Red-white flags will dominate the scenery at the Borgberg in Hagen a.T.W. when the gates of Horses & Dreams will open again on Wednesday, 20 April 2016. But even though the popular neighboring country Denmark will spread its Nordic flair in Hagen – the sporting focus will be more in southern realms.
World class riders will fight to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Approx. 60 dressage riders from 20 different nations take the traditional kickoff into the outdoor season at Hof Kasselmann in the Almased Dressage Stadium as an opportunity to qualify for this important event.
This is of course also the goal of the number one of the dressage world rankings and last year’s winner Kristina Bröring-Sprehe who is purposefully preparing her sport partner Desperados for the Grand Prix highlight of the year in Hagen: “Horses & Dreams has been our outdoor start into the Championship-year for years. Everything is just amazing here – perfect conditions and strong competitors,” says the rider from Oldenburg. Rounded off by the best judges – six of only 25 active Olympic judges will participate at the event at Hof Kasselmann.
Besides Kristina Bröring-Sprehe, more national and international top dressage stars are expected to come to Hagen. As not only the framework conditions are perfect, the same applies for the sport schedule. From young to old, from beginner to top athlete, the seven international and eight national competitions guarantee a huge, but exquisite field of competitors in dressage.
The seven- to nine-year-old dressage horses will present their capabilities to judges and audience in the Nurnberg Cup for Developing Prix St Georges horses to determine the best duo after two rounds. The victorious horse/rider-combination is to qualify for the Final of the most prestigious and traditional German dressage series in the indoor arena “Festhalle” in Frankfurt in December. The Nuremberg Cup starts into its 25th season at Horses & Dreams in April this year, and there will be some changes – as Dr. Ulf Möller, dressage coordinator, explains: “In the past, it was possible to decide to ride one or two tests of the series per station. This is not possible any more, now the riders already have to apply full throttle in the opening competition.”
The opening competition of the Nuremberg Cup is compulsory since 2016, and only the best 12 horse-rider-combinations of this test have the opportunity to win the desired ticket in the qualifier. “All those who would like to see all horses competing in the Nuremberg Cup in Hagen should enter Thursday into their calendars,” says Möller. The best 12 duos that have the chance to win the ticket for the Final will start a second time on Saturday in the Almased Dressage Stadium.
The eight- to ten-year-old futurity dressage prospects that already know how to accomplish piaffe and passage take the opportunity to win a ticket for the Hessian metropolis in the Louisdor-Prize. Weihegold OLD, presented by Beatrice Buchwald, is a prime example for the importance of these two tests. The mare won the 2013 Nuremberg Cup and one year later the Louisdor-Prize – and made it today onto the shortlist for the Olympics with Isabell Werth.
„No matter what day and what competition – it will again be exciting for participants and spectators – we are already looking forward to this event and are only hoping that the sun will vigorously support us, too,” host and organizer Ulli Kasselmann happily says.
With this in mind: „Hjertelig velkommen!“
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Tickets for Horses & Dreams and the Charity Concert of the Big Band of the German armed forces Bundeswehr are available with www.horses-and-dreams.de or with ADticket online www.adticket.de, with the ticket hotline: Tel. ++49 (0)180 - 60 50 400+49 (0)180 - 60 50 400 (€ 0.20 /call incl. VAT for fixed network calls, max. € 0.60 / call for cell phone calls) and with all ADticket-booking offices.
