“Fiderhit is amazing to watch develop. She has tremendous gaits and elasticity and has improved greatly in her confidence in the ring,” said Katie Riley, referring to Piaffe Performance’s rising young talent, the striking Fiderhit OLD (Fidertanz x Sandro Hit), owned by Michael and Sarah Davis.

Ridden by Nadine Buberl in the First Level Test 1 at USEF/USDF-recognized Dressage at the Ranch, June 15-16 at Hawk Hollow Ranch, Bedminster, NJ, the five year-old Oldenburg mare won her class and delivered the show’s high score:  82.759%.

“In her mare performance test in Germany, she received a nine in rideability,” Riley said.  “She is all-around ‘wow factor.’  She is beautiful, has spectacular gaits and fantastic rideability.”

“Competing at Dressage at the Ranch was part of the plan that we have, leading up to the Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships,” explained Parra , who knows, when it comes to the most important event of the year for young dressage prospects, timing is everything.  “We want her to be at her very best there.”

The Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships, August 22-25, at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Chicago, IL, showcases those equine athletes whose outstanding talent and training make them prime candidates for future careers at the FEI level and for participation on US High Performance teams.

The Piaffe Performance team is also excited about Katie Riley’s prospects in Chicago at the Markel/USEF National Developing Horse Championships, where she plans to ride her own Dutch Warmblood gelding, Zanzibar (Consul x Farmer), in the Developing Horse Grand Prix Division.  At the Centerline Events show in Saugerties, NY, in June, they were off to a strong start, with Zanzibar winning (67%) his Developing GP test.

“I’ve always had the feeling that he was a future Grand Prix horse,” she said. “He has always had a desire to work and is so clever and eager.  Last year I showed him at Fourth Level, including placing second at Devon. He also won a few national tests at Prix St. Georges with Cesar so Cesar and I were trying to decide at the beginning of the year whether to move to small tour CDIs or give the Developing Grand Prix at try.

“We tried Intermediare II for the first time in March and although there were mistakes he felt like happy doing the work, so we made the plan to qualify for Chicago. He is developing very well and improving immensely from show to show.  The Developing Horse Program is terrific; it gives horses like him a place in the ring and a chance to get comfortable at that level.”

The Markel/USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championships are for seven to nine-year-old horses competing at the FEI PSG level, and for eight to 10-year-old horses competing at Grand Prix level.

Photo:  Katie Riley and Zanzibar. (Photo courtesy of Susan Stickle)

Medfield, MA (August 2, 2013) – “The farm was packed!” described Donna Cameron, owner of Cutler Farm Dressage about their Grand Opening weekend celebration, “People came from many different states to attend the party, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.”  The celebration, which took place during the evening of June 29^th in Medfield, Massachusetts, was a momentous occasion for Cutler Farm, and served an important purpose for the New England dressage community and the Greater Boston area in many ways.  Cameron couldn’t be happier with the success of the event, and is proud to have been able to give back to the equestrian community she appreciates so much.

“We decided to host the event for several reasons,” Cameron explains, “First of all, I was really excited to introduce Heather Blitz in person to the New England dressage community and to our local neighborhood, and I was also excited to celebrate the beginning of summer and the arrival of show season in New England.   But in addition, I felt very strongly about using this opportunity to raise funds for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, especially living here in the Boston area, so we could give back in a small way to this wonderful and supportive community.”

The Open House even welcomed a few celebrities, from resident head trainer and Olympic rider Heather Blitz to former NFL player Bill Overton and a number of other professional athletes.  “It was really a pleasure to visit such a wonderful facility and hear Heather’s vision along with Donna Cameron’s for her career and Cutler Farm,” said Overton.  “I am throwing my hat in the ring to help Cutler Farm in any way that I can within the sports and entertainment community.”

The Grand Opening weekend included a 2-day clinic and an evening extravaganza which provided dressage lovers of all levels the chance to meet and train with Pan American gold medalist and Olympic reserve, Heather Blitz.  Blitz was recently named as Cutler Farm Dressage resident head trainer, and Cameron said the clinic was full on both days and also had many auditors in attendance.  Several riders came from long distances to sample Blitz’s unique and extremely effective approach to teaching, and many have already come back for more, according to Cameron.

