The success of the Haflinger Europachampionat 2009 has exceeded all expectations: Participants, viewers and the hosting federation alike were greatly impressed by the excellent atmosphere on the premises of the tournament and the professional organisation of the event which allowed for the tournament to run as smooth as possible.
Together with the European Federation of Haflinger Horse Breeders, the Provincial Federation of South Tyrol Haflinger Horse Breeders has successfully managed to create a thoroughly positive and pleasant ambience which emphasised the motto of the tournament:
At home in South Tyrol - Welcome home!
During three whole days dedicated entirely to the Haflinger horse, an enthusiastic crowd of Haflinger fans cheered a large number of competitions in which the breed put their impressive versatility to the test.
As one breeder excitedly stated, "it is simply wonderful to see how diverse a Haflinger can be!", it was the host's main intention to show the many sides and talents of the pretty blondes.
Norbert Rier with Amsterdam during the parade of the nations
l.to r.: Roland Morat (President FISE South Tyrol ), Walter Oberhofer (Chairman Prov. Fed. of South Tyrol Haflinger Horse Breeders), Dr. Gerhard Rainer (Chairman European Federation of Haflinger Horse Breeders), Michael Gruber (Director Prov. Fed. of South Tyrol Haflinger Horse Breeders) and Konrad Grünberger (President Italian National Haflinger Horse Breeders Association)
International events of such a large scale are a key aspect of successful and progressive breeding, as Haflinger fans from all over the continent get an insight into other breeders' and athletes' activities and developments and a chance to share and benefit from their experiences. This transnational exchange thus continues to play a significant role, and the tournament in Merano/Meran has proven how the passion for sports unites people and creates crucial bonds which are essential in breeding too, but - as experience has shown - much more difficult to achieve.
It is therefore not surprising that a breeders' association may be leading in organising and hosting a sports event of this importance, since the athletic success of a breed can serve as a key platform for presenting the achieved breeding progress and success.
The broad variety of disciplines offered in Merano/Meran has once more contributed to stressing the versatility of the breed which originated not far from the tournament location, in the small village of Sluderno/Schluderns.
The viewers visibly enjoyed the sight of strong Haflinger horses which seemed to virtually fly over the obstacles of the show-jumping contests as well as elegant and sophisticated horses in the dressage tests and athletically agile ones in the driving disciplines. Strong nerves and endurance were needed in the eventing competitions, and energetic and powerful Haflinger horses dominated the Western riding disciplines, while speedy gallop races and light-stepped trot races provided the right amount of adrenaline. The 2009 European Haflinger Championship has managed to unite athletes from all over Europe in a weekend filled with fair contests:
More than 270 participants from 10 countries near and far made their way to Merano/Meran - and many of them even brought along their enthusiastic fan community for steadfast and passionate support.
Norbert Rier hand the Haflinger Europachampionat over to the Czech Republic
All this fervour created a fantastic atmosphere during not only the competitions but also the evening events: the Country Night on Friday and the South Tyrolean Evening on Saturday, organised in collaboration with the local lifestyle magazine INSüdtirol and the Export Organization South Tyrol (EOS), were a true success.
On Sunday, during the grand finale of the tournament, the new European Champions were awarded their well-deserved title in a splendid ceremony in which the host also handed over the European flag to the delegation from the Czech Republic, where in 2012 the next European Haflinger Championship is scheduled to take place.
On Sunday, during the grand finale of the tournament, the new European Champions were awarded their well-deserved title in a splendid ceremony in which the host also handed over the European flag to the delegation from the Czech Republic, where in 2012 the nextEuropean Haflinger Championship is scheduled to take place.
