FEI World Cup™ Dressage: Aarhus (DEN)
CDI-W Aarhus hosts the first of ten qualifiers this weekend as the FEI World Cup™'s exciting Western European League season begins. In April next year the season will culminate in another landmark final when the FEI World Cup™ Dressage show returns to share the limelight with jumping again in Las Vegas.
Despite being four months into her second pregnancy, reigning FEI World Cup™ and World Freestyle Champion Anky van Grunsven is leading a strong Dutch contingent at the Danish show and rides IPS Krack C in the FEI World Cup™. Last year's runner up Laurens van Lieren, who had such bad luck during his freestyle at this year's Final, will be in competitive spirit with Hexagon's Ollright.
Sadly Sweden's reigning national champions Jan Brink and Bjorsells Briar had to withdraw as the stallion sustained a slight injury. On veterinary advice they'll sit this one out but Brink's compatriots Louise Nathhorst (who was runner up in the Swedish Championship) and World Cup™ debutante Maria Eriksson, as well as his trainer Kyra Kyrklund who rides Max for Finland, are setting out to open World Cup™ accounts
Germany's Ellen Schulten-Baumer, who registered a good third place last year on Donatha S has made the return trip with Lesotho. The one they'll all be out to beat, however, is Andreas Helgstrand. He has won the FEI World Cup™ Freestyle here for the past two years and rides Blue Hors Don Schufro, his partner in victory last year. That was a record result for the Danish rider who went on to win both bronze and silver medals at the summer's World Equestrian Games with the wonderful mare Matine. Now we can watch what comes next with the Donnerhall stallion. Also for the home side, Princess Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein rides the nine-year-old Digby, again by Donnerhall and home-bred by her mother Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the Patroness of the show.
British rider Fiona Bigwood is back in the ring here with Mr G du Lully after making a great return to competition in Kaposvar following the birth of her daughter Mette Clare in July. Her partner Anders Dahl rides for Denmark in the Special tour.
It's a long way to Las Vegas, but come Sunday, the FEI Western European League will have opened in style. A live stream will be available to watch the action at the Danish Federation site www.rideforbund.dk
CDI-W Aarhus timetable
Saturday 21st October
13.30 FEI World Cup Grand Prix
Presented by Ecco and Pressalit
Sunday 22nd October
13.00 FEI World Cup™ Qualifier
Freestyle to Music
Presented by Keops
FEI World Cup™ Dressage Western European League Qualifiers
CDI-W Aarhus (Oct 19-22 2006)
Patron: HRH Benedikte of Denmark
Media Contact:
Niels Hobolt Jensen
Tel: +45 8693 6773
Mobile: +45 51 24 02 33
Email: nhj@vilhelmsborg.dk
Website: www.vilhelmsborg.dk
CDI-W Maastricht (Nov 24-25 2006)
Press Officer: Fred Lubbers
Tel(general): +31 40 844 76 44
Email: jim@bcm.nl
Website: www.jumpingindoormaastricht.nl
CDI-W Stockholm (Dec1-3 2006)
Press officer: Lotta Amnestal
Mobile: +46 709 79 56 35
Email: lotta.amnestal@ridsport.se
Website: www.stockholmhorseshow.com
CDI-W London Olympia (Dec 12-18 2006)
Media officer: Candy Burnyeat
Tel: +44 1753 847 900
Email: candyb.hpim@easynet.co.uk
Website: www.olympiashowjumping.com
CDI-W Frankfurt (Dec 14-17 2006)
Press Officer: Escon Marketing GmbH
Tel. +49 (0) 69-75 75- 41 206
Email: presse@escon-marketing.de
Website: www.festhallen-reitturnier.de
CDI-W Mechelen (Dec 26-30 2006)
Secretary's office tel: +32 3 455 95 53
Press Officer: Paul Debie
Email: paul.debie@skynet.be
Website: www.jumping-mechelen.com
CDI-W Amsterdam (Jan 23-28 2007)
Event Director/Media contact: Chris van Dam
Mobile: ++31 6 539 33 150
Email: mail@jumpingamsterdam.nl
Website: www.jumpingamsterdam.nl
CDI-W Neumuenster (Feb 14-18 2007)
Press Contact: Susanne Sager
Mobile: ++49 171 971 5790
Email (general): trs.nms@t-online.de
Website: www.reitturnier.de
Press Officer: Mayvor Thorin
Mobile: +46 705828420
Email: myvor.thorin@gotevent.se
Website: www.goteborghorseshow.com
CDI-W 's-Hertogenbosch (Mar 22-25 2007)
Press Contact: Gerrit Jan Swinkels
E-mail: info@indoorbrabant.nl
Tel (general): +31 73 621 82 79
Web site: www.indoorbrabant.nl
CDI-W Las Vegas (April 19-22 2007)
FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final
Press Officer: Marty Baumann
Tel: +1 508 698 6810
Email: marty.classic@verizon.net
Website: www.worldcuplasvegas.com
For further information on the International Equestrian Federation (FEI)
For further information and all FEI World Cup™ news:
The FEI World Cup™ Dressage, initiated in 1985, is the only worldwide series in this discipline. It comprises qualifying leagues encompassing Western and Central Europe, North America, Canada and Australia. Each FEI World Cup™ Dressage qualifier comprises a Grand Prix test, which in turn is a qualification for the Freestyle to Music competition, where league points are accumulated towards places in the Final. Judged on both technical and artistic merit, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage combines art, sport and partnership between horse and rider at the highest level and consistently proves a winning formula with audiences all over the world.
