The 2011 European Eventing Championships will be held at Luhmühlen Horse Trials in Germany.
The venue in the Luneburg Heath area in northern Germany successfully fought off competition from Great Britain, Sweden and Poland to host the event.
Julia Otto, managing director of the horse trials committee at Luhmühlen said: “We’re thrilled that the [International Equestrian Federation] FEI has placed its trust in us. We will be planning quite a challenge.”
It will be the fifth time that the European Championships will have taken place in Germany and the first time since 1999, when the event also took place at Luhmühlen.
As host nation, Germany will have the added advantage of being able to field twice as many riders as any other nation. Host nations at European Champonships can field eight individuals (other nations have two), as well as their four team members.
Andreas Dibowski, a member of the winning German eventing team at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong, said: “Winning at the Olympics has given me such a huge impulse that I am planning to continue my career until London 2012.
“And of course the European Championships taking place in Luhmühlen, just around the corner from my yard, is an additional motivation.
“Up to now I’ve been unable to secure an individual medal at championship level and this could be the chance to fulfil my dream.”
German team trainer Hans Melzer said Germany is hoping this will be a good opportunity not only for developments in the region but for the country’s young riders.
Mr Melzer said: “The European Championships 2011 will be especially interesting for the younger riders. It will be a huge target for them to aim for and it’s an unbelievable chance for us.”
