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Aachen, May 27th, 2008

CHIO Aachen begins in exactly one month's time
International equestrian sport elite to compete - new opening hours for ticket sales

On Tuesday, only 71 tickets were still left for the show-jumping competitions of the final day and exactly one ticket for the Nations' Cup of the vaulters: One month before the CHIO Aachen 2008 starts (June 27th - July 6th) the organisers are extremely satisfied with the preparations. Once again the world's best of the equestrian scene will be travelling to the Soers, there will be numerous TV live broadcasts as well as over 340 hours of TV reports in countries all over the globe. Prominent guests from the worlds of politics, business, sports and show business have already announced their attendance. For example the Federal Chancellor, Angela Merkel, will be present at the official Opening Ceremony on July 1st, (5 p.m.) and the Federal President, Horst Köhler, will be there to watch the Mercedes-Benz Nations' Cup, which is part of the Samsung Super League, under floodlight on Thursday evening, July 3rd. "The ticket sales are going excellently," commented Michael Mronz, General Manager of the Aachener Reitturnier GmbH. As a result the opening hours of the ticket sales will be extended from Saturday onwards: Tickets will be available from the telephone hotline +49-(0)241-917-1111, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year the budget of the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen, encompasses 10.3 million Euros, the overall prize-money of the five disciplines totals 1.67 million Euros. The competition with the highest amount of prize-money, namely 350,000 Euros, is the ROLEX Grand Prix, Grand Prix of Aachen. "Of course the best equestrian athletes will be taking part," said Show Director, Frank Kemperman. Especially since many nations will be taking their final decisions regarding their respective Olympic teams in Aachen.

After certain points of criticism last year the programme has also be revised. For example the Opening Ceremony, featuring the partner country Russia, is to be "given more pep and a higher pace," explained Kemperman. "Following the motto: More action, less talking." Furthermore, the Saturday evening (July 5th) has been upgraded with further sporting events. Among others the spectacular jumping competition over ditches and banks, the Prize of the Sparkasse, will be staged in the main stadium. "Particularly the floodlit events go down very well with the audience," explained Mronz. "As a result of the changes to the programme 75% of the seats in the main stadium have already been booked for Saturday evening."

Mronz further commented that if the sport is made attractive enough, the TV channels also show increased interest. "For example the Mercedes-Benz Nations' Cup on the Thursday evening at the CHIO is going to be broadcast live on ZDF for the first time ever." Also the prolongation of the programme - the CHIO has been extended to span ten days by pulling the vaulting programme forward to the first weekend - is also paying off as far as media coverage is concerned. Among others ZDF will be showing detailed reports on the world's first Vaulting Nations' Cup, to be held on Sunday, June 29th. Further highlights of the CHIO Aachen will also include the DHL Prize of the eventers with the spectacular cross-country course on Saturday. Equestrian fans can once again follow the course virtually per internet in short (www.chioaachen.de). The Aachen-based company no monochrom has placed the course on the web.

The accompanying programme is also very diverse this year. Namely, the Sunday at the Soers show programme will be held at the show ground for families on Sunday, June 29th, and on Friday, July 4th, (6 p.m.) the second CHIO Auction presenting European top horses will be held in the Albert-Vahle Arena. The auction will be broadcast live online. Furthermore, under the motto "Moments of Luck" donations will be collected once again during the course of the CHIO for the German Curatorship for Therapeutic Riding and the Association for Sports for the Disabled.

Ticket-Hotline: +241-917-11 11.