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A starry roll call of the world’s top four-in-hand drivers makes up the definite entry list, revealed a week ahead of the 25th FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hand.
All eyes will be on five time World Champion Boyd Exell (AUS) who is aiming for his sixth consecutive outdoor title against the likes of four-time winner Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) or Zoltán Lázár (HUN).
Keeping it in the family, Ijsbrand’s son and current FEI Driving World Cup™ Champion, Bram, joins the Dutch contingent, while for Hungary, successful father and son duo József Dobrovitz Snr. and Jnr. return to Pratoni having been at May’s Test Event. The two ladies on the list are Germany’s Mareike Harm and Anna Sandmann, the latter being the daughter of international Driving icon Christoph Sandmann, who competed in multiple editions of the FEI World Equestrian Games™.
From the sixteen countries who have confirmed their 37 athletes and 185 horses, Holland will lead the charge in the team event. Winners of team gold a record ten times since the first World Championships held in Münster (GER) in 1972, they are boosted by a depth of talent including world number two, Koos de Ronde. Previous winners Germany and Hungary, who are also fielding the maximum six athletes, will put up a tough fight for the coveted team crown. Another nation to watch is Belgium, with the up and coming Dries Degriek joining Leipzig’s World Cup bronze medallist Glenn Geerts and Tom Stokmans.
The USA will not be defending the team title won in Tryon (USA) as their only competitor is Chester Webber, although as the 2018 silver medallist and an experienced campaigner, he will have an individual podium place in his sights. Shaping his season around this event, Chester’s horses came to Europe from Florida in May.
Each of the six nations which has entered a team of three athletes can field up to three additional individuals. Also in the team event, France has four entries, including Test Event winner Anthony Horde and as the home nation, Italy is represented by one driver, Luca Cassottana. World number three, Jérôme Voutaz, is flying the Swiss flag and individual athletes have also been confirmed by Austria, Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Uruguay.
Having just turned 50, Boyd has enjoyed an unbeaten outdoor season this year and is on the form of his career. With a steely focus, he is determined not only to defend his title but to resoundingly win. Consistent across the three phases of dressage, marathon and cones, he is a master at maintaining his cool under pressure, whether leading from the front or chasing from behind. Joining him to give Australia a team is Tor Van Den Berg, who is also a Grand Prix Dressage rider.
For those who came to the FEI World Equestrian Games™ held at Pratoni del Vivaro in 1998, it is a welcome return to this legendary venue, which has been overhauled ahead of the FEI World Championships 2022. For others, it may be their first visit, and they can be assured of a warm Italian welcome – as well as nail biting competition where history will be made.
The FEI Driving World Championship 2022 will begin on 21 September with the horse and course inspections. The competition schedule will be:
Dressage on 22 & 23 September
Marathon on 24 September
Cones on 25 September
For more information on the FEI World Championships 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA), go to: https://pratoni2022.it/en
Germany’s Christoph Wahler and his 13-year-old grey gelding Carjatan S will be first into the arena when Dressage gets underway tomorrow (Thursday) morning at the FEI Eventing World Championships 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro, Rocca di Papa (ITA). There was just one withdrawal during today’s first horse inspection, Mexico’s Daniela Moguel and the mare Cecelia, so a total of 89 horse/rider combinations from 26 countries will tackle the three-phase competition that will decide both Team and Individual medals over the next four days at this much-loved Italian venue.
Germany was drawn first to go of the 16 teams, and with individual riders also interspersed, the drawn order is as follows (Teams marked with an asterisk): 1, Germany*; 2, Ireland*; 3, Canada*; 4, France*; 5, Belgium*; 6, Czech Republic; 7, Poland; 8. Spain*; 9, The Netherlands; 10, Lithuania; 11, Switzerland*; 12, Thailand; 13, Italy*; 14, Sweden*; 15, Denmark; 16, New Zealand*; 17, Hungary; 18, India; 19, USA*; 20, Japan*; 21, Great Britain*; 22, Australia*; 23, Austria*; 24, China; 25, Ecuador; 26, Brazil*.
The defending champions from Great Britain have a good draw, and Ros Canter, who won both Team and Individual gold last time around at Tryon, USA in 2018 will put the first British foot forward when entering the arena with Lordships Graffalo in the 13th starting spot tomorrow morning. Each team will field two combinations on Thursday and two more on Friday when the Dressage phase will conclude, except for Team Austria who, with just three in their side, send only Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati and Oklahoma 2 into action tomorrow afternoon while her compatriots will strut their stuff inside the boards on Friday.
