FEI European Eventing Junior Championship

«Bright Skies shine on Eventing Future »

Not less than 81 Junior competitors from 18 nations, within 14 teams, competed for the FEI European Eventing Championships medals at the outstanding site of the French National Equestrian School of Saumur, home of the famous Cadre Noir de France.

Ideal conditions, including five days of permanent sunshine, and perfect infrastructures were offered to the competitors. The facilities included a beautiful dressage arena, a show jumping stadium with many training installations and excellent stabling. The cross country course was perfectly designed, constructed and decorated by "Maestro" Pierre Michelet. Last not least, a social programme including a Saturday night party, a reception at the Saumur Town hall as well as a demonstration of the horses and riders of the Cadre Noir made it a great pleasure and honour for the Juniors to be nominated by their federations - a really unforgettable experience for them.

Under the leadership of Antoine Sinniger, Marie Laure Leveneur and Francois St. André, very experienced and friendly personnel and volunteers guaranteed a smooth and top standard event organisation (with an additional national 3 Star and international 1 Star competition programme offered).

All fourteen competing teams completed the final Jumping test: a perfect result for a Junior Championship!

The German team dominated the event from the first Dressage day and took the team gold as well as the two first individual medals: last year’s champion Nicola Haller and Zampano earned the Gold, while Antje Deparade and Komtess 77 took the Silver. The youngest competitor of the championship, Sweden’s Christoffer Forsberg grabbed the bronze medal on his internationally experienced Grafman, ahead of Arthur Bonneau on the well-known Famoso Mail HN, the best rider out of the strong French delegation of 12 juniors. The medals were presented by the former FEI Eventing Committee Member, Jack Le Goff and the president of the ground jury Bryan Ross, both coming from USA.

The team Silver medal went to France, and Bronze to Belgium.

(extract of report by Friedrich Otto-Erley, Technical Delegate)