been found.  

The Individual European championship for grade I, II and III offered us a thrilling day with lot of championship debutants and first-time medallists claiming podium spots. Many of the established riders in the grade have for different reasons not been present at this European Championship which have given new riders the chance to flourish and win medals.  

At the same time, some of the expected gold medal candidates such as Tobias Thorning Jørgensen and Rihards Snikus rose to the occasion and showed the world why they are the best in their respective grade.  

Grade II Individual 
This morning the first placements were made at the FEI Para Dressage European Championship 2023, in Riesenbeck (GER) as Grade II opened the ball. The gold medal went to the German rider Heidemarie Dresing and Horse24 DooLoop with a score of 74.776% which put her comfortably in front of British Georgia Wilson on Sakura who finished on 72.966 % and thereby reclaimed their silver medal from 2019. Norwegian rider Ann Cathrin Lübbe followed closely in bronze with 72.724%.

Speaking after her gold winning ride, Heidemarie expressed her delight: “I feel very happy. I feel absolutely great. Above all, I am so proud of my horse”. talking about her partnership with DooLoop Heidemarie explains “I've only had her since February, and today was the 16th competition I rode with her, and it was my 16th win. She feels really good. I am so proud of the horse. We invested a lot in the preparation, especially for this show, and today, we worked hard and fixed many mistakes.”

Grade I Individual 

Just like the gold medal winner in Grade II, Rihards Snikus and King of the Dance secured the gold medal despite an error of course and ended up with a score of 75.250% in Grade I. The silver medal went to German Martina Benzinger on Nautika with 74.833% just in front of Gabby Blake. It was an emotional moment as championship debutant Gabby Blake and her grey gelding Strong Beau took the bronze with a 74.583% score.  
Rihard Snikus said after his ride: “I was very shocked that I made an ‘error of course’ as that has never happened to me before! I think King of the Dance was also a little confused and it took us a few movements to get back into the zone after that, but then we were back and focused and made a strong finish” 

Grade III Individual 

Grade III was not surprisingly won by the decorated Danish duo Tobias Thorning Jørgensen and the lovely mare Jolene Hill that secured yet another gold medal with 77.767%. The silver medal went to the young shooting star from France Chiara Zenati and her black gelding Swing Royal Ifce with 72.900 %. Right behind her in bronze with 72.633 % was the home rider and championship debutant Melanie Wienand and Lemony's Loverboy. 

After his ride Tobias said: “it just amazing every time to perform with Jolene, and it is fun! Even on the days where it is less fun it just amazing to feel what a friend she is when she comes into the arena” he then explains: “The game plan for this event is to perform but not overperform on the first day and then build it up over the week. That is a game plan I like because with the amount of experience Jolene has, she is good enough just performing - she doesn’t have to overperform to deliver” 

The action continues tomorrow with the individual Grades IV and V taking to the arena.

Watch it all on FEI TV

Find out more HERE: 

British athlete Rosalind Canter has claimed the coveted position of leader in the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings, dethroning Tim Price, who had dominantly held the top spot for an 11-month reign.

Canter's remarkable performance at the recent FEI Eventing European Championship at Haras du Pin (FRA) has propelled her from the third tier of the rankings to the very zenith, amassing a total of 541 points. After consistently maintaining a position among the top 5 for well over a year, Canter now returns to the top of the world rankings, a position she last held in April 2019.

“It’s really exciting to be world number one. I have some amazing horses and owners, and an incredible team behind me at home. With the help of my family, we’ve built our yard up alongside our working farm and so it’s still hard of believe that we’ve been able to achieve the results we have. We’re still learning every day and I hope that we can keep on achieving.” Canter remarked.

Reflecting on her achievement, she added, “I think becoming world number one means a lot because it shows consistency. It’s taken many years to build up a string of top horses to help me get to this point. I hope this can inspire others to follow their dreams and it’s something my daughter can look back on with pride in years to come.”

With an eye firmly set on the future, Canter has already fixed her gaze upon the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, stating, “It would be a dream come true to make it to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games next year. It’s a box I’ve not yet ticked and so we’ll be working hard over the next few months with that in mind. Looking beyond that, my aim is to continue to improve and hope that that can lead to being able represent my country a few more times.”

Former world number one, Tim Price, now yields to the second position with a tally of 482 points. Meanwhile, Oliver Townend ascends to the third position, amassing 478 points, thereby surpassing his compatriot Tom McEwen, who maintains a solid fourth position with a score of 469 points.

