For 26 years, the CHIO Aachen and Lambertz have been jointly organising the Media Night, which well-known celebrities from the world of sports, business and politics traditionally travel to the Aachen Soers for. The sole proprietor of the “Aachener Printen- und Schokoladenfabrik Henry Lambertz“ welcomes countless famous guests on the red carpet together with the ALRV President, Stefanie Peters, year after year.

Mr. Bühlbecker, tomorrow the CHIO Aachen 2024 officially opens with the Opening Ceremony and the Media Night. What are you looking forward to most this year?

Hermann Bühlbecker: I am looking forward to it finally getting started again! And we are particularly delighted that the Media Night has experienced such a positive development over all the years. I can recall what it was like in the early days, 27 years ago, this evening has grown incredibly since then and we have already experienced many special moments with fantastic guests. I enjoy looking back on last year, for example, with Great Britain as the partner country and Princess Anne as our guest, that really was wonderful!

What kind of an event are you expecting this year?

Bühlbecker: It is going to be an interesting evening again this year, because the focus lies on the communication between politicians, business, sport and show business. This combination is the decisive point. I am fortunate enough to greet around 1,000 guests and I find it important that the whole spectrum of society is portrayed on such an evening. That is precisely the charm of it, when musicians, actors, well-known influencers come together with business directors, officials and athletes. The Media Night is a networking platform. And finally, as so frequently, it is sport that brings people together.

The USA is the partner country of the CHIO Aachen this year. What ties do you have personally with the land of unlimited opportunities?

Bühlbecker: With Lambertz we have a good relationship to America. And since our products represent part of German’s cultural heritage, we have also had a connection to American Presidents for decades. Because Chancellors and Federal Presidents like to present them as gifts. We then receive thank you letters from the Presidents. Joe Biden recently wrote that he was amazed to learn that the company Lambertz is older than the USA. Germany is steeped in tradition and that impresses Americans immensely. In terms of equestrian sport, America is, of course, one of the big nations, and here at the Media Night we are able to welcome American celebrities again and again. In short: And ideal partner country!

How do you spend the rest of the week, once the Media Night is over?

Bühlbecker: I look forward to many great sports competitions, especially the Lambertz Nations’ Cup, naturally. But overall I simply look forward to the whole show, because it is a place of encounter. We have glamour here like on Tuesday, but also a general public that is enthusiastic about the equestrian sport and which loves this CHIO. The opportunity of encounters with riders and horses is something that distinguishes the show and makes it so popular. One is simply close to the happenings! The ALRV and the CHIO Aachen have succeeded splendidly in continuing to make the show experienceable.