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PRESS RELEASE - 2nd September 2005
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Bettina & Britain favourites to win European Gold

A grand total of 18 countries will be represented when the best of Europe’s riders descend on Blenheim Palace this week for the FEI Blenheim Petplan European Eventing Championships.

Bookmakers have Great Britain as 13-8 favourites to win a record 6th consecutive team gold medal, on home ground, while Germany’s Bettina Hoy is 4-1 favourite to become individual European Champion for the second time.

Zara Phillips, who makes her debut on the senior British team, is an 8-1 shot with bookmakers Victor Chandler to emulate her mother The Princess Royal, who was European Champion in 1971.

The European title is one of few accolades to elude Britain’s William Fox-Pitt, who starts second favourite on Tamarillo at 6-1, followed by the flying Finn Piia Pantsu on Ypaja Karuso (7-1) and the Olympic Champions Leslie Law and Shear L’Eau are great value at 10-1. Defending European Champion Nicolas Touzaint from France is 14-1 on Hildago de l’Ile.

Ten nations will field teams, with Germany the second favourites at 7-4, followed by the reigning Olympic champions France (6-1). Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Poland and Portugal also contest the team medals.

Spectators can keep abreast of the action by purchasing a mini-radio with earpiece (£6) which offers expert commentary from Olympic dressage rider Carl Hester and former British eventing team member Kristina Cook.

Entrance is FREE after 3pm on Thursday and Friday for those who wish to take advantage of the fabulous shopping at over 200 quality stands.

For further betting prices, visit: www.vcbet.co.uk. (prices subject to fluctuation)

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Press Release, Wednesday September 7
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2005 Championships Get Underway

The FEI Blenheim Petplan European Eventing Championships got underway this afternoon with the first horse inspection in front of the ground jury of Martin Plewa (GER), Christian Landolt (SUI) and Judy Bradwell (GBR).

Sadly for Belgian rider Hendrik Degros, his horse Mr Noppus failed the inspection although with five combinations presented Belgium still have a team.

Ten teams are now forward to contest the championships, along with individuals sixty eight riders make up the start list from a total of 18 nations. The Austrian team have only three riders so will be hoping to keep all three in the competition for a final placing on Sunday.

The Swedish team have been drawn first in the order and their rider Dag Albert wears the ‘number one’ bib and will be first into the dressage arena tomorrow morning with Who’s Blitz at 9.30am. (Dag Albert (SWE) and Who's Blitz are pictured at the right in Wednesday's First Veterinary Inspection.)

British rider John Paul Sheffield and Crown Farm Consort will be the dressage ‘guinea pig’, to allow the ground jury to ‘get their eye in’.

The British team of Jeanette Brakewell (Over To You), William Fox-Pitt (Tamarillo), Zara Phillips (Toytown) and Leslie Law (Shear L’Eau) are eighth in the order.

Jeanette Brakewell and Over To You, who are making a record eighth appearance for the British team, will once again be the British trailblazer. Seven of the eight British individuals, Oliver Townend (Topping), Polly Stockton (Tom Quigley), Polly Jackson (Two For Joy), Matthew Wright (Park Pilot), Kitty Boggis (Five Boys), Daisy Dick (Spring Along) and Pippa Funnell (Ensign) all ride their dressage tests on Thursday. The eighth, James Robinson (Comanche) will be first in the arena on Friday.

The individual riders include Aistis Vitkauskas, the lone representative from Kernave, in Lithuania. Aistis and his horse Hojagerards Candis make an unusual combination – she is a Danish bred mare, one of nine mares in the competition. “To compete in England is a long time dream,” said Aistis. “Big” was his first reaction to the course. “But that is to be expected and we can only try our best but – it looks fantastic.”

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Year --Venue---------- Team Gold----------- Individual Gold
1953 - Badminton, GB; Great Britain; Major Laurence Rook/Starlight (GB)
1954 - Basle, Switzerland; Great Britain; Bertie Hill/Crispin (GB)
1955 - Windsor, GB; Great Britain; Major Frank Weldon/Kilbarry (GB)
1957 - Copenhagen, Denmark; Great Britain; Sheila Willcox/High And Mighty GB)
1959 - Harewood, GB; West Germany; Major Hans Schwarzenbach/Burnt Trout (SUI)
1962 - Burghley, GB; USSR; Capt James Templer/M’Lord Connelly (GB)
1965 - Moscow, USSR; USSR; Marian Babirecki/Volt (POL)
1967 - Punchestown, Ireland; Great Britain; Major Eddy Boylan/Durlas Eile (IRL)
1969 - Haras du Pin, France; Great Britain; Mary Gordon Watson/Cornishman V (GB)
1971 - Burghley, GB; Great Britain; HRH Princess Anne/Doublet (GB)
1973 - Kiev, USSR; West Germany; Alexander Evdokimov/Jeger (USSR)
1975 - Luhmuhlen, West Germany; USSR; Lucinda Prior-Palmer (now Green)/Be Fair (GB)
1977 - Burghley, GB; Great Britain; Lucinda Prior-Palmer (now Green)/George (GB)
1979 - Luhmuhlen, West Germany; Ireland; Nils Hagenson/Monaco (DEN)
1981 - Horsens, Denmark; Great Britain; Hansueli Schmutz/Oran (SUI)
1983 - Frauenfeld, Switzerland; Sweden; Rachel Bayliss/Mystic Minstrel (GB)
1985 - Burghley, GB; Great Britain; Virginia Holgate (now Elliot)/Priceless (GB)
1987 - Luhmuhlen, W Germany; Great Britain; Virginia Leng (now Elliot)/Night Cap ll (GB)
1989 - Burghley, GB; Great Britain; Virginia Leng (Elliot)/Master Craftsman (GB)
1991 - Punchestown, Ireland; Great Britain; Ian Stark/Glenburnie (GB)
1993 - Achselschwang, Germany; Sweden; Jean-Lou Bigot/Twist La Beige (FRA)
1995 - Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy [Open]; Great Britain; Lucy Thompson/Welton Romance (IRL) &
1997 - Burghley, GB [Open]; Great Britain; [Mark Todd/Broadcast News )NZ)]
Bettina Overesch (now Hoy)/Watermill Stream (GER)
1999 - Luhmuhlen, Germany; Great Britain; Pippa Funnell/Supreme Rock (GB)
2001 - Pau, France; Great Britain; Pippa Funnell/Supreme Rock (GB)
2003 - Punchestown, Ireland; Great Britain; Nicolas Touzaint/Galan de Sauvagere (FRA)

