Aachen 2005, October 27th



CHIO 2006 will be a "Festival of Emotions" - looking back on 50 years of equestrian sport
World Championships return to the Aachen Soers

In 50 years time, there have been quite a lot of changes. World Champions came and went, disciplines have been added and today the show grounds have a new, modern look.
So, the next World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen 2006, from 17 to 21 May, will have, apart from the sport, a nostalgic view of the past. "We are really looking forward to the CHIO," said Michael Mronz, Managing Director of the Aachener Reitturnier GmbH. "It will be a festival full of emotion."
The CHIO will recall five decades of equestrian sport, spanning the 51 years from the first World Show Jumping Championships held in the Aachen Soers in 1955 to the present day.
Three months before the next World Championships in the old Emperor's City (20 August - 3 September 2006) the CHIO's Opening Ceremony on Wednesday evening " will be just like a large open air cinema," says Mronz. "Historical shots on the screen together with historical displays in the jumping stadium," will illustrate the sport's history for equestrian fans. For example, riding legend Hans Günter Winkler will appear live in full colour in the stadium while black and white archive footage will show his achievements on the screen. "On top of that it will be fascinating to see some of the old competition forms." A timeline, will illustrate the development of equestrian sport over the past five decades. "We don't want to say too much more for fear of ruining the surprise," said Mronz. Suffice it to say, at the moment, a lot of digging is going on in the archives of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein.

Tickets WEG and CHIO: +49 (0)241-917-11 11

order Tickets online