2020 Belgian Dressage Championship Move from Meerdonk to Lier

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Belgium

The Belgian Equestrian Federation (KBRSF) has announced that the 2020 Belgian Dressage Championships will not take place in Meerdonk as usual, but the event has been allocated to Het Azelhof in Lier.

For the past 10 years the Belgian Dressage Championships have been organized at Stable Hulsterlo in Meerdonk as part of the Flanders Dressage Event. The event became a fixture on the calendar and was hosted usually at the beginning of August, a date which sometimes proved a challenge for riders.

For the first time in 10 years a new organizer has made a bid to host the 2020 edition of the Championships: Lier.

The KBRSF Dressage Committee invited both organizers to present their bid to the federation. In addition the committee asked for the opinion of the Top Sport committee as well as the national technical staff before deciding on the allocation.

In a press released issued on 26 September 2019, the KBRSF announced that Lier has been allocated the event, which will be organized by Mike Hazebroek, Wim Verwimp and Joyce Lebon.

This means that the event will take place on a different date - 28 May - 1 June 2020.

"From a sportive perspective this seemed to be the best date, taking into account international competitions and the selections for the European (youth) Championships," the press release stated.

The KBRSF Dressage Committee - which includes Marcel Nejszaten, Philip Brison, Katrien Verreet, Freddy Leyman, Thomas Eyckmans, Aline Kennof, Anne d'Ieteren and Mariette Withages - asked the organizers of the Flanders Dressage Event to develop the Cup of Belgium instead of their favoured dates: 19 - 23 August 2020.

"This way our dressage sport will have at least two high quality events, which each rider can only applaud," said the statement. "At no moment has there been a doubt about the quality and prestige that this organisation (FDE in Meerdonk) displays. Year after year it's a highlight on the dressage calendar."