Just Under a Week Until European Para-Dressage Championships

Next week about 80 riders, representing 19 countries will compete in the European Paralympic Dressage Championships CPEDI from 1 to 4 September 2011, in Moorsele, Belgium.

The competition takes place at the Quadrille Para Equestrian Club, which is world-renowned for its international events.

Germany and Denmark are expected to dominate the individual events, especially since Great Britain’s nine-time Paralympic Gold medallist Lee Pearson and Beijing silver medalist Ricky Balshaw are not competing because of injuries.

“Due to the absence of Pearson and Balshaw, outsiders Germany, who finished second at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, and Denmark, who came in third, have a golden opportunity for taking the European title,” said Quadrille’s board member Anne d’Ieteren, a former Olympic Dressage rider and President of the Belgian Paralympic Committee.

Belgium also has a strong team and d’Ieteren says they have good medal chances.

“Bert Vermeir, bronze medallist in Athens 2004, should be considered a serious candidate for the Grade III medals. Despite having suffered a severe injury in Deauville 4 months ago, the same applies for José Lorquet in his come-back in Grade Ib. Moreover, I hope Ciska Vermeulen, one of our rough Belgian diamonds, will wow in her first European Championship participation.” said d’Ieteren.