Course
Guiseppe della Chiesa’s cross-country course was opened today revealing 42 jumping efforts on his 30-fence track over a distance of 5,600 metres. The optimum time in which to get home is 9 minutes 50 seconds and as Great Britain’s Lucinda Green, 1982 World Champion and twice European Champion, pointed out after her first look at the fences, this is a track that will need to be ridden “by feel” rather than on the clock. The constant undulations, climbs and drops make it a roller-coaster from start to finish and included, this time at fence two, is Albino’s Water Trough, an obstacle that has been constantly altered and reused since first built for the 1960 Olympic Games.
Riders will walk the course several times over the next few days before the cross-country action begins on Saturday but first they will want to perform well in the Dressage arena to place themselves prominently on the leaderboard.
One young man who should be feeling confident is Switzerland’s Robin Godel who was individual winner with Grandeur de Lully CH while also helping his country to victory at the Test Event at Pratoni in May which was also the first leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2022 series. The Swiss were superb at this 4* NC-S event with Nadja Minder slotting into fifth individually with Toblerone while Melody Johner and Toubleu de Rueire finished eighth, and all three combinations are back in action again this week.
Their cross-country coach is Kiwi legend Andrew Nicholson who during his own spectacular career won every CCI 5* in the Northern Hemisphere and who won team gold at the 1990 World Championship in Stockholm (SWE). Nicknamed “Mr Stickability” for the number of times he defied gravity and stayed onboard his horses in tricky situations he will have advised his squad how to ride the long and steep run down the combination KEP Italia Slide which is guaranteed to be one of the favourite viewing spots for spectators early on the course.
Idol
Nicholson is an idol for individual competitor Fouaad Mirza from India who will start 19th of the 45 runners in tomorrow’s first day of Dressage and who said today that his country will soon be a force to be reckoned with in the sport of Eventing. The 30-year-old who hails from Bangalore moved to Germany in 2017 and is based with German team member Sandra Auffarth who won double-gold at the FEI World Championship in 2014.
He’s been riding the 16-year-old Seigneur Medicott for some years now and is confident that they will give a great account of themselves over the coming days. “We’ve done a lot together, we’ve been to two Championships and we know each other very well”, he said today. “Of course this is one step further, a 5* not a 4* so it will test the partnership of horses and riders and the bond between them. It’s a difficult course but we are looking forward to tackling it!”, he added.
In the past seven world championships in Eventing, the eventual winning team has been placed either first or second after Dressage. It was Team New Zealand at the 1990 Stockholm World Championships that last defied this trend by starting in fifth place after Dressage. The on-form Swiss team have never started a world championship inside the top ten after Dressage and they only time their best placing was ninth in Jerez (ESP) in 2002. But things can change and over the next few days a whole new story will be written.
The camaraderie in this special equestrian sport is something very special and some British team supporters had a nice surprise last night. Andrew Nicholson was on the same flight from London and they offered him a ride in their taxi to Frascati, the town near Pratoni which is housing most of those visiting the event. That led to a dinner invitation the group will never forget, and they will by flying both the Swiss and British flags at the FEI Eventing World Championships 2022 as a result.
It’s already memorable, so don’t miss a hoofbeat of the FEI Eventing World Championships 2022….
Two time Paralympian and World Championship medalist Rodolpho Riskalla from Brazil, has been elected to the newly created World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Athletes’ Council.
The WADA Athletes’ Council was created in May 2022 as part of widespread Governance reforms to “enhance athletes’ representation within WADA through the establishment of a 20-member Athlete Council, composed of athletes’ representatives chosen by athletes.” The Athletes’ Council, which replaces the 12-member WADA Athlete Committee, is also responsible for appointing athlete representatives to other WADA bodies.
The Athletes’ Council is structured into three groups, with Group 1 comprising five athletes appointed to their position by the Athletes’ Commissions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Riskalla, whose nomination was put forward by the Athletes’ Committee of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), is one of only eight athletes to be elected to Group 2 from a stellar nomination pool of 34 candidates. Athletes who ran for election in this Group have competed at the international level within the last nine years, and were from the same sport as the International Federation Athlete Commission nominating them. Riskalla will hold this position for a three-year term beginning in 2023.