Notable strides in the rankings include Americans Tamra Smith, firmly holding fifth place with 447 points, William Coleman securing a noteworthy seventh place with 413 points, and Martin Boyd achieving an eighth place with 398 points. British rider Yasmin Ingham claims the sixth spot with 425 points. Jonelle Price (NZL) experiences a descent to the ninth position, while Laura Collet (GBR) exhibits a significant ascent, climbing ten positions to gain entry into the Top 10 with 371 points.

FULL RANKING HERE

Photo caption: Rosalind Canter during the medal ceremony of the FEI Eventing European Championship 2023 in Haras du Pin (FRA) - FEI / Libby Law

Cypriot individual, Gabriele Kiefer riding Cyprus Ophelia, will be first into the arena when the FEI Dressage European Championship 2023 gets underway with the Grand Prix tomorrow morning in Riesenbeck, Germany.

Following the draw which took place this afternoon, the order-of-go for teams is Luxembourg, Finland, Ireland, Hungary, Switzerland, Norway, Austria, Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, Sweden and The Netherlands. However Luxembourg and Norway will start later in the competition because they are fielding only three horse-and-rider combinations instead of four.

And nine of those countries - Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg and Norway -  are also in the race for one of the three qualifying places on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Team medals

The Grand Prix, which will decide the team medals, will run over two days, and a total of 34 horse-and-rider combinations will come before the judges panel of Kurt Christensen (DEN), Ulrike Neville (GER), Michael Osinski (USA), Maria Colliander (FIN), Isobel Wessels (GBR), Raphael Saleh (FRA) and Eduard de Wolff an Westerrode (NED) tomorrow with the remainder competing on Thursday. 

Also keeping a close eye on matters during the week will be the Supervisory Panel of Linda Zang (USA), Dr Evi Eisenhardt (GER) and Andrew Gardner (GBR).

Mathias Alexander Rath will be first in for Germany when fourteenth to go with the 10-year-old Totilas stallion Thiago GS just after midday tomorrow. And his legendary team-mate, Isabell Werth, will compete towards the end of the day with the 13-year-old gelding DSP Quantaz.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen (Vayron) and Andreas Helgstrand (Jovian) will line out for Denmark while Gareth Hughes (Classic Briolinca) and Carl Hester (Fame) will be the first two British representatives.

Fresh and frisky

There were plenty of fresh and frisky horses at this morning’s first horse inspection, and if there was a prize for the most enthusiastic of them all it would go to Marlies van Baalen’s Habibi DVB. Dutch team vet, Edwin Enzerink, was at the end of the bridle and he had quite a job on his hands when the 11-year-old gelding decided to play skittles with every pot plant along the trot-track while going in both directions, and using all of his not-inconsiderable hind-leg power.

Reigning Olympic champion and defending European individual and team gold medallist, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, also had a momentary fireball on her hands during the arena familiarisation when her mare, TSF Dalera BB, suddenly exploded into a gallop before quickly returning to her ladylike self.

A total of four horses were sent to the holding box and two of those - Turbo ridden by Ireland’s Sorrell Klatsko and Ultrablue de Massa ridden by Poland’s Marta Sobierajska - will return for re-inspection tomorrow morning at 8.30am.

Fantastic facilities

The riders are full of praise for the fantastic facilities at the venue in Riesenbeck which has been adapted specifically for this Championship. 

When the FEI Jumping European Championship was staged here in 2021 the big grass arena was in full use, but an area has been sectioned off for  Dressage this week with a brand new all-weather surface installed, and surrounded by stadium seating which gives it a much more intimate atmosphere. It looks set to make the perfect stage for the coming days of top-class sport.

“The facilities are fantastic!”, said Charlotte Dujardin this evening. “Great surfaces, the stabling is amazing - to have really cool stables when it’s so warm, and they are big stables and very airy, so we are really happy with that. And the arena is set up beautifully, so I can’t wait to get going now!”, she added.

It’s only six months since she gave birth to her baby daughter Isabella, and even the British superstar who was a multiple gold medallist at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games and a member of Great Britain’s silver medal squad at the last FEI Dressage European Championship in Hagen (GER) two years ago, can hardly believe she is back at the sharp end of the sport again so quickly.

“It’s no time really, but Pete (her horse Imhotep) has been amazing. He’s adapted to every show and in Aachen he was fantastic! He just hasn’t done many big shows and he’s a bit of an inward worrier, so I just have to give him confidence and I’m just going to go in there this week and enjoy myself!” 

