2007 European Dressage Championships

2007 European Dressage Championships Ready to Start in Turin

August 28, 2007

Everything is ready at the new structures of Parco La Mandria – Centro Internazionale del Cavallo – for the ring of the bell that will welcome the first horse and rider combination competing in the FEI European Championship Dressage 2007.

From August the 30th till September the 2nd, thanks to the efforts of FISE (the Italian Equestrian Federation), of the Fondazione Centro Internazionale del Cavallo, of the Council of Druento, of the Regione Piemonte and with the support of the Italian Ministro delle Politiche Giovanili e le Attività Sportive, Giovanna Melandri and the President of the CONI, Gianni Petrucci, the most valuable horse and rider combinations in Europe will enter the arena, hunting for a place on the continental podium.

Italian Enzo Truppa will be the President of the jury, composed by some of the most prestigious names in the international judges circuit: Gary Rockwell (Usa), Evi Eisenhardt (Ger), Beatrice Bürchler (Swi), Wim Ernes (Ned), Isabelle Judet (Fra), Leif Törnblad (Den). Mariette Whitages will be President of the Appeal Committee, while Gotthilf Riexinger is the Fei Technical Delegate.

The competition will take place in four days. Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st it will be the Grand Prix turn, the competition that will decide the teams’ continental medals.

Grand Prix Special will take the scene on Saturday, September the 1st, with the best 30 horse and riders combinations from the first competition

Sunday, September the 2nd, the best 15 from Grand Prix Special will perform in the Grand Prix Kür, the most fascinating class and the one that will decide 2007 individual podium.

Horses will start to arrive at Parco La Mandria - Centro Internazionale del Cavallo on Monday 27 and will be hosted during the competition in the fabulous stables of La Rubbianetta, built in 1863 by Vittorio Emanuele II and finally ready, after 10 years of restoring efforts, for the extraordinary competitors of the Fei European Dressage Championship 2007.

In this edition of the European Championship, that was firstly held in Copehagen in 1965 with 17 starters, 18 nations entered their horse and riders combinations, and 13 are in the teams’ competition too.

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraina will bravely try to contrast the German mega-power: German teams have been winning the teams’ competition non-stop from its very fist edition in 1965, gaining 21 gold medals.

Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and Norway will present only individual competitors.

In the entry-list, you can spot some of the most important riders in the world, like for example German Isabell Werth and Dutch Anky van Grunsven, the well known antagonist pair in the most important competitions in the recent past. But having said so, it is almost impossible to bet on the possible winner… The only thing that can be taken for sure is that the next few days at La Mandria will be under the flag of horses and pure sporting amusement.

La Mandria Press Release

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