The CHIO Aachen organization has announced the continuation of its straightforward strategy for fair and clean sport at a press conference on Monday November 23, 2009, at which Deutsche Bank announced their renewel of sponsorship.
Accordingly, Michael Mronz stated: „We do not want to have unsound or injured horses in our sport. The CHIO Aachen 2010 will not be carried out on the basis of the current FEI regulations, but according to the ethics of clean sport.”
In the course of last week’s General Assembly, the FEI had decided to permit several substances for the treatment of horses shortly previous to or during an event.
Frank Kemperman, Chairman of the Managing Board of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e.V. (ALRV) said: “The FEI’s decision is a contradiction to our ideal of the sport.” Kemperman had been in Copenhagen as Chairman of the FEI’s Dressage Committee and vehemently fought against the new regulations.
Deutsche Bank Renews Sponsorship, Loves Dressage
The Deutsche Bank and the CHIO Aachen have affirmed their partnership. Aachen and its Main Sponsor have extended their contract for another three years. The Deutsche Bank has already been supporting the world’s most renowned equestrian event for 52 years.
“The renewal of the contract shows that together we have accomplished to enhance the event CHIO Aachen”, said Michael Mronz, General Manager of the Aachener Reitturnier GmbH. Mronz added that also thanks to the engagement of the “top brand Deutsche Bank”, the CHIO Aachen has established itself on the highest sports level.
The broadcast times give proof of the fact that the event has become an international premium event – today the CHIO Aachen is broadcast in 143 countries. Particularly the top class dressage sport, which the Deutsche Bank is especially committed to, benefits from this. Thus, the company is not only patron of the worldwide unique dressage stadium, but also traditional partner and title sponsor of the Deutsche Bank Prize, the dressage competition with the highest prize money in the world.
“Dressage sport shows passion and precision in an exceptional union. This is what we stand for as the brand Deutsche Bank, and this is what has tied us to the CHIO Aachen for more than 50 years,” said Christofer Habig, Global Head of Brand Communications & Corporate Citizenship.
Rembrandt's Saddle to CHIO Museum
The CHIO-Museum has from now on it one more exhibit. Nicole Uphoff-Selke, four times Olympic Dressage Champion and two-time winner of Aachen made available the saddle of Rembrandt, her legendary horse. “It is a saddle with a long history – and I cannot imagine a better place for it than the CHIO-museum”, she stated. Now she has travelled to Aachen to hand the saddle over, and the CHIO organisers were more than glad about it. “Truly there are only very few sportswomen and sportsmen like Nicole”, said Frank Kemperman.
With regard to the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen 2010 (July 9th to 18th), visitors can look forward to an attractive programme. Frank Kemperman introduced several novelties in the course of the press conference. There will for example be a new mode for the driving classification, the final competition for the individual and Nations’ Cup rating will now be the Wohnwelt-Pallen-Marathon on Saturday. Also the vaulting will be highlighted – with a “Winners’ Sho w” on Wednesday evening and a “Pas de Deux” as new competition.