It’s all going to kick off at 09.39 tomorrow morning, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Startlists and results here

The names are in and the field is set for a thrilling competition at the upcoming FEI Endurance European Championship 2023 set for September 7 at the Dutch National Equestrian Centre in Ermelo (NED).

The 160-km course consists of six loops of beautiful countryside that includes forest tracks and heather-covered moors, with a mandatory veterinary inspection after each loop, where the horses must be declared fit to continue before heading out onto the next loop of the course. The tracks have been carefully prepared to offer a balance of technical challenges, all the while keeping the safety of the horses as a priority. 

“In essence, our aim is to provide an unforgettable experience that encapsulates the spirit of Endurance while prioritising the well-being of our beloved horses,” said Eric Lamsma, President of the organising committee. “We are excited about the journey ahead and can't wait to witness the enthusiasm and camaraderie that will unfold during the FEI Endurance European Championship 2023 in Ermelo.”

Looking back…

Horse and athlete combinations include individual champions from multiple countries, who competed at the FEI Endurance World Championships 2022 in Butheeb (UAE), and the FEI Endurance European Championships 2021, which were also held at the Ermelo facility.  Spain and France had the top seven individual finishers in 2021, earning team gold and silver respectively, and both countries are returning multiple athletes from those teams. Italy secured the team bronze medal ahead of Belgium and the Netherlands, and all these teams are looking to either repeat or improve on their past standings.

Ones to watch

Jaume Punti Dachs of Spain riding Echo Falls was fifth individually in 2021 and earned the bronze medal at the FEI Endurance World Championships 2022 in Butheeb, while Angel Soy Coll and Maria Alvarez Ponton, the individual gold and bronze medal riders respectively at the FEI European Endurance Championships 2021 are on the team again, with competitive horses. 

France will have three of their combinations from Butheeb and their 2021 silver medal team at the Championships, including Virginie Atger on Raya de Jalima, Vincent Gaudriot on Bum Baya D’Aqui, and Clementine Chaud on Winaruz el Djin. France’s goal in Butheeb was a team medal, where their strategic and tactical riding paid off, and we expect to see more of that in Ermelo this year.

Then there’s Tiina Kuusepuu of Estonia on Gabyrel, a 13-year-old Polish Arabian gelding. The pair were fourth at the Butheeb World Championships, and along with her teammates, are looking to put Estonia Endurance on the map.

Full List

There are 21 countries represented, including 14 in the team competition: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. In total, 77 athletes and 83 horses are vying for the Championship title.

Individual entries include Tom MacGuinness of Ireland who has two horses qualified, including his mount Horseware HLM Fontana, who was 17th with him at Butheeb. Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, and Turkey all have individual entries 

Timetable

“Our opening ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, September 5th, at 7 pm, promises to be a big event, with all the athletes of the Championship making an appearance. In alignment with our ethos of ‘Horse Comes First’, we're excited to present captivating shows featuring acts such as Jesse Drent and the talented Vaulting team De Heerevelden. These performances will undoubtedly underscore the deep bond between humans and horses,” said Imke Lamsma, Media Manager of the organising committee. 

Mandatory pre-ride veterinary inspections of all horses are occurring the afternoon of September 6 and the FEI Endurance European Championship 2023 begins at 6:30 am on September 7. The Championship results will be available by 6 pm.

More information is available at: https://inside.fei.org/fei/disc/endurance/main-events/european-championship-seniors-2023.

It’s time for Europe’s best Dressage combinations to shine this week when the FEI Dressage European Championship 2023 gets underway in Riesenbeck, Germany. 

The pirouettes have been practiced and the piaffe has been perfected, so a total of 70 horse-and-rider combinations from 23 countries are ready to put on their dancing shoes and show all their best moves as they battle it out for both team and individual medals.

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland will all be chasing down the team medals while individuals will fly the flags of Armenia, Cyprus, Estonia, Israel, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia. The majority of teams will consist of four combinations, but Luxembourg and Norway field just three team members each.

Also on the agenda over the coming days will be the race for the last three team places on offer to teams from FEI Olympic Groups A and/or B for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Already qualified are France as host nation and Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands who placed in that order at last summer’s FEI Dressage World Championship in Herning (DEN). Poland also made the cut at the Group C qualifier in Budapest (HUN) in June, leaving a total of 16 countries vying for one of those three coveted places this week.

Dominated

Team Germany has long dominated this championship, claiming individual gold 22 times and winning 25 of the 29 team titles since the inaugural event was staged in Copenhagen (DEN) in 1963. And they arrive in Riesenbeck as defending champions once again after sweeping all before them in Hagen (GER) two years ago. 