2005 FEI Blenheim Petplan European Eventing Championships 7th - 11th September 2005

2005 Definite Entries with Numbers Indicating Order of Go:

AUSTRIA

26. Heiden, Christoph - Ballyscartan Hero

51. Siegl, Harald - Nebelwerfer

68. Ambros, Harald - Miss Ferrari

BELGIUM

3. Van Rijckevorsel, Constantin - Withcote Nellie

15. De Jamblinne, Geoffroy - Iris W

19. Carl Bouckaert - Rampant Lion

44. Kooremans, Raf - Telstar

61. Donckers, Karin - Gormley

CROATIA

52. Puch, Pepo - Banville d’Ivoy

CZECH REPUBLIC

28. Tumpachova, Katerina - Inchagreine

56. Hatla, Jaroslav - Kyrenejennallas Boy

DENMARK

39. Flarup, Peter - Silver Ray

53. Moller, Malene - Patch

FINLAND

58. Pantsu, Piia - Ypaja Karuso

FRANCE

5. Viricel, Gilles - Blakring *Mili

21. Willefert, Didier - Escape Lane *Mili

30. Didier Dhennin - Ismene Du Temple

34. Bigot, Jean-Lou - Derby de Longueval

46. Boiteau, Arnaud - Expo du Moulin

63. Touzaint, Nicolas - Hildago de l’Ile

GERMANY

6. Warnecke, Anna - Twinkle Bee

22. Hoy, Bettina - Ringwood Cockatoo

36. Dibowski, Andreas - FRH Serve Well

40. Klimke, Ingrid, - Sleep Late

47. Romeike, Hinrich - Marius Voight-Logistik

64. Ostholt, Frank - Air Jordan

GREAT BRITAIN

8. *Brakewell, Jeanette - Over To You

10. Townend, Oliver - Topping (Individual)

11. Stockton, Polly - Tom Quigley (Individual)

12. Jackson, Polly - Two For Joy (Individual)

13. Wright, Matthew - Park Pilot (Individual)

14. Boggis, Kitty - Five Boys (Individual)

16. Dick, Daisy - Springalong (Individual)

24. *Fox-Pitt, William - Tamarillo

32. Funnell, Pippa - Ensign (Individual)

35. Robinson, James - Comanche (Individual)

49. *Phillips, Zara - Toytown

68.*Law, Leslie - Shear L’Eau

(Great Britain, as the host country, is permitted extra entries. Those with *'s compile the Team.)

IRELAND

2. Shortt, Susan - Just Beauty Queen

18. Ryan, Michael - Old Road

29. Wardell, Sarah - Test Flight

43. Evans, Jonty - Cregwarrior

54. Griffin, Niall - Lorgaine

60. Kyle, Mark - Drunken Disorderly

ITALY

7. Palli, Luisa - Axial l

23. Giugni, Alberto - The Nightflight

27. Deghe, Lisa - Narciso 2

48. Bordone, Susanna - Carrera III

65. Panizzon, Vittoria - Rock Model

LITHUANIA

41.Vitkauskas, Aistis - Hojagergards Candis

POLAND

9. Kazmierczak, Lukasz - Ostler

25. Rutkowski, Pawel - Fordanser

50. Krukowski, Jerzy - Donna Sara

67. Spisak, Pawel - Weriusz

PORTUGAL -

4. Mexia de Almeida, Frederico - Pegaso

20. Seabra, Duarte - Zebedee

45. Stillwell, Matilde - Jadel de Foja

62. Grave, Carlos - Laughton Hills

RUSSIA

33. Grishin, Andrey - Scampolo

SWEDEN

1. Albert, Dag - Who’s Blitz

17. Carlerback, Viktoria - Bally’s Geronimo

38. Norling, Katrin - Pandora Emm

42. Gallerdal, Magnus - Keymaster

55. Gronberg, Tobias Amaretto

59. Algotsson, Linda - My Fair Lady

SWITZERLAND

57. Eicher, Jennifer - Agent Mulder

UKRAINE

31. Senin, Andriy - Forsing

37. Tomochko, Nikolay - Elkasar

68 Riders, 18 Nations

Editor's Note: At Press Time not all countries' team members were available. This information will be added as soon as possible.

2005 FEI Blenheim Petplan European Eventing Championships 7th - 11th September, 2005