By: Catie Staszak/FEI | May 5 After a career year culminating with a gold medal with Germany at the Paris Olympic Games (FRA) Frederic Wandres made a conscious decision to give his partner Bluetooth OLD a rest at the end of the 2024 season and the pair came out for just one competition in January before taking another break from competition Following those nearly-five additional months of downtime Bluetooth OLD returned in triumphant fashion at Compiegne (FRA) leading Germany to a CDIO5* FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ victory Fans had to wait until the very last test to see the pair in action With particularly high marks for the extended trot Wandres and Bluetooth received the best score of the day—on a day where just three scores above 70 percent were awarded Their 75.696% mark comfortably lifted Germany to the top of the leaderboard as the nation assumed a dominant lead in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ standings Led by chef d’equipe Monica Theodorescu the German squad of Wandres (Bluetooth OLD) and Matthias Alexander Rath (Destacado FRH) finished on a winning total of 215.522 “We just did one World Cup show over the winter because we wanted to be fit and super shining in the summer for the next European Championships We hopefully improved a little bit at home and tried to show it today…I’m very happy,” said Wandres as eight nations competed for Nations Cup glory The Netherlands held the lead for a lengthy duration thanks to a 72.522%-score from Marlies van Baalen (Habibi DVB) But Portugal took over the top spot just before Wandres’ test impressing as all three of its best scores were above 69% who needed to score above 69.326 to land Germany on top of the podium “There’s always a little bit of pressure That’s also necessary for me to get my blood pressure up a little bit,” Wandres shared you’ve handled so many difficult situations already…Try to shine because you can do it.’ Then the pressure is a positive pressure for you.” Wandres did have to gather himself somewhat after a small blunder when he dropped his reins at the opening salute “Maybe another horse would have made something else out of that situation [Bluetooth] was completely calm and waiting for me until I picked up my reins again and then he was ready to start and deliver a good test,” Wandres said and the horse trusts you to shine together when it’s time to shine…He gives you so much confidence “I think the horse deserved a 10 for the halt ‘Are you ready?’ So this was a bit of a funny moment because he likes to have everything really under control but horses help us in many ways,” Theodorescu said “I love the horse: He’s so beautiful Theodorescu knew she could rely on her anchor combination while she saw improvement from her squad’s less experienced partnerships Netz’s horse Dieudonne was competing in a five-star competition for the first time Scholz has only known Blue Hors Veneziano for a few months Rath impressed with 12-year-old Destacado FRH whom he’s had since the stallion was just a 2-year-old; they finished third individually (71.239%) “‘[Destacado FRH] has improved a lot “The horse has a lot of possibilities with trot work the Nations Cup is an important opportunity for her to utilize different combinations in a team setting and evaluate how they handle pressure “There is a bit more pressure in the Nations Cup than any other Grand Prix younger riders and new pairs with a strong one like Frederic [and Bluetooth],” Theodorescu said “This is one of the top Nations Cup events of the year so it’s very important for me to get experience with these riders and horses.” After winning the opening leg of the series in Wellington (USA) Germany holds a commanding lead in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ standings with 25 points Portugal has moved into second (13 points) The FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ resumes at CDIO4* Lier (BEL) on 16 May 2025 Full individual and team results here and here For over 50 years Horse Sport has been the voice of equestrian competition in Canada and breeders who are highly involved in the equine marketplace Developed by The Web Developer LLC The FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ 2025 continues in Compiègne (FRA) this weekend with host nation France eager to build on their recent successes A strong French team features Pauline Basquin with her Olympic mount Sertorius Rima Z IFCE as well as fellow Paris 2024 picks Alexandre Ayache with Jibraltar de Massa (the reserve in Paris) Also in the French team is Caroline Godin on Querida de Hus The French head to Compiègne among the favourites for the podium following their impressive fifth place in last year’s Paris 2024 Team Dressage competition among the hosts’ rivals will be Olympic champions Germany All teams will be aiming to pick up FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ points in Saturday’s CDIO5* Grand Prix and build towards this summer’s FEI Dressage European Championship 2025 in Crozet (FRA). All Saturday’s action will be live on FEI TV at 11am CEST While Basquin has competed in the Olympics and FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final