Together with Frank Kemperman, Vice President of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennvereins (ALRV), and Nick Russell, Consul General of the United Kingdom, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne set off on a tour of the traditional showgrounds at the Aachen Soers on Wednesday morning.

A passion for the equestrian sport and horse breeding is very deep rooted within the royal family. Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne herself became the youngest European Eventing Champion in 1971, her daughter, Zara Tindall, won individual gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games 2006 in Aachen – and her mother was there live to support her. Now 17 years later The Princess has returned to the Aachen Soers. After the festive Opening Ceremony on Tuesday evening, during which HRH officially declared the CHIO Aachen as being open, she came back to the traditional showgrounds on Wednesday morning. Accompanied by Frank Kemperman, the Vice President of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein (ALRV), and Nick Russell, the Consul General of the United Kingdom, she spent approx. three hours at the Aachen Soers taking a look behind the scenes.

The Princess visited the Boehringer Ingelheim Grooms’ Lounge, where Mel Jobst, board member of the International Grooms Association (IGA); and board member of the ALRV, Birgit Rosenberg; told her about the details of this area that was set up especially for the grooms. After a tour of the stables, they took a look round the Deutsche Bank Stadium. Here HRH met the chefs d’equipe of the British jumping and dressage teams, Di Lampard and Caroline Griffith, as well as the Executive, British Equine, Jim Eyre. Princess Anne took this opportunity to wish her country’s riders present including the three-time Olympic gold medallist, Charlotte Dujardin, the double World Champion Charlotte Fry and Olympic gold medallist, Ben Maher, good luck for the coming days at the CHIO Aachen 2023.

On the subsequent tour around the CHIO Aachen Village, HRH dropped by at the CHIO Aachen fan shop and the CHIO Kids Day, then the Royal visitor met up with team that is responsible for the jumping discipline at the CHIO Aachen. The course designer, Frank Rothenberger; Discipline Manager, Carsten Rothermund and employees of the course team were present. Of course a drive around the expansive cross-country track at the Aachen Soers couldn’t possibly have been missing for a former eventer. The course designer, Rüdiger Schwarz; the technical delegate of the FEI, Giuseppe della Chiesa and chef d’equipe of the British eventers, Richard Waygood were waiting for The Princess at a water obstacle, where she expertly measured the distances.

The tour ended with a reception in the CHIO Aachen museum, where Princess Anne signed the guest book in the presence of the ALRV President, Stefanie Peters. She was then introduced to the employees of the CHIO Aachen team, and Dr. Doris Beaujean, CHIO Aachen Museum Director, presented a selection of special exhibits. HRH was particularly impressed at coming across the riding helmet of her daughter Zara Tindall, which she had worn on her way to winning the gold medal at the World Equestrian Games in 2006.