That team consisted of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, Dorothee Schneider, Isabell Werth and Helen Langehanenberg but this time around Werth and von Bredow-Werndl are joined by Mathias Alexander Rath riding Thiago GS and Frederic Wandres with Bluetooth OLD. Werth, the most medalled athlete in equestrian sport, will partner the stallion DSP Quantaz while von Bredow-Werndl brings out the mare with which she has swept all before her in recent years, the lovely TSF Dalera BB.

Same team

Great Britain filled silver medal spot in 2021 and exactly the same team of riders will line out again this year, but all with different horses. Charlotte Dujardin will ride Imhotep, Charlotte Fry brings Glamourdale, Carl Hester partners Fame and Gareth Hughes brings Classic Briolinca. 

Denmark took bronze in Hagen, but then went on to take team gold at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2022 on home ground in Herning (DEN) last summer. They are a real force to be reckoned with and although they will be missing Cathrine Dufour this year, they look set to stake their claim to the podium again in convincing style with their side of Daniel Bachmann Andersen riding Vayron, Andreas Helgstrand with Jovian, Carina Cassøe with Heiline’s Danciera and Nanna Skodborg Merrald with Blue Hors Zepter. 

Anticipation

Anticipation is at an all-time high ahead of this year’s championship because it will see von Bredow Werndl and Dalera face some serious new challengers.

Together the German pair took all gold at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games before going on do exactly the same at the FEI European Championship 2021 a few weeks later. They claimed the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022 title before von Bredow-Werndl took a baby-break which meant they missed the World Championship last summer. But they bounced back to take the 2023 World Cup title in April and they hold the number one spot on the world rankings once again.

In their absence, Britain’s Lottie Fry and Glamourdale won both the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle at the World Championship a year ago, the stunning black stallion stealing the hearts of many in the process. And now Skodborg Merrald and Zepter have stepped under the spotlight with ever-improving results that suggest the Danish pair are going to be big-hitters this week.

The chestnut gelding was previously ridden by Bachmann Andersen and then by Sweden’s Patrik Kittel, but since Skoborg Merrald took up the ride early this year the 15-year-old horse has blossomed like never before and the quality of their work together has been sensational. 

The Grand-Mistress

Add in the Grand-Mistress of the modern sport, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin with yet another new horse that, quite unbelievably, looks set to be as good as any of the greats she has ridden before, and we have a recipe for an intriguing week ahead.

Imhotep, known at home as Pete, was only a nine-year-old when helping Britain to last year’s team silver in Herning where he finished fourth in the Grand Prix, sixth in the Special and tenth in the Freestyle. A year later and he was throwing down a challenge to von Bredow-Werndl’s Dalera in Aachen (GER) in July, finishing a close second in the Grand Prix Special and third behind Zepter and Dalera in the Freestyle.

Head-to-head

Dalera and Glamourdale have never come head-to-head before, so this week we will see that happen. The power and presence of the stallion who sets hearts racing, especially when he storms into extended canter, will take on the ladylike grace and elegance of von Bredow-Werndl’s mare. And the pureness of Zepter’s quality work along with the rising potential of Imhotep as he continues the learning curve likely to take him to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games next summer will give the panel of judges plenty to think about.

They will all be first put to the test when the action gets underway in Riesenbeck on Wednesday 6 September with the first group of riders in the Grand Prix. On Thursday the remainder will compete and the team medals will be decided.

The Grand Prix Special takes place on Friday 7, and the new Freestyle champion will be crowned on Sunday 9. It’s going to be fascinating, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

More information here
https://inside.fei.org/fei/disc/dressage/main-events/european-championship-seniors-2023

Event website here
https://riesenbeck2023.com/

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat has ridden many great horses during his sparkling career, but after winning individual gold at the FEI Jumping European Championship 2023 in Milan (ITA) today he said his mare, Dynamix de Belheme, is simply the best.

With a flawless run over four days of tough competition, as Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani tested Europe’s best riders as only he can, the 41-year-old rider and his 10-year-old mare were the only combination to finish the week without fault from the field of 85 who started out in the quest for European glory last Wednesday. 

Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt claimed silver with the exciting nine-year-old Zineday while Julien Epaillard and the 10-year-old Dubai du Cedre finished in bronze medal spot for France.

