The opening ceremony ©FEI

The FEI European Championships Aachen 2015 officially opened on Tuesday evening with a fantastic show in front of 40,000 spectators. A renowned guest spoke the special sentence: "Ladies and Gentleman, I hereby declare the FEI European Championships Aachen 2015 open." The Prime Minister of NRW, Hannelore Kraft, had the honour of giving the official starting orders for the biggest sporting event in Germany in 2015 in the famous Main Stadium.

The show for the exceptional Championships surprised the crowd with its colourful diversity that took the crowd on a journey through time reviewing the almost 120-year history of equestrian sport in Aachen. Fast-paced performances went hand in hand with surprise guests and perfect special effects. Around 1,000 participants and over 300 horses impressed the spectators in the sold-out stadium. Whether draught horse races, side-saddle riders, old-timers, Vespas or carriages – memories of long forgotten times were aroused. Sporting legends also put in an appearance on the "Holy Grass", providing goose-bump moments – Hans Günter Winkler together with Isabell Werth, Paul Schockemöhle with Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Michael Freund with Ludger Beerbaum, Nelson and Rodrigo Pessoa. Towards the end, there were standing ovations for everyone.

The huge state stud quadrille impressed with its absolute perfection. A celebrity rider was among their ranks, namely the Federal Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen. A hymn had been composed especially for the European Championships, which accompanied the parade of 30 flag bearers and 30 nation riders clad in imaginative costumes. After the presentation of the five European Championships disciplines in Aachen, there was a "finale furioso": The representation of the four elements fire, water, air and earth – with air acrobats, water fountains, drums, pyrotechnics and stunt riders. "Be part of it" is the motto of the FEI European Championships in Aachen. The atmosphere in the Main Stadium was the ultimate confirmation of this on Tuesday evening.

©FEI

©FEI

Source: media release from Aachen website