A further seven positions in Group 3 will be selected by the Athlete Council Appointment Panel to fill skills and diversity gaps. The Panel will be composed of two athletes from the new Council (one representative each from Groups 1 and 2) and one member of the WADA Nominations Committee.
“I would like to offer my congratulations to Rodolpho on his election to the WADA Athletes’ Council and I’m confident that he will be an excellent ambassador to represent the interests of the athletes,” FEI President and Member of the WADA Executive Committee Ingmar De Vos said.
“Rodolpho is fully committed to the core principles of WADA and eager to put his knowledge and experience of international sport to the service of the athlete community. His passion and courage apply to all facets of his life, and he has been an inspiration to many athletes in equestrian sport.
“We greatly value his enthusiasm and resolution to achieve his goals and fight for his principles and values, which includes a world where all athletes can participate in a doping-free sport environment.”
Riskalla became a Paralympian in late 2015 after contracting bacterial meningitis in the run up to the Olympic Games in Rio 2016, at which he had hoped to represent his country in Dressage.
He defied the odds and went on to ride at the Paralympic Games in Rio, just months after his illness cost him both legs below the knees and a loss of fingers, finishing in 10th place individually.
His extraordinary story earned him the 2016 FEI Against all Odds award, and he was also named Para Equestrian Rider of the Year by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Competing in Grade IV, he went on to secure two silver medals at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Tryon (USA) on his mount Warenne. He followed this with an individual silver in Grade IV at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020, and more recently a bronze medal at the Orifarm Healthcare FEI Para Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN) in August, with his beloved Don Henrico.
Rodolpho Riskalla riding Don Henrico at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, for a silver medal in Individual Grade IV (© FEI/Liz Gregg)
Quick links:
Rodolpho’s a role model, FEI.org, 7 March 2019
Para Equestrian Digest, 14 April 2022
The FEI Board has approved a temporary exemption to the FEI Veterinary Regulations in response to the shortage of vaccines in Europe created by supply issues facing Boehringer Ingelheim, a key producer of equine influenza vaccinations.
At its meeting on Thursday, 8 September the FEI decided to extend the booster intervals from six to 12 months in combination with increased disease surveillance and a higher level of general biosecurity.
Currently, Article 1003 of the FEI Veterinary Regulations requires Equine Influenza boosters to be given in the six months (+21 days) leading up to a competition, but not within seven days of arrival at the Event.
With the worldwide temporary derogation approved by the FEI Board in effect from 1 October 2022 to 1 April 2023, horses will be eligible to compete at FEI Events with the most recent booster taken within a period of 12 months, but not within seven days of arrival at the Event. All other requirements of Article 1003 must be fulfilled during this period.
In order to increase disease surveillance during the derogated period, Article 1029.7 of the FEI Veterinary Regulations that concerns the testing of febrile horses for EHV-1, is expanded to also include testing for Equine Influenza.
Caused by technology upgrades at one of its vaccine production facilities, Boehringer Ingelheim is currently experiencing supply delays for the Equine Influenza (EI) vaccine ProteqFlu® as well as the Equine Influenza and Tetanus vaccine ProteqFlu® (TE). The biopharmaceutical company is working on a number of measures to address these delays.
“In their review of the potential impact of the vaccine shortage, the FEI Epidemiology Group found that even a short interruption to vaccine supplies could have a significant impact on several types of sport, breeding and leisure horses,” FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström explained.
“However, the horses with the highest risk of developing a disease, including life threatening conditions, are horses aged 0-4 that do not yet have a strong immune defense against Equine Influenza. In particular, equine sectors with young horses, such as breeding and horseracing could face serious horse welfare problems if vaccines are not available to them. Old, retired horses could also be at a high risk.
“This is why the FEI Veterinary Epidemiology Working Group has advised that middle-aged equines, like FEI horses that are at least six years old and that have been vaccinated on a regular basis, are considered better protected because of a longer vaccination history. The Group was in agreement that a temporary extension of the booster intervals would not put the FEI population of horses in danger of developing disease, while making vaccines available to the more high risk equine groups in the short term. The equestrian community now needs to work together to mitigate a very challenging shortage of vaccines.