“I’ve been very, very lucky, even blessed since the beginning of my career. I’m for sure no better rider that this guy that sits beside me (Weishaupt), but he didn’t always have the same luck with his horses at a championship as I had. So for me to say that this is the best horse I’ve ever had - it takes a lot!”, Guerdat said.

Hanging in the balance

The final day more than lived up to expectations, with the result hanging in the balance until the very last fence was jumped. 

One pole down from Guerdat in the second round and Weishaupt would have overtaken the 2012 Olympic champion for the coveted title. But once the Swiss star overtook team gold medallists Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit for the lead when the Swedish pair faulted in the first of today’s two rounds to drop to fifth in the final analysis, Guerdat had the look of a man who wasn’t going to let anything get in his way. 

As he rode into the ring, last to go in the second and last round, he was holding the lead but with Weishaupt snapping at his heels and Epaillard just a whisper further behind so he needed to muster all the experience he has gathered down the years. And with the horse of his dreams under him, he calmly brought home the gold that has only been held in Swiss hands twice before, by Willi Melliger partnering Quinta in Gijon (ESP) in 1993 and by Martin Fuchs and Clooney in Rotterdam (NED) in 2019.

He’s now making no secret of the fact that his next big target with his mare is the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

So cool

Asked how he managed to keep so cool under pressure today he said he just tried to make that final round like any other.   

“I didn’t do anything different because it’s my job to go clear every week, every Sunday, every championship, every day this week. My mare was in great form so I just try to keep her fresh because it’s her first championship and she was a little bit tired today after the first round so I tried to save the jumps, just do five or six jumps before the last round and try to stay focused on what I have to do and I knew she wouldn’t let me down. 

“She’s a very, very special horse so I just try to focus on my job so she can express herself at her best, and that’s what she did and I’m delighted with her and the result!”, he said.

It is clear he has thought the world of Dynamix for a very long time.

“I have had so many special horses throughout my career, but I didn’t want to put pressure on her by telling everybody I have a new superstar but we knew it, or we hoped for it. And we were just trying to let her develop the way she had to develop. Basically she has all the qualities that all my superstars have had and she has it all in the one horse, and that’s why she’s very, very special! 

I don’t want to rush things, I just listen to her and what she wants to do. She only did her first 5-Star a year ago”, he pointed out. 

When Dynamix gets home to Switzerland she’ll get a nice surprise. “Up to today she still wasn’t allowed to have her own big picture in my indoor, there are a lot of very special horses in there. We have a lot of amazing pictures of Dynamix and I’ve had a bit of a fight with my wife because she thinks she should already be up there. But today she did something great so her picture will be up there tomorrow!”, he said. 

Careful

Weishaupt said he has also been careful not to pressurise his young horse either. 

“It wasn’t in my plan at the beginning of the year to come here because Zineday is only nine years old, a year younger than Steve’s horse - quality-wise not far away these two horses - but I need to listen to him to know how he is and go step-by-step, show-by-show. I also tried to keep him a bit in the background and make sure not too many people ask me how good he is. 

“But after Aachen (where the pair finished third in the Grand Prix) there was no more chance to hide it - even blind ones could see how good he is by then! He did it so easy in Aachen, so I took him to a show in Riesenbeck and he came back very strong. So I thought ok, he’s only nine but he’s ready for the championship and he will learn and get experience during those five days. I went day-by-day this week, I didn’t have any expectation. I know the horse is super but I need to ride well and keep him calm”, he explained.

And it worked out really nicely. “The first day Speed class he did a very good round. The first round of the Nations Cup was really good, unfortunately I made a stupid mistake on the team final day. Then I go for the final, he was super-fresh yesterday which was a bit surprising. And today I did two rounds and he jumped fantastic and I’m more than delighted with the result. At the end Steve was the only one jumping all days clear, and I wasn’t!”, he said.

Fantastic week

Epaillard said he had a fantastic week with Dubai du Cedre. He also jumped double-clear today to move up from overnight fourth into that bronze medal position. It was Great Britain’s Ben Maher who finished just off the podium in fourth place with Faltic HB at the end of the day.

“My mare is only 10 years old and it was my first championship with her and she doesn’t have that much experience. She had two down during the week, both my fault because I don’t know her well enough”, Epaillard explained. He has been riding her since last November.

“The course designer created a fantastic show this week”, he continued. “I think Uliano did a very nice job. Every day there were very technical rounds, today the final was perfect I think. The first round very strong and difficult, the second a little bit easier, but with the pressure everyone, including the horses, were a little bit tired”.

There was no sign of tiredness when the medallists rode their victory lap to bring a truly thrilling week of sport to a close, with Guerdat adding individual gold to the European team gold medals he won in 2009 and 2021.