over the last year she admits that Compiègne maintains a special place in her heart “I’m really looking forward to it,” she said “I love this competition because it’s all about Dressage During the winter World Cup events or even at Fontainebleau “It’s great to have almost the whole French Dressage team together I love seeing all the young horses and the up-and-coming riders Compiègne feels like the heart of French Dressage and it’s an important moment for all of us to come together.” Compiègne is the second leg of the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ 2025 series, with Germany winning the opener in Wellington (USA) in February before the season climax in Faslterbo (SWE) in July That finale is just a few weeks before the FEI Dressage European Championship from August 26-31 Denmark won last year’s Compiègne event with Basquin hoping to build on that this time around Compiègne has not always been such a positive experience “But Compiègne also has my worst memory: my first team appearance for France my very first time on the team ended with an elimination “But I’ve moved past that now and focus on the good memories like the podium of last year and the Freestyle result.” Tune into FEI TV for all the action from this year’s FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ and FEI Dressage European Championship 2025… Looking back on the highlights of the year.. We discover more about Pauline Basquin's impressive mount.. We look ahead to the Madrid Horse Week events.. Taking a closer look at Dinja van Liere’s World Championship double medallist… We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Photos © Eurodressage NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED / NO SCREEN SHOTS for social media Germany continued its winning run on Sunday 4 May 2025 at the CDIO Compiegne held in the Grand Parc Equestrian Stadium After dominating the Nations Cup on Saturday German Olympic team gold medal winner Frederic Wandres topped the board in the Grand Prix Kur to Music while German Matthias Rath claimed highest honor in the Grand Prix Special brought the 14th Internationaux de Dressage at Compiègne to a superb conclusion Germany is the big winner of the Compiègne’s 2025 Internationaux de Dressage with a grand slam in all the CDIO 5* classes A member of the Olympic gold medal winning team last summer in Versailles and third in the World Cup qualifier in Basel in January Wandres and the 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding Bluetooth (by Bordeaux x Riccione) perfectly lived up to his status as favourite He won the CDIO 5* Grand Prix and  repeated his performance on Sunday obtaining unanimous approval from the judges and a score of 81.240% Wandres pats Bluetooth‘I'm very pleased with my test,’’ said the 37-year-old rider ‘‘I've been partnering Bluetooth for a number of years now I’ve got confidence in him and he’s got confidence in me he’s just become better and better and is now my top horse To start with he was in the shadow of Duke of Britain The Games were obviously our ‘‘highlight’’ Compiègne is his first outdoor competition since Versailles I was here last year with Duke (winner of the Grand Prix) and knew that the conditions would be ideal The crowd was wonderful and gave their support to everyone." After a sixth place in the Grand Prix with 69.413% French Olympic team rider Pauline Basquin piloted her 15-year old Zangersheide registered gelding Sertorius de Rima Z (by Sandro Hit x Voltaire) to a second place in the Kur with 77.355% Joao Torrao and Lirio MVL"The piaffe is still tricky but I can feel that Sertorius is gradually regaining confidence There may be a few adjustments to make to this freestyle The audience applauded during the performance and were very enthusiastic I'm delighted to have given the spectators such enjoyment.’’ Portugal demonstrated why it merited its impressive second place on Saturday in the Nations Cup ranking this time with Maria Caetano who was third on Hit Plus (76.805) and Joao Miguel Torrao who was fourth on Lirio MVL (75.555) Germany's Mathias Rath and the Hanoverian licensed stallion Destacado FRH (by Don Juan de Hus x Londonderry) won the Eurovia Grand Prix Special he finished ahead of Marlies van Baalen of the Netherlands on Habibi (71.319) and Carina Scholz with Blue Horse Veneziano (70.617) Rath on Destacado FRH"I'm pleased with my horse because it was his first Special since his return to competition,’’ confided the former rider of the legendary Totilas ‘‘It was of importance to do this test here because we're going to the German Championships next This gives us a lead on what we still need to work on.’’  