Para-equestrians join Denmark’s biggest show
Para-Dressage athletes volition brand history when compete with their jumping as well as dressage counterparts at European level for the outset fourth dimension subsequently this month.
The para-equestrians are lining upwards for the ECCO FEI European Championships 2013 inwards Herning, Denmark, which volition be Denmark’s biggest sporting fixture of the year.
Thousands of spectators are expected to bask a feast of equestrian excellence at the MCH as well as JYSK Arenas during the six-day fixture, which begins on 20 August. The para-dressage riders volition compete on August 21.
The dwelling supporters volition have got enough to cheer about, because their para-dressage riders are inwards flight form, having enjoyed a successful squad outing inwards Mannheim, Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany merely ii months ago. At the previous European championships inwards Moorsele, Kingdom of Belgium inwards 2011, the British were the dominant force, but Denmark’s Stinna Kastrup prevented them from making a construct clean sweep of the medals as well as Danish athletes volition live for sure to seat pull per unit of measurement area on the residuum i time once to a greater extent than this fourth dimension around.
A total of 62 competitors from 20 nations volition delineate of piece of occupation out, as well as the battle for the squad medals inwards the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships begins on 21 August. Following their phenomenal success at the London 2012 Paralympic Games at that topographic point is no doubting the extraordinary strength of the British contingent who achieved a tape haul of xi medals, spell the German linguistic communication Paralympic squad also exceeded all their previous accomplishments when taking 7 medals inwards total.
At the 2011 FEI European Championships inwards Moorsele, the British already had the squad as well as 3 private titles nether their belt before adding 4 to a greater extent than on the concluding afternoon. While many of the British contingent were seasoned campaigners, the 2011 fixture also saw the emergence of many novel names including Helen Kearney, who seat her get upwards into the tape books when clinching Ireland’s real outset medal. Kearney went on to Olympic glory lastly summer, taking a farther 3 medals there, and, flight inwards the confront of a progressive degenerative disorder, the 24-year-old who also graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce aeroplane from University College Dublin inwards 2012, volition live dorsum inwards activity at Herning with her horse, Mr Cool, nether the watchful oculus of trainer Heike Holstein.
Kearney is merely i of the real many athletes whose spirit, courage, conclusion as well as science has inspired colossal involvement inwards the sport of Para-Dressage, which has continued to become from strength to strength inwards recent years. Britain’s Sophie Christiansen is another. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 three-time Olympian, the 25-year-old received an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) observe next her fabulous hat-trick of Olympic aureate medals won at Greenwich Park lastly summer.
From the host-nation perspective, all eyes volition live on Kaastrup, who took double-bronze as well as Freestyle aureate at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games inwards 2010 before going on to squad as well as private silvery along with Freestyle aureate inwards Grade 1b at the Europeans inwards Moorsele a twelvemonth later. From there, her sights were as well as so firmly assault Paralympic honours lastly summertime exclusively for tragedy to strike when her wonderful New Forest pony, Labbenhus Snovs, merely 145cms tall as well as the perfect partner for his talented rider, died all of a abrupt inwards the lead-up to the Games.
The 18-year-old athlete, who lives inwards Fyn, the third-largest of Denmark’s islands, was devastated. She had been riding Snovs since she was thirteen years old as well as ever described him equally her “very best friend”. But, demonstrating the awe-inspiring resilience that places Para-Dressage athletes higher upwards all others, she has re-grouped as well as re-organised herself.
With her novel horse, Steffi Graff, Kaastrup finished 3rd inwards Grade 1b Freestyle as well as private competitions at the British Festival of Dressage inwards Hartpury inwards early on July. Kaastrup got Steffi Graf exclusively 4 months earlier, but the partnership established itself almost immediately. “She is the most amazing Equus caballus I have got ever met! From the outset fourth dimension I sat on her dorsum she merely accepted me as well as understood my signals. She gave me dorsum the joy of riding, because every preparation session with her is a thrill!” the Danish passenger enthused.
Looking forwards to Herning she continued: “I missed riding for our amazing squad lastly twelvemonth (at the London 2012 Paralympic Games), as well as it is so impressive that the people behind the exhibit have got made it possible to combine 3 Championships (Dressage, Jumping as well as Para-Dressage) inwards i giant exhibit on Danish ground. Also, of course, I desire to exhibit everyone that I’ve nonetheless got it. I can’t wait!” she said. She sees Herning equally i to a greater extent than milestone on the route to yet some other goal, the 2016 Paralympic Games inwards Rio de Janeiro, but she knows at that topographic point is a lot to a greater extent than move to produce before she gets there.
And on the shape they showed at Hartpury (GBR), the British squad is going to acquaint formidable opposition to all others at the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships inwards Herning. They proved unbeatable at their dwelling fixture and, with Christiansen, Natasha Baker, Ricky Balshaw, Sophie Wells as well as the evergreen Anne Dunham at their disposal, they volition live the ones to beat.
But equally Kaastrup lately pointed out, “in riding as well as working with horses everything tin happen. I intend almost everybody on the (Danish) squad has learned that lesson. So naught is 100 pct for sure until you lot are riding downwardly the centre-line at these dandy events.”
The JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage squad medals volition live decided on Tuesday, August 22, the private medals volition live awarded on Sat the 24th, as well as the Freestyle medals volition live presented on the concluding twenty-four hours of the Championships, Sunday, August 25.
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