World-class equestrian performances. Audience records and extensive media coverage. This week saw a triple up for the Danish World Cup in Herning. Some of the world’s top equipages competed for World Cup points, while the spectators also witnessed a range of other competitions like Almased Dressage Amateurs, small tour dressage and an international jumping competition.
The German top rider, Helen Langehanenberg came in third in the FEI Dressage World Cup with her 17-year-old stallion Damsey FRH. She is in Herning for the third time. Her first visit was at the FEI ECCO European Championships in 2013 where she had a ride of a life time with the winning German team:
- I really liked to be here at this event in Herning. The spectators are fantastic, and so is the venue. I would love to come back next year.
Participants, spectators and the organizers behind the grand event all agreed that World Cup Herning has become a permanent fixture. 2019 marked the third successive World Cup in the amazing setting in Jyske Bank Boxen and Messecenter Herning.
During the past three years, the organizers have steadily added new layers to the set-up and execution of the event, and today World Cup Herning is a top tier equestrian event in Northern Europe.
In 2013, Herning hosted the FEI ECCO European Championships, which earned the Danish organizers both international and national praise as a well-organized event. The championships became the starting point for World Cup Herning, a yearly festival for all horse and riding fans. The combination of World Cup dressage, pony-dressage, jumping competitions, foal-auctions as well as a large expo-area creates a wholesome family-outing during week 42, a Danish school holiday.
Equitour Aalborg, Danish Warmblood and the Danish Equestrian Federation are the organizers behind the event, and Herning Municipality, Sport Event Denmark and MCH A/S are partners. Jyske Bank Boxen and connected sites served as venue for the third consecutive time.
Quotes:
Jens Trabjerg, CEO, Sports Director, World Cup Herning
– We have had some great days with super sports, and we have seen a positive development in the number of spectators. We have noticed a significant increase in demand from foreign riders and among them more top riders who would like to ride in Herning. We have excellent opportunities to further develop our set-up utilizing the fantastic facilities in MCH Messecenter Herning. We are in the process of developing the event for 2020 based on the experience we gained in previous years.
Som arrangør er det berigende, at vi sammen med engagerede frivillige, velvillige sponsorer og gode samarbejdspartnere, kan være med til at bidrage til, vi kan fejre en national sejr for tredje år i træk på hjemmebane i Jyske Bank Boxen
– As an organizer, it is enriching that we together with volunteers, sponsors, and partners can contribute to the celebration of a national victory for the third consecutive year in Jyske Bank Boxen. Hopefully, we have created a tradition, where top positions for the domestic riders are part of that tradition in both disciplines. The dressage and jumping have raised the bar, and we are pleased to contribute to the positive development by giving the riders the best settings to perform and develop.
Lars Krarup, Mayor, Herning Municipality
– With World Cup Herning we have established a very nice tradition that fits our goal to become a center for equestrian events in Northern Europe. I am very happy with the trust shown to Herning Municipality by the organizers and would like to thank MCH and Sport Event Denmark for the cooperation. Whenever we host large events, it is a part of a larger strategy to showcase Herning Municipality as a good place to settle, live and work, as well as a nice place to spend your spare time. I think we have managed that wonderfully with World Cup Herning.
Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark
– It is very nice to see how World Cup Herning through the past three years has established itself as a permanent fall-break fixture and how the audience has embraced the event. Sport Event Denmark has been part of the journey since the 2013 European Championships in Herning, and along the way we have accumulated valuable experience together with the other partners.
Ulf Helgstrand, President of the Danish Equestrian Federation
– The Dressage World Cup in Herning was the third of its kind, and it keeps getting better and better for riders, horses, partners and not least the audience. It is a fantastic setting that also allows our riders an opportunity to compete at the highest international level. The 2020 Olympics are getting close, and our gross squad in dressage must show their finest to make the Olympic team. The large jumping classes also offer valuable experience for our showjumpers. It looks like we may qualify a show jumper for the Olympics for the first time since Athens in 2004. The Danish equestrian sport is doing well, and events like this provide the optimal preparation. Thank you to all partners who make this possible in the interest of all. The growing interest is obvious in the ticket sales – A figure that speaks for itself.
Georg Sørensen, CEO, MCH (Venue)
– Impressive and inspiring are the hallmarks of this event. That goes for the achievements of the athletes as well as the organizers’ ability to enhance the experience for the participants, the exhibitors and the many guests. A heartfelt thank you to the organizers in Danish Warmblood, Equitour Aalborg and the Danish Equestrian Federation for creating a fall-tradition here in Herning, and thank you to the participants for riveting performances, says Georg Sørensen, director of MCH who also directs a large thank you to the exhibitors and the many thousands of guest from Denmark and abroad who have visited MCH during the event.
About World Cup Herning:
FEI World Cup Herning is organized by Danish Warmblood, the Danish Equestrian Federation and Equitour Aalborg in cooperation with Sport Event Denmark, Herning Municipality and MCH. The World Cup was held in week 42 in Jyske Bank Boxen. The Event consisted of FEI World Cup Dressage, Almased Dressage Amateurs, Dressage small tour classes and an international showjumping tournament with CSI*** and CSI*, as well as a foal auction, a show-night and a large exhibition.
By the numbers:
2 indoor competitive courses with 5000 seats combined (720 in Blue Hors Arena M + 4225 in Jyske Bank Boxen)
Visitors
this year: 21.329 (2018: 19.781)
65 exhibitors
250 volunteers
400 riders
700 horses