While the dressage world gazed at the action at the CDIO Aachen last week, European Under 25 riders are preparing themselves for the 2023 European U25 Championships in Pilisjaszfalu. A debacle is taking place in Austria where a team was announced two weeks ago and day by day, the national equestrian federation retracted the entry of the team riders.
U-Turn
On 18 June OEPS announced that the dressage selection committee has selected four riders for the Austrian team: Jonas Frick (Juno), Sophie Marlene Francz (Der Romantiker), Fiona Spranz (Santiago) and Lukas Fuchs-Benes (Gogogachetto Chippendale).
On 23 June the OEPS board of directors decided to send only two individuals and no team to the Europeans. The decision was made based upon the rules, which seemingly had not been carefully checked on 18 June. Spranz and Francz lost their team spot.
The rule for team selection reads that the scores of the two mandatory selection trials (CDI Gossendorf, CDI Achleiten) as well as one CDI of choice count towards team selection. The results of the Inter II and Short Grand Prix are totalled and averaged (six scores). The average need to be at least 67% for team nomination.
Slim Pickings
A few days ago, OEPS further corrected its entry list by the FEI's definite entry date and decided to send only one individual after all: Jonas Frick.
Lukas Fuchs-Benes lost his starting place. He had scored an average of 67.709%, but did not compete at the CDI Gössendorf. He did three CDI's in Mariakalnok, St. Margarethen and Achleiten. Despite missing the first mandatory trial, he was initially nominated by OEPS but this has now been revoked.
Only Frick will travel to Hungary. The whole upheaval has caused quite a stir in Austria with riders and parents upset about the mental rollercoaster the NF has put their members which led to deception and disappointment.
Communication
OEPS has not made any official statement on its website about the team selection since the first nomination on 18 June.
The Austrian equestrian website Eqwo posted an OEPS rule that the dressage selection committee reserves the right to revoke a nomination: "In justified cases, the dressage department and the sports director or his representative reserve the right (for riders) to be sent to international tournaments and/or to accept a squad even if the relevant criteria have not been met, but this is in the interests of the department or these to be revoked, even in justified cases, although the criteria have been met."
Further team selection criteria are: ""It is the aim of the dressage department to send teams and individual riders to all dressage championships. The sending of teams is not only purely mathematical, other aspects are also taken into account:
- Improving form
- External circumstances at the championship course
- Evaluation results from the respective championship judges
- Mental strength demeanor and team spirit
- Ability to work in a team and correct demeanor towards OEPS and its representatives
- Fair play and exemplary conduct
- By comparing athletes head-to-head in the same events, in front of the same judges, in the same competitions.
Based on these rules the team nomination has been annulled and an individual selected.
Photo © Petra Kerschbaum
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OEPS Does a 180°: Removes Two Riders from Announced Austrian U25 Team