International dressage rider, trainer, and coach Kathy Connelly also attended the Open House as she is based in nearby Concord, Massachusetts for the summer.  “I had a wonderful time at Donna Cameron’s beautiful Cutler Farm open house welcoming Heather Blitz to her top notch facility,” said Connelly.  “It will be fun to have Heather and her husband in the area.  I wish Heather much luck with her competition season.”

Cathy Drumm, an equestrian who was Cameron’s first riding instructor, attended the open house and was thrilled with the farm, enthusiasm of the guests, and what it means for dressage in New England.  “I have watched the growth of Cutler Farm from the very beginning,” said Drumm.  “Donna has turned Cutler Farm into a state of the art, Oympic level facility where she has now welcomed Heather Blitz to take up residence.  It is thrilling to have someone of Heather’s caliber in the area.  Not only is she a fantastic rider who transformed the participants’ horses into light-footed, enthusiastic, joy-filled dancing partners but she also explained what she was doing to the rest of us.  The changes that she accomplished in just one session for both horses and riders were nothing short of miraculous.  A big thank you to Donna and all at Cutler Farm for making this happen.”

One of the more unique things about Cutler is that the farm also houses a fully equipped and staffed pilates studio, and uses yoga, pilates, Feldenkreis Movement and Alexander Technique to help increase flexibility, core strength and over all fitness for the rider. Lisa Carusone, a member of the Cutler Farm team and certified pilates instructor, also attended the open house and believes that melding rider fitness with knowledge of equine biomechanics sets Cutler apart from other dressage facilities.  “The open house was a great way to recognize Cutler Farm Dressage’s commitment to education, specifically through fitness and biomechanics,” said Carusone.  “We all agree that we need to be stronger, but as riders, we need to know specifically how to create that strength.  The Cutler approach, connecting riding to the biomechanical principles that make it happen, is the way to go.”

Heather Blitz commented, “For me, the experience of moving to Cutler Farm and to Massachusetts has exceeded all of my expectations.  The facility is top notch and well run and Donna and her staff couldn’t have been any more accommodation or professional.  (Assistant trainer) Katie Robicheaux and I look forward to a long and happy association with Cutler Farm and the dressage community in New England.”  Indeed, Cameron echoes Blitz’s statements:  “It is very exciting for us to have an Olympian in our midst and to be able to watch Heather ride and train Paragon and Ripline on a daily basis.  Although she is such a highly celebrated rider, she is very accessible and truly enjoys teaching.  I have watched many breakthroughs with riders under Heather’s tutelage and have experienced several of my own already.  Having Heather at Cutler is the fulfillment of a long held dream to make Cutler Farm a top educational training facility and center for all lovers of the sport and art of dressage.”  Cameron adds, “The ability to offer a trainer and rider of Heather’s caliber at an environmentally ‘green’ farm dedicated to the health and wellness of horse and rider means so much.”

Cutler Farm is dedicated to providing the very highest quality facility with top notch training and instruction, with an eye to including everyone in this educational space.  Cutler Farm emphasizes the mind-body connection through yoga, pilates, Feldenkreis Movement and Alexander Technique, and has now expanded to include biomechanics for horse and rider under Heather Blitz’s instruction.  During the New England show season, Cutler will host clinics with both Heather Blitz as well as other high caliber riders and trainers, and welcomes riders for both full training and boarding as well as trailer in lessons and clinics.

Photo: From left to right, Heather Blitz, Cathy Drumm, Donna Cameron, Ruth Walker, Gwyneth Drumm, Miranda Drum, and Bliss Rufo at Cutler Farm Dressage’s Open House.  (Photo courtesy of Carol Hill)

2 Aug 2013

KNHS.

Dutch dressage rider Hans Peter Minderhoud and his top mount Glock’s Romanov have been added to the Dutch Olympic squad. The combination will start for the Netherlands at the forthcoming European Championships in Herning (Denmark) at the end of August.

During the last EC in Rotterdam in 2011 Romanov started for Denmark and was ridden by Sune Hansen. Hans Peter Minderhoud competed in Rotterdam as well riding his mare Equis Nadine who is retired now.

Devon, PA – Dressage at Devon has announced a new Individual Breed Class in the breed division for thoroughbreds.

