CHIO Rotterdam Expands Dressage Competition to Meet Interest from Olympic Hopefuls
13 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on CHIO Rotterdam Expands Dressage Competition to Meet Interest from Olympic Hopefuls
- Great Britain, Germany and The Netherlands on the Nations Cup medals podium at the European Championships in Rotterdam in 2011. © Ken Braddck/dressage-news.com
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, June 5–The dressage Nations Cup at CHIO Rotterdam has been extended to two days to meet requests from teams seeking to compete in the CDIO5*.
Organizers told a news conference Tuesday that nine teams will compete in the Nations Cup that will be held over two days, Wednesday, June 20, and Thursday, June 21.
Teams from The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden and Great Britain initially applied for the Nations Cup.
An extra day was added to accommodate requests from Spain, Finland and Switzerland to compete.
In addition to the teams another 20 individual international competitors will ride in the CDI3* Grand Prix in the main arena that underwent a major reconstruction with a new permanent spectator stand in time for the European Championships held there last fall.
“Rotterdam will be a sneak preview of the battle for the Olympic medals,” said Laurens van Lieren, Sports Director Dressage.
Rotterdam is one of the last chances for riders and horses to be selected for London. The World Equestrian Festival CHIO in Aachen, Germany that includes a CDIO5* Nations Cup is held July 3-8, and there are CDIs in England, Sweden and France before the Olympics start in London on July 27. Dressage on the Olympic calendar from Aug. 2 starting with the team oompetition.
Riders entered for Rotterdman includes Great Britain’s Laura Bechtolsheimer, Sweden’s Patrick Kittel and reigning European Champion Adelinde Cornelissen of The Netherlands.
