The FEI has committed to allocate European Championships in two Olympic disciplines – Jumping and Dressage – for 2021, both to German venues.
The FEI Jumping European Championship has been awarded to Riesenbeck, home-base of Barcelona 1992 Olympic champion Ludger Beerbaum, pending final confirmation from the Organiser. The Championships will be listed in the FEI Calendar to take place August 30 to September 4, 2021.
The FEI Dressage Championships 2021 was allocated to Hagen, host venue to major international events annually, also pending final confirmation from the Organiser. The Championships will be entered into the FEI Calendar for September 7-12, 2021.
The FEI Board, with the full support of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF), agreed that in view of the rescheduled Olympic and Paralympic Games and the huge amount of planning involved, if either of the venues is unable to host these Championships, the bid process for 2021 will not be re-opened.
Following the postponement of this year’s Tokyo Games to 2021, the FEI Board had previously ruled that European Championships in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines should not be held next year to allow the focus to be on Tokyo. However, the EEF and a number of European National Federations urged the FEI Board to review its decision.
“These Championships have really been a great example of the FEI, EEF, the German National Federation, the two Organisers and everyone else involved working together to accommodate the wishes of the European National Federations and the Athletes’ community to have these Championships next year,” said FEI President Ingmar DeVos. “I am particularly grateful for the valuable work done by the FEI Technical Committees and Calendar Task Forces.”
Sadly there will be no FEI European Eventing Championships in 2021 as the organisers that had put in expressions of interest to host the Championships subsequently withdrew from the process.
The FEI European Para Dressage Championships will also not take place in 2021 to allow athletes to focus on the Tokyo Paralympic Games.