2014 Nordic Baltic Championship

Nordic Baltic Championship in Froland, Norway – 28th June

by Leonard Liesens

This year it was Norway's turn to welcome the Nordic Baltic Championship, after Estonia last year. This championship gathers the Scandinavian (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland) and Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania).

The Nordic Baltic is not only for endurance, as competitions of show jumping and dressage took place in the same province. The endurance event took place in the picturesque region of Froland, in the south of Norway ( enchanting lakes, rocks and forest).
The trail was challenging with gravel roads, forest pads and plenty of ups and downs. It hasn't rained in this part of Norway for weeks, so everything was dry as was the going in most of the course.

There were near fifty couple at the start of the two competitions: a CEI** of 120km for seniors and a CEI* of 80km for juniors.
Coached by the Belgian Leonard Liesens, the Norwegians clinched the gold medals in the two categories: juniors and seniors, team and individual. As the President (Per Anders Owren) and the Sport Manager of the Norwegian Federation were attending an endurance event for the first time, one couldn't dream about a better outcome for the day.

The CEI** was won by of one of the most experienced horse of Norway, Shah Nahim ridden by Vidar Ydstebo while the CEI*YR first place was won by Rita Eiesland riding Ka Piaget Virkku. Actually there were exactly the same horses winners as last year in Estonia.