Accessibility as a matter of course and the best of the best are on site
Opening Press Conference at the FEI European Dressage and Para-Dressage Championships
The official opening press conference of the 2023 FEI European Championships in Dressage and Para-Dressage in Riesenbeck provided an opportunity to discuss initial impressions from the organisers' perspective. Show President Ludger Beerbaum was present, along with Show Director and Riesenbeck International CEO Karsten Lütteken, and Ronan Murphy, FEI Director of Dressage, Para Dressage, and Vaulting.
Host Ludger Beerbaum has a focus on the sport: "Many organizers claim to have the absolute stars and so on... Here, we are actually witnessing the best of the best competing against each other for the first time, and I think that is truly unique." Something Ronan Murphy can only confirm. "The European Championships this year are incredibly exciting, the quality of the field we have is absolutely world-class, the pinnacle of the sport."
"The facility in Riesenbeck is absolutely fantastic. (...) The feedback from the athletes has been really good and positive, and the horses are very content."
That all athletes feel comfortable is primarily due to the meticulous planning of Karsten Lütteken and his team – and not only with regards to this year's European Championships in Dressage and Para Dressage: "We've been mindful of accessibility since we built the riding hall and the stables."
Speaking of accessibility - making Dressage more understandable is something that FEI Discipline Director Ronan Murphy has taken to heart: "It really is all about making our sport more accessible and understandable. I think the combination of Para Dressage and Dressage shows what can be done in terms of accessibility for our sport."
But for now, the focus is on winning some medals. Ludger Beerbaum's tip: "I wouldn't be surprised if one winner is a stallion and the other is a mare..."