“The extension is only a temporary solution and only possible because FEI horses are well protected after having been vaccinated every six to 12 months, often for many years. We will revert back to the six month booster interval as soon as the vaccine availability is back to normal as we need to continue building on this collective immunity for the long term.”
The FEI Veterinary Department will monitor the situation and updates will be provided to the community and the public on a regular basis.
Quick link:
Equine Influenza Vaccines – FAQs about the current shortage
On 8 September 2022, the FEI Board confirmed the termination of the Host Agreement for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 that had been set to take place in Verona (ITA) from 19 to 23 October. The decision, taken during the Board’s monthly teleconference, also includes the provision to reopen the bid process in order to find a new host for the Championship.
The resolution puts an end to a lengthy preparation process, which began after the event’s allocation by the FEI Board in December 2020. It also confirms a formal notice of termination of the Host Agreement sent to the Verona Organising Committee on 26 August 2022, reflecting the FEI’s concerns including but not limited to track readiness, athlete safety, and the lack of detailed planning schedules in the lead up to the Championship. Following the notice of termination, the Organising Committee was given 10 days to remedy the situation and address the issues raised.
During the teleconference, the Board reviewed the documents and responses received from the Organising Committee as well as the feedback from the Technical Delegates on the latest information provided. The FEI Board also took note of the tight deadlines for the completion of the track due to the delays in planning and necessary upgrades, as well as the constraints on carrying out the necessary work during the month of September until early October due to the Fiera del Riso taking place at the same venue. The FEI Board could only conclude that, regretfully, the information and details provided by the Organising Committee were insufficient to justify maintaining the Championship.
“This was not a decision we took lightly, as we fully understand the ramifications it will have, but we had to take our responsibilities and respect the assessment of our technical experts,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “We waited until now, because we had genuinely hoped that the issues that had been previously raised with the Organising Committee would have been resolved following several site visits and meetings, but unfortunately, this was not the case. To cancel earlier would have been premature, and to cancel any later, would have been even more disruptive.
“There is no doubt a lot of hard work and commitment, both from the Organising Committee and the FEI, as well as numerous experts have gone into the planning of this event.
“This is really unfortunate for everyone involved but if the experts are of the opinion that the safety of the athletes - both human and equine – cannot be guaranteed, the Board has no other option but to follow their recommendations.
“Athletes around the world, as well as National Federations have been preparing for this Championship, and we are extremely conscious of the impact the cancellation will have on their plans. However, previous experiences have taught us that there is no room for compromise when it comes to athlete and horse welfare. We will now focus all our attention on finding a new host for the FEI Endurance World Championship.”
The Board decided that the rescheduled Championship should take place no later than 30 April 2023 to allow organisers from all regions of the world to bid and given that other FEI Endurance Championships are scheduled to take place later in 2023. The bid process for the Championship will be reopened on Monday, 12 September when the application criteria and allocation deadlines will be announced.
The qualification obtained for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 will remain valid and the nominated entries will be reopened with an extended qualification window.
With definite entries now confirmed, all eyes are turning to Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy where the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 will kick off with the draw for order-of-go next Tuesday, 13 September. This will be the 15th edition of the battle for the world titles in this exciting equestrian sport, and the buzz in the lead-up is electrifying.
Great Britain has by far the best record during the 56 years since the inaugural Championships were staged on home ground at Burghley (GBR) in 1966, with five Team and five Individual titles to their credit including double-gold at the last Championships in Tryon, USA four years ago.
And they arrive at this year’s fixture with the three horse/rider combinations that helped clinched Olympic team gold for their country for the first time in 49 years at the Tokyo 2020 Games last summer - Laura Collett riding London 52, world number one Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class and Tom McEwen who also claimed individual silver with Toledo de Kerser. Add in 2018 Individual World Champion and current world number five Ros Canter who will defend her title this time around with Lordships Graffalo, and Yasmin Ingham with Banzai du Loir, and they look a truly formidable force.
They were untouchable at the FEI Eventing European Championship 2021 in Avenches, Switzerland where they swept all before them when taking the team title and all the individual medals, but a total of 90 riders from 27 different countries will descend on the beautiful venue in Pratoni over the next few days, each carrying their own hopes and dreams.
And with 16 nations chasing one of the seven team qualifying spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games along with the coveted world titles, the competition is guaranteed to be gripping from start to finish.
Victorious
Australia took team silver in Japan last summer where their headline-grabbers were Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos who also claimed individual bronze. Hoy has carefully campaigned his 13-year-old gelding over the last 12 months with Pratoni in mind.
