The definite entries for the Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships and the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships are now finalised, with 20 countries confirming their participation in both disciplines.
The ECCO FEI European Championships, which take place in Herning (DEN) from 20 to 25 August, will be the first European Championships to host Para-Dressage alongside Dressage and Jumping.
The Dressage start list will have a total of 69 riders, with 15 National Federations entering full teams. The countries bidding for team medals are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Five nations will be represented by individuals: Armenia, Ireland, Poland, Russia and Ukraine.
Great Britain took its first team gold at the 2011 Championships in Rotterdam (NED), where home favourite Adelinde Cornelissen took the two individual titles when winning both the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle.
The start list for Para-Dressage has 62 riders from 20 countries. A total of 12 nations will field full teams: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Russia. The eight National Federations sending individuals are Belarus, Czech Republic, Israel, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden.
At the 2011 Championships in Moorsele (BEL), Great Britain won eight of the 11 gold medals on offer, including the team title, with only Pepo Puch (AUT), Hannelore Brenner (GER) and Stinna Kaastrup (DEN) preventing a British whitewash.