In under three weeks, the countdown has started, 20 days from today, Horses & Dreams meets the Royal Kingdom of Jordan. From April 25th to 29th 2018, this out of the ordinary event will offer athletic and cultural highlights for the entire region.
The prized athletic program at Horses & Dreams attracts visitors into the Almased Dressage Stadium for two Grand Prix Tours, qualifications for the “NÜRNBERGER Burg-Pokal” and the “Lousidor-Preis”, and almost the entire German Dressage Team, represented by Isabell Werth (Rheinberg), Soenke Rothenberger (Bad Homburg) and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Ostermünchen) as well as Hubertus Schmidt (Borchen-Etteln) and Anabel Balkenhol (Rosendahl).In addition, countless top international riders have also registered, such as Patrik Kittel (SWE), Severo Lopez (ESP) and Lyndal Oatley (AUS).
Kristina Bröring-Sprehe (Löningen-Benstrup) is particularly looking forward to starting at Horses & Dreams meets the Royal Kingdom of Jordan with her top horse Desperados FRH. Last year, she had to cancel on short notice. Now she has come back with her gem of a black stallion, and has jumped right back into the German Dressage Team. Bröring-Sprehe grinned when asked about her start in Hagen: “He feels younger than ever! The break clearly did him a lot of good, and I am looking forward to competing again with him.”
As is tradition, Horses & Dreams will once again open the green season, which is an exciting moment every year for German National Trainer Monica Theodorescu (Warendorf): “I’m curious to see how Desperados FRH behaves at his first show back in the fresh air – he can be a bit fresh – and for Cosmo and Soenke Rothenberger, this will be their first time back after the European Championships in Gothenburg last summer.”
The opening of the green season is not the only thing that will be celebrated in Hagen, also the first stop in the prestigious DKB-Riders Tour. Last year’s winner Markus Beerbaum (Thedinghausen) and his wife Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Thedinghausen) have also announced that they will compete, as well as Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) who is currently at 7th place in the world ranking, the championship rider Penelope Leprevost (FRA) and Marc Houtzager (NED). The leader of the German ranking list, Felix Haßmann (Lienen) and Marko Kutscher (Bad Essen) will also compete as well. The young rider, Max Haunhorst (Hagen a.T.W.) will of course look to use his home advantage. However, Francois Kasselmann, (Hagen a.T.W.), athletic director of the event, does not see a clear favorite in the Grand Prix, and with it the ranking points for the Rider of the Year: “In my opinion, the field of riders is so close, that 50 percent of the competitors could win, and with that, it will remain an exciting competition.”
Anyone who has been to Horses & Dreams knows that there is much more than the just top level equestrian sports. The festival surrounding the athletic offering is an experience for the whole family, with the annually changing guest country, Hagen will be magical. Of course that includes a spectacular show night, which event organizer Ullrich Kasselmann is looking forward to very much: “We have a very complex show program planned for Saturday evening. A spectacular light instillation, and the world star Francois Pignon will present the Story of Mohammed and the founding of the Arabian breed, it will be very unique.” Jordan will also be represented in the broad exhibition, as well as the popular kids area, powered by Kohl Recycling. The youngest visitors can even ride camels as parents enjoy the culinary highlights of the Middle East.
Tickets for Horses & Dreams meets the Royal Kingdom of Jordan are available under horses-and-dreams-ticketshop.reservix.de/events.
Follow the event on Facebook here or visit the official PSI Events Horses & Dreams Facebook page
Related Links
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2018 CDI Hagen
Louisdor Cup Qualifiers for 2018 Announced
2018 Horses & Dreams meets the Royal Kingdom of Jordan