At 63 years of age he’s a veteran of eight Olympic Games during which he won three team gold medals, and at the last World Championships he finished just off the podium, in fourth place individually, with this same horse. He is joined in his country’s strong side by Tokyo team-mates Kevin McNab with Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam and Shane Rose partnering Virgil, while Shanae Lowings (Bold Venture) and Hazel Shannon (Willingapark Clifford) complete the line-up.
Team bronze in Tokyo went to the French who field just one of their partnerships from that side this time around - Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC who finished individually sixth. Thomas Carlile (Darmagnac de Beliard), Cyrielle Lefevre (Armanjo Serosah), Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza) and Astier Nicolas (Alertamalib’Or) complete their selection, and they can fully focus on their world title aspirations because, as host country, France is automatically qualified for Paris 2024. The French have never won the World team title, but Jean Teulere was Individual champion with Espoir de la Mare in 2002.
Meanwhile they’ll all have to watch out for Team Germany. They finished fourth in Tokyo and send out three of the same horses and riders including reigning Olympic Individual champions Julia Krajewski and Amande de B’Neville, 2014 World Champion Sandra Auffarth with Viamant du Matz and gold-medal-magnet Michael Jung who claimed the individual World title in 2010 and who will partner Fischerchipmunk FRH. Christoph Wahler (Carjatan S) and Alina Dibowski (Barbados 28) round up the German selection.
And of course Team New Zealand will also be on the prowl. Their impressive World Championship record includes two team golds along with three individual titles, two of the latter secured by the brilliant Blyth Tait who did the double in 1998. They can never be taken for granted and just over a week after clinching third and fourth places respectively at the CCI5* Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials the extraordinary husband-and-wife team of Tim and Jonelle Price - third and fourth in the latest world rankings - will saddle up two new horses, Falco and McClaren, to fly the flag alongside Clarke Johnstone (Menlo Park), Monica Spencer (Artist) and Amanda Pottinger (Just Kidding).
Pratoni
Pratoni de Vivaro, or the Impianto Sportivo Equestre di Rocca di Papa which is located in the Castelli Romani Park in the hills to the south east of Rome, has hosted many world-class fixtures down the years and is recognised for its hilly terrain. Horses, and their riders, need to be at maximum fitness to cope with the rolling contours of the track which is complemented by a superb surface on volcanic soil.
It has been a particularly memorable venue in the history of Eventing for Australia and New Zealand for very different reasons.
At the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 the Australian side of Larry Morgan, Neale Lavis, Brian Crago and Bill Roycroft went way ahead of the rest of the field on cross-country day despite a fall for Roycroft that put him in hospital with a broken collarbone. The rules were very different in those times and elimination was only inevitable after a fourth fall on course.
Roll on the final day of jumping and Crago’s potential silver medal winning ride, Sabre, didn’t pass the final horse inspection so suddenly Australia now had no team. There was only one solution, so Roycroft was scooped out of his hospital bed and the 45-year-old rider steered Our Solo to a clear round and Olympic team gold!
It was 38 years later when the Italian Equestrian Federation, FISE, performed something little short of a miracle when stepping in to rescue the 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games™ after Ireland pulled out very late in the day. The Italians did themselves proud with a brilliant edition that brought widespread praise for sheer determination to make it happen.
Eventing again took place in Pratoni but the weather-gods were not kind on cross-country day when torrential rain led to slippery conditions on the normally ideal footing.
However the remarkable jumping consistency of New Zealand’s Blyth Tait and Ready Teddy, Mark Todd on Broadcast News and Vaughn Jefferis on Bounce took them into the lead with three clears of the course within the time, their single disappointment beings five refusals from Sally Clark’s Squirrel Hill. For the second time in his career Tait went on to take team and individual gold.
The sport of Eventing is always thrilling, so from 14 to 18 September follow every moment of the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 and don’t miss a hoofbeat…..
Facts and Figures:
27 nations represented - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Thailand and USA.
Teams from 16 nations - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and USA.
7 team qualifying spots on offer for Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The host nation (France) is automatically qualified.
Great Britain’s Ros Canter will defend the Individual title she won in Tryon USA in 2018 where she was also a member of the gold-medal-winning British team.
Teams consist of three or four horse/rider combinations with the best three scores counting towards the final result.