“I have the horse that everyone is looking for”, he said tonight, “so we do our best for her and bring her in the best of form for Paris! This has been a great week!” 

Results here

A dedicated Press Kit can also be found here

History was made today when Team Sweden clinched gold for the very first time at the FEI Jumping European Championship 2023 in Milan (ITA). The country that already holds both the Olympic and World team titles proved that, when it comes to staying the distance, they simply have no match right now. 

They started today’s medal-decider trailing Germany and just ahead of the defending champions from Switzerland. But on an afternoon full of surprises it was Team Ireland that settled comfortably into silver medal spot while Team Austria took the bronze.

As the action began only fractions separated the leading pack, but when Henrik Ankarcrona’s Swedish side added nothing to complete on a total of 9.51 penalties for the win, they were well clear of the Irish on a final tally of 18.00 and the Austrians who finished with 22.77 on the board.

No-one could have predicted that Germany would lose the pathfinding partnership of Marcus Ehning and Stargold which would always leave them vulnerable, or that the Swiss, who have been all-but-unbeatable this year, would finish sixth behind Spain. 

But anyone who has followed the path taken by the Swedes in recent years would know that a team consisting of Henrik von Eckermann and Iliana, Wilma Hellström and Cicci BJN, Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson with Zuccero would be difficult to overturn.

As Fredricson, who goes into Sunday’s individual medal-decider still out in front after three tough days of sport, said this evening, there was never any discussion about the Swedish mission coming to Milan.

‘We came here to take the gold medal, that was always the plan, and sitting here now is just fine! We know how this can go, with many ups and downs, and we are really super happy with the whole thing!”

News

There was a bit of a shockwave when the last-minute news came through that Ehning wouldn’t compete because he felt his stallion wasn’t quite right.

“I don’t know what happened really. We got ready for the class and I don’t know if he heard something but he nearly flipped over in the box, and I don’t know if he over-reached a muscle or whatever. When I got on he wasn’t lame but he doesn’t want to open up his back or stretch, and I didn’t have the feeling that he was normal”, the multiple champion explained.

So when Philipp Weishaupt’s Zineday knocked the oxer at fence two, Jana Wargers and Limbridge double-faulted and Gerrit Nieberg came home with one down, the German total of 25.31 would leave them just off the podium in fourth place.

Meanwhile only Steve Guerdat and Dynamix de Belheme lived up to expectations on the Swiss side who had to add 16 to their scoreline. But the Austrians, sixth overnight, rocketed up the leaderboard when Gerfried Puck and Equitron Naxcel V came home with just two time penalties, Max Kuhner and Elektric Blue P jumped clear and Alessandra Reich and Oeli R lowered only the tricky water-tray vertical at fence six that proved a bit of a bogey all day. That meant they could drop the 12 racked up by Katharine Rhomberg and Cuma 5 who had been impressively clear yesterday. 

The Irish opened up with another fabulous clear from Michael Duffy and the 14-year-old mare Cinca. And although they had to add eight to the scoreline when Trevor Breen and Highland President, Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz and Eoin McMahon and Mila all returned four-fault results, they reaped the benefit of a good run earlier in the week that had left them stalking the leading pack and ready to pounce if their rivals showed any weakness. 

It was three classic clears that clinched it for Sweden, Henrik von Eckermann providing their only mistake of the day when hitting the last in his pathfinding round. Annoyed with himself, he explained, “I got the six (strides) nice but I didn’t sit up enough, I followed with her and I was through the finish line in my mind before I was over the finish line!” But the double world champion and world number one rider didn’t need to worry. His team-mates would wrap it up very nicely indeed, Hellström confidently bringing her one-eyed wonder-mare home without incident and Fredricson doing likewise with his 12-year-old gelding. 

Bengtsson already knew he had a gold medal around his neck before he set off, and as he said this evening that was a very nice feeling. His foot-perfect run was just the icing on the cake, ensuring the distance between gold and silver was as wide as possible.

Nice to be back

“For me it’s very nice to be back again in the team!”, Bengtsson said. “I’ve been on the side for a while, but that was also an interesting position to have. Now I have a really good horse again and to get a medal here today….it was 22 years ago I had my first one so thanks guys! The team spirit we have is something very important and very special. We know each other very well and that helps. We can talk to each other in whatever language and nobody takes it badly if you tell them straight what you mean”.

