Competitors Longines FEI European Championships Jumping, Dressage & Para-Dressage Rotterdam 2019 announced
This weekend the entries for the Longines FEI European Championships Jumping, Dressage and Para-Dressage Rotterdam 2019 officially closed. With 220 combinations of horse and rider from 33 countries this will be by far the largest equestrian event ever hosted in Rotterdam. After closing the entries, both program and participants are published.
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EC Jumping For the European Championship Jumping 84 riders from 25 countries applied of which 15 countries will battle for both team and individual medals. The Irish team will defend the team title in Rotterdam while Peder Fredricson (SWE) will defend the individual title. A number of countries will also have their Olympic qualification at stake in Rotterdam. During the 2018 World Equestrian Games USA, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Australia claimed their tickets for Tokyo 2020. That makes that top teams from e.g. Great-Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Ireland will be committed to get one of the three Olympic qualifications that are available in Rotterdam. The last qualification can be achieved at the FEI Nations Cup finals in Barcelona. EC Dressage 70 participants from 24 countries signed up for the European Championship Dressage. 14 countries will compete for the team title which currently is in the hands of the German team. Isabell Werth (GER) is the reigning European Champion. Also at the Longines FEI European Championship Dressage presented by Rabobank the countries will compete for Olympic qualifications. Five countries - Germany, Great-Britain, Sweden, The Netherlands and Spain already secured their qualification at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. For the other countries the European Championships are the chance to qualify. EC Para-Dressage For the EC Para-Dressage 66 participants from 21 countries will be in Rotterdam. At the Para-Dressage also 14 countries will start in the team competition. The British riders are defending the European team title and will have to be prepared for the Dutch team that won from them at the 2018 World Equestrian Games and is in excellent shape. The individual European titles are held currently by Sophie Wells (GBR) in Grade 5, Susanne Jensby Sunesen (DEN) in Grade 4, Suzanna Hext (GBR) in Grade 3, Stinna Tange Kaastrup (DEN) in Grade 2 and Julie Payne (GBR in Grade 1. All countries bring their best teams to Rotterdam. Even top riders such as Daniel Deusser (GER) and Christian Ahlmann (GER), who are not very often in the nations teams, or Ben Maher (GBR) and Scott Brash (GBR) who hardly ride any FEI Nations Cup, will start in Rotterdam. Carl Hester (GBR) and reigning Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) were the surprise and sensation at the FEI European Championship 2011 in Rotterdam and will both be there again, although with different horses. "This is an exciting list of very strong participants," says EC general director Fred Rozendaal. "Except for the Americans, who of course cannot compete at European Championships, almost the complete top of the world rankings Jumping, Dressage and Para-Dressage will be in Rotterdam two weeks from now. That's going to be excellent sports!" |