The lowest age limit for horses is 8 years.
In the cross-country phase, the penalty for exceeding the optimum time set by course designer Giuseppe della Chiesa is 0.4 per second. The time limit is twice the optimum time.
Course designer for the final Jumping phase is Italy’s Uliano Vezzani.
The winning individual and team will be those completing all three phases - Dressage, Cross-Country and Jumping - with the lowest total of penalties.
The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.
In this case, the horse Full Option du Borget (FEI ID 106UY09/NED), ridden by Agustin Covarrubias (FEI ID 10032966/CHI), tested positive for the Banned Substance O-Desmethylvenlafaxine, a metabolite of Venlafaxine, following the analysis of the samples taken at the CSIYH1* incl. 8yo - Opglabbeek (BEL), 15-18.06.2022.
The athlete was able to trace the probable source of the Banned Substance in the horse’s system back to human cross-contamination caused by himself. He had been prescribed Venlafaxine by his doctor in May 2022 and had urinated in the box of the horse several times at the event, which was very likely to account for the positive sample.
In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete, according to which the athlete had clearly established on a balance of probabilities, how the Banned Substance 0- Desmethylvenlafaxine entered the Horse’s system. Therefore, the period of ineligibility imposed on the athlete shall be eliminated. The athlete will also not incur any fines, however the results obtained at the event remain disqualified.
The full Decision is available here.
Notes to Editors:
FEI Equine Prohibited Substances
The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) Substances should never be found in the body of the horse and are prohibited at all times.
In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.
Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.
The FEI and Top Partner Longines have created the #MyDreamJump Challenge, an exciting fan engagement activation giving equestrian fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to have their original design for an obstacle built by Longines for the Final of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ in Omaha (USA) in 2023.
The activation was created to give fans an insight into the elements that go into designing a challenging obstacle course for the horse and athlete, while giving them the opportunity to achieve the best possible result: a clear round within the set time.
“The FEI’s partnership with Longines has evolved and grown tremendously over the past decade, and this Challenge is just one example of the many creative initiatives that has kept our collaboration fresh and exciting,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus said.
“Athletes count on designers to create a course that tests the limits of their sporting relationship with their horse. And the #MyDreamJump challenge is a nod to the talent and mastery that takes place on the field-of-play when horse, athlete and course design come together in competition.
“We hope that our equestrian fans will get to see another side of the competition experience through this Challenge, and will use their artistic abilities to increase their connection to the sport. Given the diversity of equestrian fans around the world, we look forward to receiving a large array of designs and creative input reflecting the sport’s global appeal and reach.”
The #MyDreamJump Challenge follows the successful #HorseOClock initiative which was also created in conjunction with Top Partner Longines. In 2020, #HorseOClock was run on the FEI’s digital channels, giving fans the opportunity to answer equestrian related questions to determine the watch that matched their personality.
“Longines is proud of the strong partnership established with the FEI since 2013, which has made the brand a major player in the equestrian universe,” said Longines Vice President of Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner.
“The #MyDreamJump Challenge is the perfect opportunity to celebrate this major 10-year anniversary with our friends of the equestrian sports around the world and we are looking forward to receiving all the drawings.”
Submissions to the #MyDreamJump Challenge can be made from 1 September until 9 October at https://mydreamjump.fei.org/
A jury composed of Longines and FEI representatives, USA Jumping athletes Lillie Keenan and Brian Moggre, and world renowned Tokyo 2020 Olympic course designer Santiago Varela (ESP) will make a pre-selection of the designs. The shortlist will be announced on the FEI’s Instagram account (@fei_global) on 24 October.
A public voting phase will take place on FEI’s Instagram from 24 October to 13 November, and the winners of the Challenge will be announced on 21 November.
The shortlisted entry with the highest number of Instagram reactions will take first place in the ‘Global’ category. The winner will receive a Longines watch and a chance to be flown to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Omaha (USA), which will take place from 4 to 8 April 2023, to see their obstacle design in person.
The winning designs for both the ‘Creativity’ and ‘Elegance’ categories will be selected by the jury, and the winners will receive a giveaway kit from Longines.
All participants will be entered in a draw to win one of five FEI.tv annual subscriptions.
Longines has been the FEI’s Top Partner since January 2013, following the agreement of a historic very long-term sponsorship deal that saw the Swiss watchmaker become the Official Top Partner, Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the FEI.
