The OPENING CEREMONY presented by INNSiDE Hotels was everything promised in advance: a vibrant fiesta! The world hits of the German/Spanish singer, Alvaro Soler, were the perfect prelude of a magnificent evening full of Spanish flair, which radiated regal splendour thanks to the royal visit of Her Royal Highness, Elena von Borbón.

With his world hits “Sofia” and “Regalo” – the English word for “Gift” – Alvaro Soler transformed the sold-out Main Stadium in Aachen into a pulsating festival arena. This evening really was a gift for everyone present: the first chords had hardly rung out, before the spectators all jumped up out of their seats, singing and dancing and the sea of waving flags formed the perfect setting to welcome Her Royal Highness, Infanta Elena von Borbón of Spain. Led by the Guardia Civil, who played the Spanish national anthem in honour of their special guest, the sister of King Felipe VI. entered the Main Stadium together with the State Premier of NRW, Hendrik Wüst. “It is a great honour to represent my homeland Spain in this fantastic setting,” the representative of the Spanish Royal family said, before officially declaring the CHIO Aachen 2025 as being open, to the delight of the spectators. What followed was a spectacular, floodlit Opening Ceremony, which inspired the guests with many typical Spanish highlights and plenty of joie de vivre.

“Hola España” – the motto of the evening was omnipresent: on the stands, on the legendary Holy Grass and in every beaming smile. The partner country Spain presented traditional show acts, fiery Flamenco dancers and – of course – plenty of horses, demonstrating masterfully how it is possible to combine century-old customs with modern lifestyle. Numerous typical Spanish horse breeds galloped over the grass and created a unique flair. Kenzie Dysli and Laury Tisseur enchanted the crowd with their liberty dressage, whilst the ensemble of the Córdoba Ecuestre that had travelled to the Soers especially for the occasion, filled the Main Stadium with an impressive atmosphere with its quadrille, accompanied by Don Quijote and Sancho Panza, magnificent carriages and the captivating Working Equitation Show Cup.

A hint of magic was in the air in the arena when over 30 children set a powerful sign of hope and solidarity with their moving portrayal of Pablo Picasso’s dove of peace. The daring human pyramids that the young and old artists built up to the sky metre by metre advanced into the crowd’s favourite. That was spectacular! The festive parade of all participants accompanied by Alvaro Soler’s “La Cintura” and a colourful fireworks display that immersed Aachen night sky into a sparkling sea of light formed the crowning glory. And the crowd? They carried on celebrating for a while longer and danced to further world hits that Alvaro Soler spontaneously performed after the end of the official programme. “I knew that the CHIO Aachen is a huge, super event, but I didn’t expect this. It really was awesome,” the Spanish world star commented after his encores in the sold-out Main Stadium.

Tickets are still available for all days from the hotline on +49-(0)241-917-1111, from the box office and from the online shop.