Any registered thoroughbred of any age or gender can enter to be judged on the triangle against the typical sport horse criteria. A special award will be given to the highest scoring thoroughbred who’s previous career was racing.

“Each year we work to provide something new for the dressage community – something that is exciting for owners and riders and that will attract the attention of the spectators. This year, we are looking forward to the thoroughbred’s performances, said Lori Kaminski, President and CEO of Dressage at Devon.

“Not all thoroughbreds are well-suited for racing and so they often end up having to find a ‘new job.’ For many, dressage offers the perfect second career. There’s no question that many of these thoroughbreds have both the heart and the athleticism to do well in a dressage arena,” said Kaminski.

“Americans love Thoroughbreds. They carried our soldiers, they delivered our mail and their intense desire to win races inspires us every spring as we yearn for a Triple Crown winner. In my biased opinion as founder and president of the Retired Racehorse Training Project (RRTP), I am convinced that their suitability for dressage is underappreciated in today’s marketplace.” (Steuart Pittman, Dressage Today)

Dressage at Devon combines world-class dressage competition and the largest dressage/sport horse breed show outside of Europe with international Fall Festival shops, an array of food and the Ladies’ Day Hat Contest. Dressage at Devon will take place from September 24 to September 29, 2013 on the Devon Horse Show Grounds, located on US Route 30, in Devon, PA.

British Dressage.

Thirteen combinations have been confirmed as qualified for the prestigious Nathalie Grand Prix classes at this year’s Espayo National Championships, Stoneleigh Park, 19 -22 September.

By winning a direct qualifying Grand Prix class at Premier League or UK based CDI this year, Richard Davison, Gareth Hughes, Amy Stovold, Emile Faurie, Judy Harvey, Michael Eilberg, Carl Hester, Peter Storr, Alice Oppenheimer, Lizzie Murray, Anders Dahl and Sam Thurman-Baker have secured themselves a chance to bag what is perhaps the most prized trophy of the UK dressage calendar.

The BD office is still busy compiling the final list of direct qualifiers (the last chance for competitors to gain direct qualification was at Hartpury Premier League/CDI in July) and after all of these spaces have been taken the only way left to secure a GP place at the Championships will be for riders to gain enough points to win a wild card entry.

Of course, these riders may well have qualified, but it will be down to them if they want to take up the challenge of Stoneleigh – entries close on 27 August so we’ll know more then!

The Nathalie Grand Prix is the first step to becoming National Champion, and last year it was Carl Hester with Uthopia who lifted one of the most prized trophies on offer in the UK. With his consummate ability to keep cool under pressure all eyes will be on Carl this year with his two new rides; Lady Anne Harvey’s Merlins Nemorensis and Gemma Appleton’s Fine Time 13.

To become the Champion, riders must first compete in the Nathalie Grand Prix, the highest 15 placed combinations from which then go on to compete in the Nathalie Grand Prix Freestyle.

The combination with the highest combined score from both the GP and Freestyle will be crowned victorious and with tickets starting from as little as £15 the stands are bound to be filled with fans for the crowing of a National Champion in the Espayo arena on the early evening of Sunday 22 September.

Carl might be the firm favourite amongst British fans, but it is by no means a done deal and one of his toughest opponents might just well turn out to be his very own pupil, 20 year old Sam Thurman Baker

Sam has qualified her own 12 year old British bred gelding Spring Pascal whom she has taken all the way from Novice back in 2007 with much help from her mum Diane. She began training with Carl four years ago and has been working with him for the past twelve months. She and Pascal have been competing consistently at Grand Prix for about a year and so far in 2013 the pair haven’t been outside of the top ten, just missing the top spot, posting second place, four times.

Since her deployment with Carl, Sam has been touted as one to watch and if Hester’s relationship with his gold medal winning protégé is anything to go by, we can only imagine that he will be rooting for Sam at the same time as focussing on a win for himself.

Last year a nasty stomach bug forced Michael Eilberg to withdraw his former show jumping ride Marakov from the National Championship Grand Prix at the last minute. This year the pair have already had two wins at Grand Prix and if Michael decides to go to Stoneleigh he’ll be sticking to a bland diet in the weeks leading up to the Championships!

