Belgium: Mont le Soie to organize the European but also the World Championships for Young Riders

www.endurance-belgium.com
Leonard Leisens

The European Championship in Mont Le Soie is nothing really new for well-informed people. Many have already been informed that Pierre Arnould — Director of the Equestrian Centre of Mont Le Soie— was concocting something special in order to regain prestige for the Belgian Endurance on the international scene. On another subject, referring to the governmental crisis taking place in Belgium since more than 200 days, it is high time for Belgium to generally regain prestige. If things go like some are dreaming in their extreme dreams —or nightmares, depending— we could end up with two Belgian Teams, one in 'Black and Yellow, The Flanders Lion' and the other in 'Red and Yellow, the Walloon Rooster'.

Anyway…

Mont Le Soie has applied for the organization of the European Championships for Young Riders in 2012. The event will take place on 8th September 2012.

But there is more!

As anyone knows, Brazil threw the towel and had to withdraw its offer to organize the Young Riders World Championships. We have no intention of offending the Brazilian organizers or our South American friends, but one has to admit that holding a World Championship outside Europe is a kind of 'Mission: Impossible". Because who —with the exception of France and even as France didn't send any representatives to Argentina two years ago— will be able to ship a team to South America?

So, as Mont Le Soie was feeling ready with the organization of the European Championship, the idea of applying for the World Championships germinated.

The Belgian Federation is fully supporting the project and has recently sent his official candidature to the FEI. Beside Mont Le Soie, Compiègne is also interested. France has already received the organisation of the European Championship at Florace this year. So this will maybe tip the balance in favour of Mont Le Soie.

Because Mont Le Soie has many cards in its game:

· The venue of the Equestrian Centre in the heart of Europe have no cause to be envious of anybody. An full size indoor arena of 30x60m, a huge and top quality outdoor arena of 60x80m, an additional working arena of 20x40m, a cross track of 4km, a canter training track of 2km. All of that inside a park of 50 hectares, so enough space to have paddocks, turning-out area, closed stables, parkings…

...more at http://www.endurance-belgium.com/chroniques/mls-europe/mls-europe.htm