Since that time Longines has taken on a number of key FEI properties including title partnership of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ - North American League and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Series. The FEI Awards Gala is also presented annually by Longines in different countries around the world.
Germany’s Jessica Wächter dominated from start to finish at the FEI Driving World Championships for Young Horses held from 24-28 August 2022. Competing with five horses across the three age categories – 5, 6 & 7 year olds – Jessica’s 2021 5 year old champion, the Hanoverian gelding Dream Catcher 19, showed the same quality and consistency to take the 6 year old title a year on. She was also second in the 5 year old and third in the 7 year old categories.
Only Mario Gandolfo (SUI) stopped the ladies taking all top places when he and Lisby Bastin’s Swiss Freiberger gelding Lemmy-K won the 5 year old class. Scoring 14.95, he was only 0.5 ahead of Jessica and another Hanoverian gelding, Best Buddy 8, who finished on 14.90. Austria’s Lara Krejcerik took third on 14.46 with the mare Rexona W. It was a tight class with 13 horses in the final, finishing with less than a point between the top six places and less than three points between them all.
After the qualifying rounds during the week and Saturday’s Dressage, it looked like the German ladies were going to have it all their way as Jessica went into Sunday’s combined Obstacles and Cones final in first place in both the 5 & 6 year old classes, and Bettina Winkler (GER) led in the 7 year old. But after a more polished round, Mario’s tally pushed him just in front.
Jessica’s consistency shone through the event as she qualified all her five horses for the final. She and Dream Catcher 19 led after Thursday’s first round ‘Aptitude Test’, in which Dressage movements are followed by a Cones course in the same arena. Ending the weekend on 18.49, she was some way ahead of Bettina and the German Sport Horse gelding DSP Balisto on 15.99, while Agnes Paulovics (HUN) and the KWPN stallion L-Grappa-WK won the only medal for the host nation, finishing third on a score of 14.66. The 6 and 7 year old categories each had eight horses in the final.
“Dream Catcher 19 showed outstanding movement, balance and obedience alongside metronomic movement and desire to go forwards, and did so in a calm and relaxed way, gaining several 10s over the week especially for the walk.”
– Andrew Counsell (GBR), Member of the Ground Jury
Keeping the dreams alive, the climatic 7 year old class saw Bettina take the world title with DSP Noble Lady on 17.41, the mare with which she won the 6 year old 2021 World Championship. She was comfortably in front of silver medallist Leslie Berndl (USA) and the KWPN stallion Kareltje who finished on 14.77. Leslie had been down the order after the first qualification round on Wednesday to finish 8th so had to run again in the second qualification, but a well-marked test meant she gained her place in the final and the judges noted that Kareltje improved as the event progressed. Entering the arena in third position, she pipped Jessica by just 0.13, who took third with the black stallion Ecksternon on 14.64.
Now in its seventh year, Hungary has hosted the Championship since 2015, for the second time at the State Stud in Szilvásvárad. Nine nations, including Norway and Italy, attended with 51 horses. The criteria states that National Federations can have up to ten entries per age category, and an athlete can also drive two horses per category. The event is open to all star rated levels of athlete.
After the first Aptitude Test, the top 50% competitors qualify for the final and the remaining 50% can run again, with only the top one or two progressing. After the first and second rounds, the final consists of a Dressage test which is marked in the same way, then a combination of Cones and two mobile marathon style Obstacles, which is timed, and marks are also awarded by the judges.
However, unlike most Driving events where competitors aim for the lowest cumulative penalties, here the judges award their scores out of ten which are averaged to end on one mark, so a higher score is desirable. Marks are given for the different paces, education and potential, with the walk and education having a co-efficient of two. Knocking a ball off will incur a 0.3 penalty which is deducted from the total. The four judges, who work together in the box, consult each other before awarding their marks, doing so in terms of the scales of training. Before the next athlete starts, the PGJ announces the marks with comments.
On the final day, the course did not vary much between the three classes, but another Cones slalom was added for the 6 & 7 year old and the challenges for the horses increased as the Obstacles went from gates A-D for 5 year old, A-E for the 6 year old to A-F for the 7 year old. The older two classes did an opening circuit of the arena to add distance to their round.
The event showcased some rising equine stars who exhibited what can be expected at their age. A wide range of breeds was present demonstrating the versatility of what types can be used as the driven horse.