Although a new combination, UK based Anders Dahl and his partner Fiona Bigwood’s world class horse Wie Atlantico could prove a real foreign threat to the British contingent having produced plenty of plus 70 scores at Grand Prix this year. However, it would be against the rules for a Dane to lift the trophy, so if he does bag a double win the title would pass down to the next highest scoring British combination.

Perhaps the most experienced of all the first thirteen will be Judy Harvey with Richard Heley’s 15 year old gelding Fitzcerraldo.
Judy has competed the horse since 2005, and along with her and his previous rider Roland Tong the horse has notched up no less than ten consecutive years at the National Championships, starting all the way back in 2003 at Novice. In 2006, under Judy, he was crowned Inter I Champion.

Who else will qualify, and who will take up the challenge? Can Carl hold on for a second year running, or perhaps pupil will become victor?

Louise Parkes.

A new page in the history books of equestrian sport will be turned when, for the very first time at European level, Para-Dressage athletes compete alongside their Jumping and Dressage counterparts at the ECCO FEI European Championships 2013 in Herning, Denmark in three weeks’ time.

These Championships will be Denmark’s biggest sporting fixture of 2013, and thousands of spectators are expected to enjoy a feast of equestrian excellence at the MCH and JYSK Arenas during the six-day fixture which begins on 20 August.

The home supporters will have plenty to cheer about, because their Para-Dressage riders are in flying form having enjoyed a tremendously successful team outing in Mannheim, Germany just two months ago. At the previous European championships in Moorsele, Belgium in 2011, the British were the dominant force, but Denmark’s Stinna Kastrup prevented them from making a clean sweep of the medals and Danish athletes will be sure to pressurise the rest once again this time around.

Battle Begins

A total of 62 competitors from 20 nations will line out, and the battle for the team medals in the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships begins on 21 August. Following their phenomenal success at the London 2012 Paralympic Games there is no doubting the extraordinary strength of the British contingent who achieved a record haul of 11 medals, while the German Paralympic squad also exceeded all their previous accomplishments when taking seven medals in total.

At the 2011 FEI European Championships in Moorsele, the British already had the team and three individual titles under their belt before adding four more on the final afternoon. While many of the British contingent were seasoned campaigners however, the 2011 fixture also saw the emergence of many new names including Helen Kearney, who put her name into the record books when clinching Ireland’s very first medal. Kearney went on to Olympic glory last summer, taking a further three medals there, and, flying in the face of a progressive degenerative disorder, the 24-year-old who also graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Dublin in 2012, will be back in action at Herning with her horse, Mr Cool, under the watchful eye of trainer Heike Holstein.

Kearney is just one of the very many athletes whose spirit, courage, determination and skill has inspired colossal interest in the sport of Para-Dressage, which has continued to go from strength to strength in recent years. Britain’s Sophie Christiansen is another. A three-time Olympian, the 25-year-old received an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) award following her fabulous hat-trick of Olympic gold medals won at Greenwich Park last summer.

Host-nation perspective

From the host-nation perspective, all eyes will be on Kaastrup, who took double-bronze and Freestyle gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2010 before going on to team and individual silver along with Freestyle gold in Grade 1b at the Europeans in Moorsele a year later. From there, her sights were then firmly set on Paralympic honours last summer only for tragedy to strike when her wonderful New Forest pony, Labbenhus Snovs, just 145cms tall and the perfect partner for his talented rider, died suddenly in the lead-up to the Games.

The 18-year-old athlete, who lives in Fyn, the third-largest of Denmark’s islands, was devastated. She had been riding Snovs since she was 13 years old and always described him as her “very best friend”. But, demonstrating the awe-inspiring resilience that places Para-Dressage athletes above all others, she has re-grouped and re-organised herself.

With her new horse, Steffi Graff, Kaastrup finished third in Grade 1b Freestyle and individual competitions at the British Festival of Dressage in Hartpury in early July. Kaastrup only got Steffi Graf four months earlier, but the partnership established itself almost immediately. “She is the most amazing horse I have ever met! From the first time I sat on her back she just accepted me and understood my signals. She gave me back the joy of riding, because every training session with her is a thrill!” the Danish rider enthused afterwards.