Bernard Bosseaux with Rilkadora Z (66.681) and Caroline Godin with Querida de Hus (65.106) finished in 9th and 14th place respectively Although France's overall performance at this CDIO 5* event could be described as mixed with a sixth place in the team competition on Saturday selector Jean Morel again explained his strategy ‘‘The horses for the Paris Olympic Games will not be in Los Angeles We therefore absolutely must get a new team going and in the process The World Championships at Aachen in 2026 are the next big goal We'll need to finish in the top eight to immediately qualify for the 2028 Games and prepare for them serenely." chair of the Compiègne Équestre association the driving force behind Compiegne"It’s thanks to all our partners that we are able to continue to organise our competition But it's getting more and more complicated our service providers have become friends and we know we can count on them It’s frequently the case in a post-Olympic year But there is also a Nations Cup being organised in Belgium next week all the riders present were happy to be in Compiègne We’ve always tried to make the riders and everyone present on the site feel comfortable This positively reflects on the atmosphere of the competition.’’  Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot 2025–Matthias Alexander Rath on Destacado FRH won the CDIO5* Grand Prix Special while Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD claimed the Freestyle Sunday after both riders were on the German team that captured the Nations Cup a day earlier Matthias and the 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion that has developed from a youngster scored 72.511% for the third individual victory so far this year Marlie van Baalen of the Netherlands on Habibi DVB 13-year-old KWPN gelding placed second in the Special Carina Scholz also on Germany’s gold medal Nations Cup team with the 15-year-old stallion Blue Hors Veneziano was third on 70.617% Frederic Wandres on his Olympic team gold medal partner Bluetooth OLD French star Pauline Basquin on Sertorius de Rima Z IFCE Portugal’s Maria Caetano on the 13-year-old Hit Plus placed third on 76.805% Team Germany took first place in FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ competition at Compiègne on Saturday, leading the field in the Grand Prix test on a total score of 215.522 points. It was the final ride of the day, Frederic Wandres aboard Bluetooth OLD (pictured above) with a score of 75.696 percent — also the high score of the day that put Wandres in the lead individually.  Portugal gave Germany a good run for their money, finishing second on 209.152 points. Maria Caetano and Hit Plus were the high scorers for the Portuguese earning 69.978 percent from the judges to end the day in France in fourth place overall Third place went to the Netherlands and Chef d’Equipe Patrick van der Meer on a total of 207.783 points. Marlies Van Baalen was a key to their podium finish, thanks to her score of 75.522 with Habibi DVB. It put her in second place individually to top Germany’s Matthias Rath in third place on 71.239 with Destacado Frh.  Unlike many Nations Cup legs where the Freestyle determines the winner Saturday’s show at Ville de Compiègne used the daunting Grand Prix test to sort out the ribbons at the prize giving.  with nuances and fractions of points separating the rankings in the end The judges not only looked for correct execution of the required movements in the right order and superior horse-rider communication.  German's Matthias Alexander Rath aboard Destacado FRH With no Team Denmark present to threaten a repeat of their Compiègne win in 2024 the field was wide open for a new victor.  Getting towards the sharp end of the event led by Chef d’Equipe Antonio Frutuoso de Melo followed by the Netherlands and Spain.  coached by Chef d’Equipe Monica Theodorescu sent their last combo to the ring that the leaderboard changed.  The pressure was on Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth And Germany were certainly keen to cement their lead in the overall series standings having won the championship last year and taken the opening event at Wellington (USA) in February of this year The final tallies showed how close Portugal came to triumph João Miguel Torrao finished fifth (69.848 percent with Lirio MVL) and Rita Ralao Duarte took eighth place (69.326 percent with Irao).  and sixth-place finishes are another highlight of just how outstanding the performances were at the event with only fractions of a point deciding their final positions.  with Great Britain finishing in eighth.  There’s more excitement to come at Compiègne with both the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday.  Then the series moves to Lier (BEL) in two weeks’ time. Catch it all live on FEI TV!  Olympian Pauline Basquin looks ahead to the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ weekend.. OPmobility invites its individual shareholders to discover its α-Alphatech R&D center located near Compiègne this 80,000 square meter site is the global research and development center for C-Power and H2-Power Business Groups proposal and validation of innovative solutions to shape the future of mobility 70% of whom are engineers from 30 different nationalities work every day on technological challenges related to propulsion systems and the energies of tomorrow The visit will take place on Wednesday June 25 for the entire day and will be held in French only To learn more and request your registration file, please send us an email at: investor.relations@opmobility.com Good performance in Q1 2025 enabling to mai.. led by Olympic team gold medal partnership of Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD winner of the trans Atlantic series the past two years with Frederic and the 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding placing first individually on 75.696% newly named back on the German team list with Destacado FRH scoring 71.239% Germany won the Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup in Wellington in February with this event making it two victories in a row Four team competitions remain–CDIO4* at Lier Germany 1st week of July and CDIO4* in Falsterbo September 19, 2024JPEG Signs of history abound beneath the oak, beech, black cherry, and other hardwoods that blanket the Forest of Compiègne (Forêt de Compiègne) in northern France. Aerial lidar surveys have mapped hidden remnants of villas and hundreds of other features of archaeological interest that date to Roman and Medieval times the forest played a prominent role in World War I In 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 as Armistice Day to honor World War I veterans. In 1938, an act of the U.S. Congress made Armistice Day a legal holiday. In 1954, after the conclusion of World War II and the Korean War, Congress amended the act and renamed the holiday Veterans Day to honor all military veterans of the United States Armed Forces NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland View this area in EO Explorer the state has controlled Niepołomice Forest which contains some of the last pockets of old-growth forest in Poland Overgrazing by deer poses a threat to a giant quaking aspen tree colony in Utah—one of the largest organisms in the world The deep green forest that covers the northern mountains of Madeira Island is one of the last remnants of an ancient forest that once covered much of Europe and North Africa Phil say on television "it takes a thousand attaboys to make one wrong right." The reputation of a horse show can be severely stamped by the weather Everybody knew the no longer existing CDI Saumur in April was a "rain show" and while Compiegne used to take place in good weather horrendous downpours of rain the past two years have tainted its pristine reputation Today it was an attaboy scenario: full sunshine from morning till night hot in the afternoon and summery pleasant at night I woke up at 7 AM this morning after a good night sleep but required two taps on the snooze button before I was able to roll myself out of bed and into the shower The sky was clear when I peeped outside the window and that immediately lifted spirits I skipped breakfast and by 8h10 I was on the show grounds like the proper early bird which I'm definitely not at home (I'm a night owl) The Prix St Georges had already started and I missed photographing the first pair This happens often as I always plan everything too tightly Also a lovely chat with German team trainer Monica Theodorescu right after I parked my car kept me from being ringside at 8h15 sharp Asencio and Straight Horse Sezarion in the 3* Grand Prix in the main stadiumIt was going to be a marathon day with three arenas running simultaneously and no break whatsoever in all three rings at the same time: this meant I was kept on my feet pacing from one ring to the next all day long until 18h00 ish I want to photograph every single rider - to the best of my abilities - so I can stock my photo archive and make the absolute most of my time I'm squeezing that lemon until it turns into concentrate I fuel myself with two strong coffees in the morning which give me apparent heart palpitations kill my hunger and keep me ticking in the morning I ended up eating a delicious croissant for lunch and five small fruit candies in the afternoon I gave photography priority over show analysis because of the good weather and perfect conditions I'll be watching the rides more carefully and take notes for a report of the Nations Cup Grand Prix starting with the pony team test in which I saw some ponies having a walk for a 10 but probably not getting that score I also saw a handful of ponies that could not keep the rhythm in the extended trot and was surprised to see so many struggle Holzknecht wins on Entertainer Win TAt the far end of ring 2 and 3 the steward was doing the tack check and using the FEI noseband device to check the tightness The steward reported that all combinations were checked before entering the warm-up as well as at the end of the test a few pairs the device needed to be pulled through with force and one pony totally refused to be touched by the steward; not on the face Seems like this rider has got some home-work to do Nothing wrong with doing some more groundwork to train your horse and tighten the bond the 3* Grand Prix which was won by the first rider to go Paulina Holzknecht on the 16-year old KWPN bred Entertainer Win T (by Rousseau x Jazz) The recalibration of the judging system is still happening Steward Pierre di Martino easily slides the FEI measurement device under the noseband of this pony My stamina started to crack round 17h and I sat down on a chair for the first time that day but veered up again as the white fence surrounding the competition ring is too high to photograph from a sitting position The final class of