“The competition showed a great variety of horses and many different breeds. The important point being what the horse is doing, not its type.” – Andrew Counsell
The 2023 Young Horse Driving World Championships will be held in France.
Germany dominated the FEI Dressage European Championships for Children and U25.
It’s all about team work!
In the U25 team competition at the FEI Dressage European Championships near Budapest (HUN), the German team consisting of Raphael Netz on Ferdinand BB, Helen Erbe on Carlos, Alexa Westendarp on Four Seasons and Alina Schrader on Paola took home the gold while the Danish girls, Thea Bech on Dionisos, Josefine Hoffmann on Hønnerups Driver, Karoline Rohmann on Jakas Don Louvre and Laura Kristine Thorup on Blue Hors Veneziano took the team silver. Finally, the Dutch took the bronze with Febe van Zwambagt on Fernandell MS, Thalia Rockx on Verdi de la Fazenda, Jessica Poelman on Chocolate Cookie R.D.P. and Julia Bouthoorn on Choice Finch on the team.
Hat trick for Netz…
The Under 25 Grand Prix riders showed off their skills in the FEI U25 Grand Prix Freestyle.
It was the third gold medal that Raphael Netz (GER) could put around his neck after he confidently showed the well-schooled gelding Ferdinand BB in a beautiful freestyle that was rewarded with remarkable 79.435%. The silver medallist Alejandro Oliva Lazaro (ESP) had a lovely freestyle on the expressive chestnut gelding Decor and showed a high degree of difficulty but unfortunately a few mistakes placed the partnership behind Netz with 78.345%. Bronze medal was won by Thea Bech (DEN) on the KWPN gelding Dionisos with 76.670%.
Thereby, the podium spots had not changed from the U25 Grand Prix the day before where gold, silver and bronze also went to Raphael Netz and Ferdinand BB with 73.462%, Alejandro Oliva Lazaro and Decor with 72.615% and Thea Bech on Dionisos with 72.333%, respectively.
On his Instagram Raphael Netz wrote: “Triple European Champion! Ferdl and I were also able to win the freestyle! Ferdl that was absolutely amazing!! You gave me such a nice last ride!”, then Netz continues with a special thanks to Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl for letting him ride her second horse Ferdinand BB while she was pregnant, “Dear Jessica, I don't know how to thank you for entrusting me with Ferdinand during your pregnancy! Our trip was short but all the more beautiful! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!”.
Inspiring Children…
Accurate and beautiful riding was seen in the Children Category at the FEI Dressage European Championships this week where the young athletes featured good position and posture on well-ridden horses inspiring great hope for the future of Dressage.
Germany wins gold and Belgium takes historic bronze
It was another team Gold for Germany as three of the four Children riders on the team delivered impressive scores over 80%: Lotta Plaas on Balsamico with 81.150%, Marie Maass Alessa on Floricella 5 with 81.684%, Martha Raupach on Jack Sparrow with 83.509% and Catherine Bartels Eve on Freispiel. The team silver medal was secured by the Dutch team with Sophie van Norel on Itrina, Britt Kikkert-van Der Linde on Dark Knight Texel, Robin Dicker on Lindenburgs Helena and Isabella Karajkovic on Wert's Snowflake. It was a historic day as Max Van Durme riding Imke Niki V.s, Anna Van Den Eynde riding Olympic Aroma Krack, Chloë Cleymans riding Jondonderry and Amber Hennes riding Allegro V/H Trichelhof secured the first team bronze medal for Belgium since the start of the FEI Dressage European Championships for Children in 2015.
Individual final
Martha Raupach (GER) and the lovely chestnut gelding Jack Sparrow danced their way to the top with 83.596% putting them ahead of fellow countrywoman and silver-medallist Lotta Plaas (GER) and Balsamico on 78.707%, who was then closely followed by Sophie Van Norel (NED) riding the elegant and uphill mare Itrina to 78.551% for the bronze medal.
On her Instagram Martha Raupach wrote: “Dreams came true! Double European champion 2022 (…) Thank you to everyone who made this possible”
The FEI Dressage European Championship for U25 returns to Pilisjászfalu next year from 11-16 July and will be held alongside Young Riders, while the Children category pairs up with the Juniors in Kronberg (GER) from 20-23 July 2023. .
Full results available here.
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