When on Thursday evening the floodlights are switched on, the spectators flood into the Main Stadium and you can feel the tension in the air at the Soers, traditionally one of the absolute highlights of the CHIO Aachen is about to commence: the Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup. Anyone, who has ever experienced this ‘international game’ of the show-jumpers live, is fascinated by the fantastic atmosphere, but also by the fairness of the fans. 40,000 in number, they hold their breath when the pole rocks, but doesn’t fall and they cheer every horse and rider that reaches the finish line clear. Standing ovations, rhythmic applause and a sea of waving flags all-inclusive.

Mercedes-Benz has partnered this worldwide famous class now since 1981 already. However, the car manufacturer from Stuttgart’s commitment at the World Equestrian Festival reaches much further back than that. The luxury automobile brand was already represented with an advertisement in the programme in the 1920s, when the first events were staged on the “racetrack at Soerserweg near Aachen”. The CHIO Aachen and Mercedes-Benz, they were already a fantastic match back then and still are today. A perfect partnership that grew together from a joint passion: the fascination for horsepower. And in this way Mercedes-Benz has been part of the CHIO Aachen since its inception through to this very day, initially with advertisements placed by the local subsidiary and since 1954 as an official sponsor and for some time now as the General Sponsor.

And that is not all: Today, the luxury automobile brand is omnipresent at the traditional showgrounds. For example, not only is one of the stands in the Main Stadium named after it: the Mercedes-Benz Stand, the company has also been responsible for providing the shuttle service for athletes and guests at the CHIO Aachen since the 1990s. And the exhibition space in the CHIO Aachen Village, right next to the main entrance, is traditionally a classic and a crowd-puller.

Whereby for Mercedes-Benz it is not only the reputation of Germany’s biggest sporting event that is decisive for the unique partnership: “What distinguishes the CHIO Aachen, has not changed over the course of time and is a perfect fit with our company,” explained the Chief Executive Officer of the Mercedes-Benz Group, Ola Källenius. “The permanent strive for further development, combined with sensitivity for tradition and values, plus that special atmosphere, the proximity to the spectators that one senses every day at the grounds. That is unique.” And the crowd will definitely create that magnificent atmosphere on the evening of July 4^th again. Namely when the floodlight is switched on in the Main Stadium and the Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup begins.