The Danube Source Round the Horse
70 Years of CHI Donaueschingen: A Celebration of Equestrian Sports and Tradition
49 competitions, three disciplines, nearly 20 nations, parade, exhibition, children's area, foal auction – the 70th anniversary of the International S. D. Prince Joachim zu Fürstenberg Memorial Tournament in the Princely Fürstenberg Castle Park Donaueschingen couldn't be celebrated in a more colorful, sporty, and social manner. Just as all of Paris revolved around the Olympic Games for two weeks, so will the city of the Danube source revolve around horses from September 12 to 15.
“70 years of the tournament is a great occasion!” emphasizes Arendt Gruben, CEO of Sparkasse Schwarzwald-Baar. “We have been involved as Sparkasse from the very beginning, so we are truly pleased that the tournament is continuing. I believe this is good for Donaueschingen, but it is also important beyond the region.” Donaueschingen's Mayor Severin Graf fully agreed and added: “It is also important that we are starting the tournament again with the full program so that visitors can recognize the event from previous years. Naturally, we, along with the organizer, are interested in further developing the tournament. So, we are open to all kinds of mischief.”
Just like Sparkasse and the city, the Princely House has also been one of the supporters and sponsors of the tournament from the very start. “Tradition is very important to my family: we want to preserve the old with a new shine,” emphasized H.S.H. Christian Prince zu Fürstenberg at the kick-off event in the Marstall of the princely family. In 1954, the princely family first invited to an equestrian tournament. 70 years later, the agency Schafhof Connects GmbH & Co. KG, led by Matthias Alexander Rath, has taken over the reins of the CHI, in close collaboration with the princely house, the city of Donaueschingen, and the RuFV Schwenningen.
The tournament's budget is around 2.5 million euros, including about 400,000 euros in prize money. Rath expects 40,000 spectators over the four event days cheering for riders and drivers. 650 stalls will be set up in the castle park during the tournament days to accommodate horses from almost all over the world.
“The sports program is extensive – no doubt about it,” says Matthias Alexander Rath, Managing Director of the event agency Schafhof Connects GmbH & Co. KG. “We wanted to offer examinations for international top athletes, also to encourage them to come with two or three horses. But we also wanted to strongly involve the region – the immediate area, but also all of Southern Germany.” This resulted in a very broad and varied program for both riders and spectators.
On Thursday, the birthday tournament will bring the horses directly into the city with the grand parade – with more than 20 groups and associations from the region, involving several hundred participants in total. “The parade is something like the starting signal for the tournament, the entrance chorus,” emphasizes Mayor Graf. “The tournament is brought into the city, the tournament grounds and the city become one through this parade, and the citizens of Donaueschingen fully identify with the tournament.”
On Friday evening from 7:30 PM, viewers will once again dive into the past 70 years of tournament history with the anniversary gala presented by Sparkasse Schwarzwald-Baar. For two hours, companions and European Championship heroes will appear, film clips will make history come alive, and selected show highlights will captivate with action, variety, and emotions all around the horse. "It will be a wonderful birthday party for the 70th," Gruben rejoices.
A total of 26 competitions are scheduled for international jumping professionals and amateurs. The highlight will be on Sunday with the Grand Prix - S.D. Fürst Joachim zu Fürstenberg Memorial Prize presented by CPA Lichtkonzept. Here, the best of the weekend will compete in the international three-star jumping event on the large grass area, which national coach Otto Becker could easily imagine as a championships venue. One who knows how it feels to lead the victory lap of the Grand Prix in Donaueschingen is Hans-Dieter 'Hansi' Dreher, a member of the Olympic show jumping squad. In 2017, he won this highlight with the then nine-year-old Berlinda, in 2018 in the saddle of Embassy. "The toughest tournaments like Aachen and Calgary are all on grass, so it is important for us and our horses to ride on grass," explains Dreher. "I personally really enjoy riding on grass and always have the feeling that the horses have a bit more fun on grass. And a venue like Donaueschingen – it couldn't be better." Dreher is a fan of Donaueschingen – also from a historical perspective: "28 years ago, I celebrated my first major success here when I won the HGW Prize of the Future. That was my first real breakthrough."
Two major tours attract top international dressage riders to the Princely Fürstenberg Castle Park: one with the Grand Prix Special, the other with the Grand Prix Kür, both tours at an international four-star level. The Swiss dressage rider Andrina Suter was just competing in the Olympics in Paris as an individual rider with Fibonacci. Fibonacci is still on a break at the moment and is aiming for his first start after the Olympics in Donaueschingen: "I used to come to Donaueschingen with my grandfather to watch, which was always a huge highlight for us as children," says the Olympic rider. "Of course, it was always a dream to be able to ride here myself. A few years ago, I actually started in Donaueschingen in the 'Stars of Tomorrow' competition. Back then, I won a cooler blanket, which is sacred (laughs). And this year, I will be coming for the Big Tour for the first time and I am really looking forward to it!"
Additionally, there are five national or regional series, three high-class finals, and two regional competitions for the youngest – the dressage program at the CHI Donaueschingen is broader than ever. Donaueschingen will celebrate an absolute premiere with the final of the Piaff-Förderpreis for Germany's best U25 dressage riders. The series, supported by the Liselott Schindling Foundation for the Promotion of Dressage Sports, was launched as a pilot project in 2000 and has since proven to be a top-class springboard: eight of the last ten finalists have successfully made it to the international Grand Prix sport. In 2024, the final will be held in Donaueschingen for the first time and for the first time as an outdoor event. Among the qualified finalists are three from this year's U25 European Championship team, which won gold at the European Championship in St. Margarethen, Austria: Anna Schölermann, Lia Welschof, and Moritz Treffinger.
Driving is a core part of the CHI Donaueschingen. The four-in-hands competed for the first time in the castle park in 1976, and just a year later, they hosted their European Championships there. In 2019, the four-in-hands returned for their annual highlight in Donaueschingen, and the German team surprisingly secured gold! Since then, driving sports have taken a break at the source of the Danube, but this year, drivers will once again make the Brigach splash, with two Nations Cups: the horse pairs and the pony four-in-hands. National coach Karl-Heinz Geiger has very high hopes for the German team, especially in the pony four-in-hands. "The favorites are the Dutch," explains 'Charly' Geiger, "but closely following are the Germans."
CHI Donaueschingen for everyone – if you can't make it to enjoy the equestrian sports, show, exhibition, and the grand anniversary gala from September 12th to 15th in person, you can watch the Grand Prix – S.D. Fürst Joachim zu Fürstenberg Memorial Prize presented by CPA Lichtkonzept on Sunday from 3:50 PM to 5:30 PM on SWR television. All competitions, show acts, and even the foal auction will also be broadcast live on the internet TV channel ClipMyHorse.tv.