2008 European Junior/Young Riders Championships

Arrival and Opening Ceremony in Azeitao

July 16, 2008

Eighty-eight riders and horses arrived on Monday July 14 in Azeitao, Portugal for the 2008 European Junior and Young Riders Championships. While all riders and crew were settling in, the officials arrived on the scene. The riders dressed up their stables with their countries' flags and rode their horses for the first time in the well groomed arenas in Azeitao.

On Tuesday July 15, the opening ceremony took place in which the officials as well as riders paraded round the show grounds with flags and balloons. The event director Jorge Avilez gave a speech to welcome all riders and wish them the best of success. Afterwards, rider Rodrigo Torres and his grey Quo Vadis have a demonstration of Equitação de Trabalho. The evening was closed with a cocktail party offered by the Criadores Association of the Pure Bred Lusitano Horse.

Here are the first photo impressions from Portugal

On the Scene shots of the stable area, riders and officials

The Portuguese delegation

Officials:
Arianne Boellens (BEL), Luis Matos (POR) and Anne Catherine Fraeys (BEL)

Mariette Withages - FEI Technical Delegate

The Stable Area

Arena and Entrance
Opening Ceremony FEI Dressage Committee chairman Mariette Withages and event director Jorge Avilez
Rodrigo Torres and Quo Vadis

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