MVV-Reitstadion experiences another "international match" of the show jumpers

"To get the Nations Cup at our traditional Maimarkt event is a dream!" Peter Hofmann, President of the Mannheim Riding Club for 40 years and in this capacity Head of the Maimarkt Tournament in the city of squares, had contacted the European Equestrian Sports Association, which was founded in 2010, last year (European Equestrian Federation) – the EEF is a federation affiliated with the World Equestrian Federation FEI – applied to host a Longines EEF Series Nations Cup – and was awarded the “open gallop” of the 2022 season. The FEI had decided that two official show jumping tournaments (CSIO) could be held per nation in the future. In the past, the only CSIO for Germany was firmly located in Aachen, only in 2015, when the European Championships were held in the Soers, did another organizer step in - Mannheim organized the 100th Nations Cup of Germany at that time. The 2022 final of the Longines EEF Series will be held in Warsaw (CSIO4*) in early September. This year, the first Nations' Cup 2022 will take place in the MVV Reitstadion on Sunday, May 8th - and it will be another highlight of the traditional start to the "green season". Parallel to the largest consumer fair in southern Germany, the Mannheim Maimarkt, from April 29th to May 10th, the Mannheim Riding Club will be presenting top-class international competitions in show jumping, dressage and for the Para-Equestrians, the dressage riders with a handicap – the 2003 for the first time have been integrated into the established standard tournament and are now competing for the eighth time in the only Para Nations Cup outside of a championship. The concluding highlight of the jumping competitions is once again the traditional "Grand Prix of the MVV - Die Badenia" on "Maimarkt-Tuesday", May 10th. Last year's winner was the two-time eventing Olympic champion and world champion Michael Jung (Horb). The dressage tests with the highlights Grand Prix Special for the prize of the Liselott and Klaus Rheinberger Foundation and Grand Prix Freestyle for the prize of the GBG Raum für Zukunft are advertised at four-star level. Year after year, numerous medal winners at international championships, led by the most successful rider of all time, Isabell Werth (Rheinberg), use the jumping, dressage and para-tests to check the shape of their four-legged partners. This year, the Mannheim competitions will also serve as qualification opportunities for the upcoming World Championships from August 6th to 14th, when, as is well known, the World Championship medals in show jumping, dressage, para-dressage and vaulting will be fought in Herning, Denmark. The highlights for the coming year will be the European Show Jumping Championships (probably early September 2023) in Milan and the European Dressage and Para-Dressage Championships (scheduled for August 2023) in Riesenbeck. After no spectators were admitted to the tournament in 2021 due to the corona pandemic and the May market also had to be cancelled, Peter Hofmann, who is also a member of the executive committee and chairman of the jumping committee in the German association, is hoping for full ranks again this time. In addition to the saddle cracks from all over the world, Mannheim also offers a platform for young show jumpers and dressage trainees (U25) every year. In addition, on Tuesday, May 10th, the second of twelve qualifiers for the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal in dressage (final in December in Frankfurt). For the first time, the seniors (over 45 years) of the International Association of Jumping Riding Ambassadors (AJA) will be saddled in 14 tests on the Mühlfeld at the start of the tournament from April 29th to May 1st. All in all, more than 250 participants from more than 30 nations on all five continents, who saddle well over 500 horses, come together on the tournament days of the "Mannheim Horse Week".