Looking forward to Herning she continued: “I missed riding for our amazing team last year (at the London 2012 Paralympic Games), and it is so impressive that the people behind the show have made it possible to combine three Championships (Dressage, Jumping and Para-Dressage) in one giant show on Danish ground. Also, of course, I want to show everyone that I’ve still got it. I can’t wait!” she said. She sees Herning as one more milestone on the road to yet another goal, the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but she knows there is a lot more work to do before she gets there.

And on the form they showed at Hartpury (GBR), the British squad is going to present formidable opposition to all others at the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships in Herning. They proved unbeatable at their home fixture and, with Christiansen, Natasha Baker, Ricky Balshaw, Sophie Wells and the evergreen Anne Dunham at their disposal, they will be the ones to beat.

However as Kaastrup recently pointed out, “in riding and working with horses everything can happen. I think almost everybody on the (Danish) team has learned that lesson. So nothing is 100 percent certain until you are riding down the centre-line at these great events”.

The JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage team medals will be decided on Tuesday 22 August, the individual medals will be awarded on Saturday 24, and the Freestyle medals will be presented on the final day of the Championships, Sunday 25 August.

Facts and Figures:

The JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships 2013 will take place at Herning (DEN) from 21 to 25 August.

This is the first time for Para-Dressage to take place alongside other disciplines at the FEI European Championships.

Competitors from 20 nations will participate.

12 countries have entered teams: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Russia and Sweden.

8 nations will be represented by individual riders: Belarus, Czech Republic, Finland, Israel, Latvia, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia.

A total of 62 horse-and-rider combinations are listed in the definite entries (19 July 2013).

Great Britain topped the medal table with eight golds at the last FEI Para-Dressage Championships staged in Moorsele, Belgium in 2011.

Louise Parkes.

In the final countdown to the Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships, one of the three disciplines to be contested at the ECCO FEI European Championships 2013 in Herning (DEN), the stage is set for another intriguing encounter in the history of a sport that has undergone radical changes in recent years.

It was at the last European Championships in Rotterdam (NED) in 2011 that the British bounced to prominence, claiming their very first team title and sending a warning shot across the bows of the other nations that had previously been so dominant.

Germany had long towered like a Colossus over the sport, taking the team title on 21 occasions since the first event took place in Copenhagen (DEN) back in 1963 and undefeated in the battle for the team honours right up until 2005 before the Dutch managed to break their spell at La Mandria (ITA) in 2007.

Thanks to sparkling partnerships like Anky Van Grunsven and Salinero, Edward Gal and Totilas and Adelinde Cornelissen with Jerich Parzival, the Dutch then became the ones to beat, but another new era began with the British breakthrough two years ago that has set the template for everything that has followed ever since.

The fluid, forward-going, light-contact riding style demonstrated by Britain’s Carl Hester and his pupil, Charlotte Dujardin, has now become the desired objective, with judges clearly rewarding those who are prepared to follow suit.  Now many riders have effectively used the time since Rotterdam to put even more emphasis on lightness and harmony, and the tidal wave of change has been rewarded by renewed and expanded interest in the sport, which is thriving like never before.

Phenomenal

The interest in the British team and Dujardin’s individual triumph at the London 2012 Olympic Games has been little short of phenomenal, but yet another new order has been establishing itself over the intervening months.

The 28-year-old rider and the lovely gelding Valegro displaced Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival as the superstars in the aftermath of their success in the British capital, but working quietly away in the background was Helen Langehanenberg, a member of the silver-medal-winning German team in 2011 who was just squeezed out of a medal placing in London last summer.

Langehanenberg and the gorgeous stallion, Damon Hill had finished as runners-up to Cornelissen at the 2012 Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final a few months before that, and the German was determined to take the top step of the podium at the Reem Acra Final this spring and did so in convincing style.

She comes to these FEI European Dressage Championships as a formidable threat, and with a powerful back-up team that includes Anabel Balkenhol (Dablino FRH), Kristina Sprehe (Desperados FRH) and Isabell Werth (Don Johnson FRH), putting Germany in a very strong position indeed.

The British aren’t intimated however, despite a relatively modest performance from Dujardin and Valegro during the pilot FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage series in Rotterdam (NED) last month.

