The excitement is near boiling point ahead of the FEI European Pony Championships 2013 which get underway at the lovely equestrian showgrounds in Arezzo, Italy tomorrow morning.
The excitement is near boiling point ahead of the FEI European Pony Championships 2013 which get underway at the lovely equestrian showgrounds in Arezzo, Italy tomorrow morning. A total of 159 competitors from all across the continent of Europe will compete in three disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Eventing - and a total of 17 nations will represented.

It is a long way from the modest 55 riders from 14 nations who lined out at the very first Championships staged in San Remo, Italy back in 1986 where The Netherlands’ Simon Meulman and Daisy Brown won Jumping individual gold while Sweden took the team title, Germany dominated the Eventing and Danish riders proved unbeatable in Dressage.

There was double-gold for Germany, Great Britain and Ireland at last year’s Championships in Fontainebleau, France and the British hold by far the best record with a sensational eight-time clean sweep of Jumping gold and 15 team Jumping titles in total. Germany however holds a firm grip on the Eventing and Dressage rolls of honour.

The flags of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland are proudly adorning stable areas and moving in the gentle breeze around the show arenas today. The sun is shining brightly and it is hot, hot, hot but ponies are coping well throughout their preparations for the start of the great event.

Arezzo has long been a favourite with senior jumping riders throughout the spring season as young horses, and old favourites in need of a run, are prepared for their tough summer schedule by competing in the hugely popular Tuscan tournament. In a, literally, ground-breaking move however, the venue has expanded its potential with the creation of a brand new cross-country course. Designed by Italy’s Francesco Finocchiaro it takes in some lovely surrounding countryside and comes to close with some fabulous and innovative fences in the main grass jumping arena.

Italy’s Pier Francesco Bazzocchi will design the showjumping tracks, and the quality of competition in all three disciplines is expected to be little short of spectacular. Great Britain’s Isobel Wessels is President of the Ground Jury for Dressage that also includes Susanne Baarup (DEN), Freddy Leyman (BEL), Elke Ebert (GER) and Adrianna Hamden (NED). They will be the first team of officials to spring into action when the first day of the Dressage team competition gets things off to a start tomorrow morning at 8am local time.

The standard of excellence in Pony competition these days is quite staggering, with training and back-up support at a premium. Not all the young people competing this week are riding super-star ponies, but they will all be sure to give of their best over the next few days and many will achieve a great deal more than they ever could have hoped for thanks to the support of family, friends and the work of their National Federations.

Some young people with less privileges will be supported by this week’s Arezzo fixture which has JustWorld International as an important official partner. Arezzo Equestrian Centre has a long connection with this charity which, under the careful management of Jessica Newman, works with impoverished communities in Cambodia, Guatemala and Honduras through the creation of developmental programmes for children.

At Arezzo tonight all competitors will take part in the exciting Opening Ceremony during which the Sbandieratori di Arezzo will present their unique and traditional flag-waving demonstration which is sure to add to the excitement.

For further information on the FEI European Pony Championships 2013 at Arezzo (ITA) check out the event website at http://pony-european-championship-2013.fise.it/home-pony-arezzo-2013-en.html