Dressage and Jumping stars from 29 nations will be competing in d’Ornano Stadium in Caen (FRA) from June 23-26 in the final test events before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 get underway in Normandy on August 23rd.

The 18-strong line-up of Dressage athletes from 12 nations includes Great Britain’s Carl Hester, team gold medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Danish team bronze medallist at Beijing 2008 Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, and Christian Brühe, the Dressage trailblazer for Palestine, which will be one of 14 countries in Normandy competing for the first time at the FEI World Equestrian Games™.

A total of 50 Jumping athletes from 24 nations will also compete in the d’Ornano Stadium next week. They include France’s Patrice Delaveau, currently sixth in the Longines Rankings, and Raena Leung, winner of last year’s FEI World Cup™ Jumping China league and Hong Kong’s first rider to qualify for the prestigious series Final.

Morocco, debuting at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ debut this summer, will be represented by five athletes including Abdelkebir Ouaddar, who competed in his first Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Lyon in April. South Korea, also making its first appearance at this year’s Games, will be represented by Jae-Hong Park, team silver medallist at the 2006 Asian Games.

Games simulation

The d’Ornano Stadium, home to Ligue 1 football club Malherbe Caen, and which has welcomed millions of fans over the years to high profile international football matches, will host the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 three Olympic disciplines of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing’s Jumping phase, as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games.

The Test Events, as with those held for Eventing, Endurance and Driving last August, are simulations enabling the Normandy Organising Committee to finalise plans for the Games. The FEI’s National Federations will also be seeing d’Ornano Stadium in its equestrian configuration for the first time, allowing for vital feedback to the Organising Committee in the final countdown to the Games.

The competitions will take place over four days, with the Dressage CDI3* on 23 and 24 June, and the Jumping CSI2* on June 25-26:

• Monday June 23: 13.00 – Dressage Grand Prix
• Tuesday June 24: 08.00 – Dressage Grand Prix Special; 12.30 – Dressage Freestyle
• Wednesday June 25: 10.00 – Jumping Competition 1 (1m35); 14.00 – Jumping Competition 2 (1m40)
• Thursday June 26: 09.00 – Jumping Competition 3 (1m40); 13.00 – Jumping Grand Prix (1m45)

Fans and tickets

Fans will be able to attend a day of Jumping on 25 June for free, choosing between the morning (10.00 – 13.00) and afternoon (14.00 – 17.00) sessions. The invitation can be downloaded on the event website http://ticket.normandy2014.com (special promotional code: EP2014) and collected at the venue. Fans attending will also have the opportunity to buy Games tickets with a special 20% discount on the day.

Test strategy

Laurent Cellier, Sports Director at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 Organising Committee, explained that his strategy for the Test Events was coloured by the natural rhythm of the equestrian calendar. He said: “The events are being staged on week days to enable the champions to get in some riding between two major competitions in Europe. Most importantly, we were keen not to stage our events on dates overlapping historic competitions, like the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in Rotterdam. We respect tradition in Normandy!”

Global Games

“The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 will see a record number of nations taking part,” explained Ingmar De Vos, FEI Secretary General, “with 14 competing for the first time at these Games, demonstrating the increased globalisation of equestrian sport and the popularity of this flagship event.

“We’re now just 62 days away from the start of the Games in Normandy, when we will have 15 days of absolutely top equestrian sport. We’re counting down the days to these incredible Games.”