It will be a historic debut for Israel at the 2020 CDIO Nations Cup in Wellington The Israel Equestrian Federation has fielded its first ever team for the an FEI Dressage Nations Cup event.
“The Israeli Dressage Team debut show at a Nation’s Cup competition will mark the beginning of what we hope tobe successful participation at major team events," says Mr. Ken Lalo, president ofthe Israeli Equestrian Federation (IEF).
The selected riders are the Florida based Micah Delighdish and Sahar Hirosh, while Eyal Zlatin flies in from Germany to compete on a borrowed horse in Wellington.
Eyal is Israeli born and based in Germany. At the age of 16 he left Kibbutz “Ein Harod” in northern Israel to pursue his dream of becoming a professional rider. He started in England and then relocated to Germany. Eyal trains with Wolfram Wittig. He has represented Israel internationally since 2013 and represented Israel for the first time at a major continental championship in 2019 at the Europeans in Rotterdam.
Micah Deligdish began her international dressage campaign in 2019 by leasing the American owned Destiny (by Diamond Hit). They ended up competing at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam. Micah is based in Wellington, Florida and is a USEF bronze, silver, and gold medalist. She changed her professional status in 2017 and her rider nationality one year ago, with the intent of becoming part of a historic process of creating an international dressage team competing for Israel.
Shahar Hirosh was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. At the ageof 18, he enlisted to the Israeli army and was part of the IDF’s outstanding athlete program which gave him the opportunity to continue riding and practice during his military service. After his discharge, he moved to the Netherlands and from there to the US. He has represented Israel as of 2007. In 2018 he qualified for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, but ended up not taking his horse Whitman there.
The Wellington based Israeli Oded Shimoni will serve as chef d'equipe. Oded began his riding career in a public park in Tel Aviv, wearing jeans and sneakers. Subsequently, he developed into an international rider and well-known trainer based in Wellington. Oded represented Israel in three World Equestrian Games (1998, 2002, 2010) and two European championships (1999, 2001). In 2004 the Israelian Olympic Committee refused Oded's participation to the Olympic Games in Athens
The Israel Equestrian Federation (IEF) was founded in 1964.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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