Equestrian sport and football – two incompatible worlds? Not at “Soers Sunday”. Because, of course, the hot topic here was also today’s EURO final, albeit in the form of “horse football” – equally exciting, even if the ball was kicked into the goal by horseshoes instead of studs. The result in Aachen: 2:0 for Portugal. An omen for this evening?

In any case: The mood at the traditional Soers Sunday, the “Open Day” of the CHIO Aachen, was fantastic either way. 28,000 people took a trip to the CHIO showgrounds, equipped with a sun hat, sun cream and cool drinks. They not only had the opportunity to stroll around the CHIO Aachen Village comprising of over 210 exhibitors and shop to their hearts’ desire. The diversified programme that kicked off with an Ecumenical Service in the Deutsche Bank Stadium in the morning followed by a show programme in the afternoon went down very well. The rather different football match was just one of the many items on the agenda, which turned Soers Sunday amid beautiful sunshine and summer temperatures over 30 degrees into a magnificent event. Whether draught horses pulling a variety of different carriages presented by the Aachen Friends of the Draught Horse, the Aachen City Riders, the RuF Hesel Show Team with its “Circus, Circus” performance, dog agility or a presentation on “Therapeutic Riding” – there was something to meet everyone’s taste. The “Santi Sercam Shows”, an exceptional display of liberty dressage with two horses and two dogs by the Spanish rider, Santi Serra Camps, already enchanted the crowd on Saturday evening during the “Horse & Symphony” concert, as well as on Soers Sunday. There was also an impressive performance by the Royal Mounted Guards from the CHIO partner country, Sweden. Pony riding and the different games and campaigns of the Rhenish Rural Youths proved extremely popular among the younger visitors. “What a charming day! It is fantastic that so many people followed our invitation and visited us at the Soers. I think after Soers Tuesday last year, many people were simply delighted to have ‘their’ Soers Sunday back again,” said a delighted Show Director, Frank Kemperman. “Soers Sunday” has been staged since 1998, however last year it was held on a Tuesday, because of the FEI European Championships.

This duo celebrated their last appearance at “Soers Sunday”: The cute Shetland ponies, Pepi and Coca, who achieved rather a cult status in the imperial city with their pony forecast of the outcome of the European Soccer Championship. For the Final, Pepi ultimately prophesied a victory for the “Les Bleus”. A feat that the French vaulting team already succeeded in pulling off in the afternoon during the “Prize of the Sparkasse” in the sold-out Albert-Vahle Arena!

The jumping begins at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 12^th with the public training for the show-jumpers, followed by the opening jumping competition, the STAWAG Prize and subsequently the Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup. The CHIO Opening Ceremony follows at 8.00 p.m., which will be festively opened by her Majesty, Queen Silvia of Sweden. Also on board: Many participants from the ranks of the partner country, Sweden, among others Måns Zelmerlöw, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015.