On Wednesday 24 July 2019 the first day of competition begins for the 2019 FEI Dressage European Championships U25, Young Riders, Juniors and Children at the Horses Riviera Resort in San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy.
At 7.30 am the juniors will kick off the competition first with the Team Test 1, while the Young Riders Team Test 1 starts at 8 AM. At 16 the Under 25 with the Intermediate II will take place, while the Children will ride the preliminary B test. Live streaming can be found on FEI TV.
The event, which is sponsored by the Emilia Romagna Region, the Municipality of San Giovanni in Marignano and the Municipality of Cattolica, is attended by 220 young riders from 26 European countries. From Wednesday 24th to Friday 26th an international paradressage competition (CPEDI) is also planned.
Meanwhile, today, in the Scorpion Arena of HRR, the championship Opening Ceremony will be held. The "Caroselli" on ponies of very young athletes of the regions of Liguria, Marche (with a double exhibition) and Umbria introduced the presentation of the teams, with the entry and deployment in the field of all the athletes, the flag-raising and the opening official of the event, coordinated by Cesare Croce, show director of the event, and Riccardo Boricchi, Carlo Bernardini and Daniele De Paduanis, members of the Organizing Committee. Marco Di Paola, president of the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation, officially inaugurated it: the soprano Gabriella Zanchi will sing Mameli's hymn, Beethoven's Hymn to Joy will be played as the European anthem.
The grand finale at the end of the evening is a show organized by the presenting sponsor AmaHorse: magnificent Italian dressage horses will be shown, products of the Fonte Abeti Breeding farm by Riccardo Volpi. They were the protagonists of three kurs of great technical level, interspersed with allegories on the beauty of equestrian sports, of dance, of the work of horses in freedom, for the choreography and direction of Nico Belloni. Bartolo Messina, the artistic director of "Cavalluna", who has interacted with the Aragonas Group acrobats, is the protagonist of the programming and set design.
Today there was also an opening press conference.
Cesare Croce, show director of the FEI Dressage European Championships U25 / YR / J / Ch stated: "We are particularly proud to have received compliments from all team leaders of many nations about the arena structures and conditions. This is a better system for many foreigners and above all it is the first that can simultaneously accommodate all four categories participating in the championships'
Marco Di Paola, chairman of FISE: "Italian horse riding is growing so much and so is dressage: these Europeans can be a starting point to further broaden the base of the pyramid. The FISE flies high, we will try to ensure the organization of the 2022 WEG "
Riccardo Volpi, CEO and owner of AmaHorse and Fonte Abeti: "I am particularly pleased to be here in the dual role of technical sponsor with AmaHorse and breeder of dressage horses with Fonte Abeti horses. I believe strongly in dressage, it can be of great help to Italian riding »
Riccardo Boricchi, the event's organizing committee: "We are pleased to give a big chance like this to our youth"
Enzo Truppa, chairman of the Judicial College of the Young Riders category: «The team leaders of the teams are particularly excited to participate in these Europeans in one place and are wondering how come as early as next year the championships will return to take place in two separate locations»
Daniele Morelli, mayor of San Giovanni in Marignano: "It's a very important event: a significant achievement for a facility like the Horses Riviera Resort and a satisfaction for our City"
Michela Bertuccioli, vice mayor of San Giovanni in Marignano: "This event is proof of an obvious passion and bond with these beautiful animals"
Nicoletta Olivieri, Head of Tourism and Sport of the Municipality of Cattolica: "It is our intention to support as much as possible the initiatives of this fantastic facility, a flagship of our territory"
-- Horses Riviera Resort press release
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2019 European Youth Riders Championships