The German Equestrian Federation will not be fielding a team at the 2016 European Children's Championships. The federation believes there is not enough structure in place to send out a team, even though Germany won the Children's Nations Cup at the 2016 CDIO-PJYR Hagen last week.
The European Children's Championships are in their second year running. Bernadette Brune's Domaine Equestre des Grand Pins hosted the inaugural Championships in 2015 which were won by Switzerland. Germany, the biggest equestrian nation in the world, did not attend.
In 2016 Germany began taking its first steps in the brand new FEI division for 12 to 14-year olds competing at L-level on either ponies or horses. They sent their first team to the Children's Nations Cup at Future Champions CDIO at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen last weekend, where they won. Unfortunately for the children on that team the federation decided not to send them to the Europeans in Oliva Nova, Spain, on 19 - 24 July 2016.
"The dressage committee of the German Equestrian Federation will not yet select a children's team for the European Championships in Oliva Nova," Germany's children's chef d'equipe Caroline Roost told Eurodressage."The participation of German riders in this age group in the junior competition "Future Champion" in Hagen was part of this year's pilot project.
The interest and enthusiasm for the age group "Children" is enormous, however, we need to build the structures for the systematic construction for the introduction of said age group first."
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
2016 European Children, Junior and Young Riders Championships - Table of Contents
Team German Wins Children's Nations' Cup at 2016 CDIO-PJYR Hagen
German Team Selected for First 2016 CDIO Children Nations' Cup in Hagen