Hellström pointed out that “there’s a reason why Sweden has been so successful….it’s not only the riding, it’s the full plan and the organisation around us and the respect everyone has for each other.”

And von Eckermann was delighted to add yet another championship medal to his already very extensive collection. “I really wanted the gold for the last team medal in my pocket, so I’m happy the guys helped me with that!”, he said this evening.

Fredricson said forward planning is the recipe for Swedish success. 

“I have a very early plan for my horse. In November I knew what I had to do, I did Rome, La Baule, Aachen - all fantastic shows - and I knew I was going to have my horse in the best form now. If you don’t know that and you are picking the team in the last month…..I think that’s what we do right”, he pointed out.

Contrast

In contrast the Irish had to make some very late changes to their side leading into the championship 

“But the thing we are most proud of is whatever changes we have to make we have in excess of 30 riders competing in 5-Star Nations Cups this year and I think that’s a phenomenal figure!”, said Chef d’Equipe Michael Blake. “I’m so proud to be involved with people who are that good and love the sport that much. They put the country first and they make my job easy”, he added.

There was no hiding the surprise and delight on the faces of the Austrian bronze medallists. As their Chef d’Equipe Angelika May said with a laugh, “if there had been a bet on Austria I think you would have made a fortune!”

But they earned their place fair and square, on top of Olympic qualification along with Spain and Switzerland.

“We came here for the Olympic ticket and we would have been super-happy with that!”, said Katharina Rhomberg. And team-mate Max Kuhner said they would like to build on today’s result now.

“I hope it will also bring some support for the future for the country, like these big horse nations, to get more owners, to get more horse power, to get more ambition for the whole sport. The Olympic qualification is probably the best thing to make this happen. It was a fantastic feeling with a great team. We had a really good time here together, supported each other and it makes me very happy!”, he said.

11 out of 10

Talking about his horse Markan Cosmopolit, Sweden’s Fredricson said this evening that his jumping round today “wasn’t a 10 out of 10, it was an 11 out of 10!”, and he reflected on how today’s victory came about.

“You try to do your best and you can do nothing about the other riders - if they were better than us then they would have won, but this time we were the best. The only thing you can focus on is your own thing. Always in championships there are unpredictable things happening!”, he pointed out.

All four Swedes now go into Sunday’s individual finale inside the top 18, with Fredricson in pole position ahead of Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat in second and Ireland’s young star Michael Duffy in third ahead of Frenchman Olivier Perreau in fourth. There is less than a fence between the top five and less than two between the top 11, so there’s no room for error which promises one more day of spectacular sport.

But for tonight it’s Swedish party time, as they celebrate their first team title in the 66-year history of the FEI Jumping European Championship.

Sunday’s action begins at 12 noon local time, so don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

All results and startlists here

A dedicated Press Kit can also be found here

Team Germany overtook Sweden to rise to the top of the leaderboard on the second day of the FEI Jumping European Championship 2023 in Milan (ITA) today, but the difference between the top three sides is only fractional going into tomorrow’s team medal decider.

A tally of 9.31 gives Germany just 0.2 penalty points of an advantage over Sweden with 9.51, while the defending champions from Switzerland lie third with 9.92 followed closely by Ireland on a 10-point scoreline. 

It could hardly be tighter, and it’s a recipe for a thriller right to the end.

Meanwhile another superb performance from Sweden’s Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit has maintained their place at the top of the individual leaderboard. 

A costly mistake at the very last fence saw Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei drop from overnight second spot to 15th place, so another super-smooth performance from Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and Zineday has moved them up from third up to second, while Fuchs’ team-mate Steve Guerdat is now lying third with Dynamix de Belheme.

And there are still four nations left in the race for one of the three qualifying spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games - Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Spain. The Netherlands, France and Great Britain complete tomorrow’s line-up when only the top 10 countries will do battle in the final round of the team competition along with the top 50 individuals in the rankings so far.

Lost their grip

The Swedes lost their grip on pole position when, despite superb clears from from both Fredricson and Henrik von Eckermann riding Iliana, they had to count one of the eight-fault results posted by both Wilma Hellström and Cicci BJN and their anchor partnership of Rolf-Göran Bengtsson and Zuccero. 

In contrast, Germany only had to add the four picked up by pathfinders Marcus Ehning and Stargold when both Weishaupt and Jana Wargers were foot-perfect over today’s considerably more testing 14-fence track. German anchor, Gerrit Nieberg, racked up 12 faults with Ben but that would be their discard when the best three results per team were counted.