The pair showed flashes of their usual brilliance as they helped their side to victory with the biggest score of the day, but the Olympic champion admitted: “there are a few things I have to sharpen up”. She will need to be at her very sharpest to keep Langehanenberg at bay this time, and the battle between Germany and the British, who send out three of their 2011 gold medal winning side, promises to be fascinating.

Dujardin’s mentor, trainer and friend, and the man she calls “Grandad”, Carl Hester, took individual silver in both the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle in 2011, while Laura Tomlinson (formerly Bechtolsheimer) took Grand Prix Special bronze. The Olympic gold medal trio will be joined by Michael Eilberg with Half Moon Delphi in Herning.

They must know that expectations are great, with Dujardin awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) following her double Olympic gold medal victory, and Hester and Tomlinson each earning an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), for their contributions to last summer’s glorious Olympic result. Living up to those expectations will be no mean feat.

Regrouping

Meanwhile the Dutch have been regrouping despite a health scare for Cornelissen’s Parzival who had to be treated for arrythmia last month. The big chestnut gelding missed the Dutch National Championships as a result, but he has recovered so well that he has been selected to join Glock’s Undercover with Edward Gal on board, Glock’s Romanov ridden by Hans Peter Minderhoud, and Kingsley Siro with Danielle Heijkoop in the saddle for the forthcoming Championships.

There was a real buzz about Gal and Undercover during the Dutch Championships, and with Minderhoud in flying form and Cornelissen and Parzival back in business, it seems there is a fascinating three-way contest for the team title in prospect, while it is also very open for the individual medals.

Cornelissen of course will be on an additional personal mission in this context, as she will be hoping to top the Grand Prix Special for the third consecutive time and perhaps also make it a double of Freestyle titles.

Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello will also be ones to watch, their recent results suggesting they will challenge strongly. They will be joined by team-mates Minna Telde with Santana, Patrik Kittel with Watermill Scandic HDC and Malin Hamilton with Fleetwood.

The host nation of Denmark will be competitive with Andreas Helgstrand (Akeem Foldager), Anna Kasprzak (Donnperignon), Lone Bang Larsen (Fitou L) and the always-reliable Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein (Digby) flying the home flag.

A total of 15 countries have entered teams – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. And five nations will be represented by individual riders – Armenia, Ireland, Poland, Russia and Ukraine.

Competition Format

The action will begin on Wednesday 21 August with the first part of the Team Competition and the team medals will be decided the following day. The individual Grand Prix Special will take place on Friday 23 August and, following a rest day on Saturday, the Freestyle will bring the entire ECCO FEI European Championships 2013 to a close.

The task ahead of the Ground Jury will not be a simple one. Led by President Leif Tornblad (DEN), judges Susan Hoevenaars (AUS), Dietrich Plewa (GER), Gustav Svalling (SWE), Isabelle Judet (FRA), Francis Verbeek (NED) and Andrew Gardner (GBR) must choose their champions from a wide-ranging wealth of talent this discipline has never witnessed before. Testament to the level of excellence now almost commonplace in this ever-changing sport, they too will be tested to the limit before the new champions are crowned.

Facts and Figures:

The FEI European Dressage Championships 2013 will take place at Herning in Denmark from 20 to 25 August.

Competitors from 20 nations will participate.

15 countries have entered teams:  Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

5 nations will be represented by individual riders:  Armenia, Ireland, Russia, Poland and Ukraine.

A total of 69 horse-and-rider combinations are listed in the definite entries (17 July 2013).

This is the 26th edition of the FEI Dressage Championships and the fifth time for the event to take place in Denmark.

The Danish capital city of Copenhagen hosted the first two Championships in 1963 and 1965.

Germany has won the FEI European Dressage Team title on 21 occasions, undefeated between 1965 and 2005.

The defending team champions are the British who made history with their very first victory in these Championships at Rotterdam (NED) in 2011.

This year The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival will be chasing their third consecutive title in the Grand Prix Special and a back-to-back win in the Freestyle competition.

The Dressage partnership of The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival will be chasing their third consecutive victory in the Grand Prix Special and a back-to-back double in the Freestyle at the ECCO FEI European Championships 2013 in Herning.  Photo: FEI/Peter Nixon.