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Aachen, June 23, 2008

CHIO Aachen starts this Friday
200,000 tickets already sold - 95 hours of sport in five disciplines

A few days before the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen starts (June 27th - July 6th, 2008), everything is running according to plan at the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein (ALRV), the organisers of the event. Once again the best equestrian athletes and their horses will be competing at the Soers, once again there will be a diversified accompanying programme, once again hundreds of journalists and especially WDR will be reporting on the show in detail. "The CHIO here in Aachen is an event of international renown, and we are very grateful to the ALRV for their excellent work," Aachen's Lord Mayor, Dr. Jürgen Linden, said on Monday at the Press Conference in the City's Town Hall. "In 2008 our show spans over a period of ten days including two weekends for the first time in more than 40 years," explained Klaus Pavel, Chairman of the ALRV Supervisory Board. "We can hardly wait for the event to start on Friday with the vaulting competitions."

The 200,000th ticket has long since been sold, "a figure which we hadn't reached until three days before the show started last year," Michael Mronz, Managing Partner of the Aachener Reitturnier GmbH, adding that the pre-sales were "running excellently". And yet due to the extended capacity of the past years, tickets for almost all days are still available and can be ordered by phone on +49-(0)241-917-1111 or online at www.chioaachen.de.

The budget of the CHIO Aachen lies at 10.3 million Euros, the overall prize-money totals 1.67 million Euros. As a result the Show Director, Frank Kemperman, is glad to be able to announce a top quality starting field. In total 473 horses and almost 300 equestrian athletes from 26 nations will be participating in the five disciplines jumping, dressage, eventing, driving and vaulting. "Including the absolute world elite," Kemperman said. "Because many nations are intending to nominate their teams for the Olympic Games here." 95 hours of sports will be offered over the ten days of the show. The show-jumping favourites include the German riders Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Ludger Beerbaum, Christian Ahlmann, Heinrich-Hermann Engemann and Marco Kutscher. In both the Samsung Super League competition, the Mercedes-Benz Nations' Cup under floodlight (Thursday, July 3rd, 7 p.m.) and in the ROLEX Grand Prix, the Grand Prix of Aachen (Sunday, July 6th, 12.30 p.m.). The national coach, Kurt Gravemeier is looking ahead to the competitions with confidence: "The performances of the team have been consistently good. Of course, we do hope to be able to win at home here in Aachen again."

The dressage competitions are also the qualifier for one of three tickets to the Olympic Games for Nadine Capellmann too. "I presently see myself as Germany's number two behind Isabell Werth," the local matador remarked confidently. "But the CHIO is something particularly special for me. When things weren't going too well at the start of the German Championships in Balve, I was just as worried about perhaps not being part of the team in Aachen, as in Hong Kong." The Dutch team on the other hand is avoiding the Germans at the CHIO just a few weeks prior to Hong Kong. "That is typical dressage politics," Kemperman commented regarding his fellow countrymen, the Dutch. So, Isabell Werth, Spécial and Team World Champion, must be top favourite to win the Deutsche Bank Prize.

Further highlights of the CHIO Aachen 2008 will be the cross-country competition of the eventers, the DHL Prize, as well as the Wohnwelt Pallen Marathon of the drivers on Saturday, July 5th, which will both take place on the meadows of the Soers. "Unfortunately, Zara Phillips has had to withdraw from the tournament, because the World Eventing Champion's horse, Toytown, is injured," said Kemperman.

Furthermore, this year's partner country Russia, will be taking part in the events of the CHIO supporting programme, among others during Soers Sunday, presented by WARSTEINER (Sunday, June 29th, 1 p.m.) or during the official Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, July 1st (5 p.m.). When the German national equestrian team will present their song for the Olympic Games - as a world premiere: "The Golden Riders" together with Joachim Witt. It is not just possible to watch top horses live at the CHIO, they are also up for sale there: At the CHIO Auction on Friday, July 4th, (6 p.m.).

Mercedes Benz has already been supporting equestrian sport in Aachen since 1954, and we are now able to announce that the company has extended its contract as General Sponsor of the CHIO by three years. "The CHIO Aachen has stood for continuity and reliability for decades," said Michael Mronz. "This only works if you have got a strong partner. We are thus extremely grateful to Mercedes Benz for their commitment." Matthias Hindemith, Director of the Aachen Mercedes-Benz branch, emphasised that the "CHIO is a strong brand, which constantly develops itself further, a fact which one simply has to congratulate the city for." His company has once again placed 40 cars at the show's disposal for its chauffeur service. Hindemith symbolically handed over the key to Klaus Pavel in Aachen's market square.

WDR has also been supporting the CHIO as its long-time media partner, and their presenter Sabine Hartelt once again promised to provide comprehensive coverage. "WDR will be reporting about the CHIO on TV, radio and internet." The TV coverage will include dynamic camera shots from the "Spidercam", this year around 1000 minutes of moving images will be on view. WDR 2 will also be on location with many live reports, the WDR-Studio Aachen will particularly be covering regional aspects - for instance in their programme covering local reports. The CHIO organisers have accredited over 450 journalists from all over the world this year. "We are delighted that the Mercedes-Benz Nations' Cup as part of the Samsung Super League on Thursday evening will be broadcast live on ZDF for the first time," Mronz noted.

And in addition to the sporting highlights on TV, the show will also no doubt be visited by plenty of celebrities. As well as politicians such as the Federal President Horst Köhler and Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, also decision-makers from the economy sector, her Highness Begum Aga Khan and show business stars have already confirmed their attendance - such as Veronica Ferres or Germany's Next Top Model Jennifer Hof.

Opening Hours ALRV previous to the CHIO 2008:
Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sat. 10 - 2 p.m.
Ticket-Hotline: +49-241-917-1111