Only Guerdat jumped clear for Switzerland so they had to add both of the four faults picked up by Fuchs and Bryan Balsiger partnering Dubai du Bois Pinchet while Edouard Schmitz’s double-error with Gamin van’t Naastveldhof was their drop-score.

After clears for both Michael Duffy with Cinca 3 and Shane Sweetnam with James Kann Cruz the Irish looked set to threaten the Swiss but last-line rider Eoin McMahon and the mare Mila were one of many partnerships to fall victim to the big oxer three from home that followed the open water. Those four faults had to be counted because Trevor Breen and Highland President left two on the floor. But there is only a whisper between the top four when the action resumes tomorrow.

Clear

A total of 14 horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear today and they were all full of praise for the tracks set for them so far this week. 

“The course was super, all compliments to him (course designer Uliano Vezzani) also from yesterday”, said world number one Henrik von Eckermann after finishing his fault-free run.

“Today there are some big jumps out there but they are not completely demanding on the horse. But you need to be able to ride accurately, to have all the gears to go forward, backwards for the last line, to the water, to the triple combination. So it’s asking a lot from the rider and I think that’s how it should be. If you ride good you have good chances, and not only that it’s the last hole on the jumps”, he pointed out.

“I felt a little bit of pressure after Germany’s clear and Steve’s clear and I wanted to give them (the rest of the Swedish team) a good feeling and I think I did. We still have the drop score in our pocket and I hope we don’t need to use it”, he said after coming out of the ring. Unfortunately however they did…

Flawless

Weishaupt’s rides with Zineday have been flawless, and he’s clearly already eyeing up not just a team medal but an individual one as well.

“So far it’s only two days of competition but Zineday felt very good in the warm-up, I had an amazing feeling yesterday in the speed class, he was really relaxed and focused. And today he continued what he showed yesterday, his great performance, his great talent and it was a pleasure to ride him and I hope we can keep that form for the next three rounds!”, he said.

Talking about the nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding he said his expectations were always high coming to Milan. “He was third in the Grand Prix of Aachen and if you are selected for the German team they expect you are capable of jumping that level so I was expecting this”.

He described Italy’s Uliano Vezzani as “a fantastic course designer! We had a fantastic speed class yesterday, it wasn’t the biggest jumps but he showed all his experience with the beautiful way he built. The footing was great and today it was a great course again, very tricky and long, you needed control and scope but he did a great job!”

And he described Zineday as “a bit special, he has his own head so you have to leave him a little bit like he is, but he has just tremendous qualities”.

Jana Wargers’ clear was also copybook. “I’m very happy with my round and very happy that I was able to jump clear for the team. Limbridge is just fantastic”, she said of the 14-year-old gelding with which she finished ninth individually at the FEI Jumping World Championship 2022 last summer. 

“He makes it so easy and he lets me shine in every round and he never gives up. Today he showed again how special he is and I’m very proud of him!”, she said.

Dream week

Meanwhile Jens Fredricson’s dream week continues. He goes into tomorrow’s competition on a zero score, but Weishaupt is only 0.31 behind followed by Guerdat, the flying Frenchman Julien Epaillard with Dubai du Cedre, von Eckermann in fifth and Italy’s Emanuele Camille in sixth with Odense Odeveld. In the individual standings there is less than a fence between the top 14, but there is a long way to go before the new individual champion is crowned next Sunday.

It’s still pretty extraordinary to be leading the posse with a horse that was originally bought for the Swedish riding school in Strömsholm but who proved too naughty to do his job there. So he eventually found Jens in the saddle and together they finished third at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2022 in Leipzig (GER) before helping to take the team world title in Herning (DEN) a few months later.

“I’m enjoying myself, it’s a fantastic show and my horse is in great form!”, Fredricson said this evening. To find himself in individual contention at a championship is a first-time experience, and he is relishing it.

“I’ve been around, I’ve been in some finals but I’ve never really been up there. So to have a horse like this when you are 55 is special. He’s like a cat now, he can lengthen and shorten and he’s self-confident - he’s just a great horse!”, he pointed out. 

He didn’t have to listen to any rock music before he went in the ring today.  “Yesterday I needed to get in in a better mood so I was listening to Iron Maiden but not today because I had almost too much energy, I was almost jumping around so I think Beethoven would have been better!”

He’ll need to be relaxed and focused when the last page of the story of the FEI Jumping European Team Championship 2023 begins to be written tomorrow afternoon at 13.30 local time . It’s way too close to call which means it’s going to be a cracker, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Results and Startlists here

A dedicated Press Kit can also be found here