the day was the Children preliminary test and half way through it I decided to head to the hotel and then I noticed that the CDIO 5* riders had familiarisation in the main arena and with the light still being fab I ended up photographing them for another hour I did sitting down while chatting with a rider who told me the most heart-warming story He said that he read one of Eurodressage's most recent show reports and took one of the remarks on his riding to heart "I have always known that that was something I needed to work on 'Now I’m going to do something about it'" (this is loosely how I remember the words as my jaw was on the floor in surprise) He has been practising riding in a different frame and in more self carriage which has led to Eureka moments at home It is still to see if it translates into the arena but already the attempt at home felt like a leap forward This story was one attaboy that made a 1000 wrongs right The legendary Compiegne ribbonsI cruised to the hotel posted the scores of the 8 CDI's (out of 11) running right now and then went to the restaurant for a solo dinner I was starving and like the true glutton I am I ate foie gras and a lamb burger with a glass wine Take that you silly diet of one-day-starvation Now I hope I don't get an upset tummy during the night tomorrow it's apparently going to rain in Compiègne with a thunderstorm passing over the Oise province I so hope the weather gods will decide in the show's favour and spare us from pluvial misery Related LinksScores: 2025 CDIO CompiègneCDIO Compiègne Returns as Competition Staple and Fan Favourite on 2 - 4 May 2025 edited by Eurodressage - The Eurodressage show/blog report will come asap Bluetooth OLD returned in triumphant fashion at the 2025 CDIO Compiegne (FRA) Wandres and Bluetooth (by Bordeaux x Riccione) received the best score of the day—on a day where just three scores above 70 percent were awarded Portugal's Maria Caetano on Hit Plus"We just did one World Cup show over the winter We hopefully improved a little bit at home and tried to show it today...I'm very happy." Frederic Wandres (GER) But Portugal took over the top spot just before Wandres' test That's also necessary for me to get my blood pressure up a little bit," Wandres shared you've handled so many difficult situations already...Try to shine because you can do it.' Then the pressure is a positive pressure for you." Pauline Basquin on SertoriusThe French home team finished sixth this year after placing third in Compiegne in the Olympic year of 2024 Team anchor Pauline Basquin and Sertorius Rima Z had to settle for sixth place with the modest score of 69.413% Fellow Olympic team rider Alexandre Ayache and Jolène also fell short of their usual standard (14th In their first selection for the French team Bernard Bosseaux on Rilkadora Z and Caroline Godin on Querida de Hus had rather tricky debuts with 65.348 and 64.370% post-Olympic years are difficult," said French team selector Jean Morel ‘‘We performed well in Paris and that shook everyone up They performed well without making any mistakes even if there were inevitably a few things missing We're going to try out a lot of things throughout the season We'll be ready for the World Championships at Aachen in 2026 which are qualifiers for the Los Angeles Olympic Games To enable the riders to be calm and confident Wandres and Bluetooth OLDOlympic team gold medal winner Frederic Wandres anchor Team Germany for the Nations Cup win The experienced rider did have to gather himself somewhat after a small blunder "Maybe another horse would have made something else out of that situation and then he was ready to start and deliver a good test," Wandres said and the horse trusts you to shine together when it's time to shine...He gives you so much confidence "I think the horse deserved a 10 for the halt 'Are you ready?' So this was a bit of a funny moment but horses help us in many ways," Theodorescu said while she saw improvement from her squad's less experienced partnerships Netz's horse Dieudonne (by Dante Weltino x Sir Donnerhall) was competing in a five-star competition for the first time Scholz has only known Blue Hors Veneziano (by Vivaldi x Donnerhall) for a few months Rath impressed with 12-year-old Destacado FRH (by Don Juan de Hus x Londonderry) whom he's had since the stallion was just a 2-year-old; they finished third individually (71.239%) Marlies van Baalen is all smiles at the prize giving ceremony with show organiser Monique Marini and judge at C Maarten van der Heijden"'[Destacado FRH] has improved a lot "The horse has a lot of possibilities with trot work "There is a bit more pressure in the Nations Cup than any other Grand Prix younger riders and new pairs with a strong one like Frederic [and Bluetooth]," Theodorescu said "This is one of the top Nations Cup events of the year so it's very important for me to get experience with these riders and horses." After a fabulous weekend at the stalwart CDI Horses and Dreams in Hagen to one of my favourite shows in the year impeccably organized as always by the generous Kasselmann family and the Louisdor Cup qualifier as absolute highlight class of the week grinding my teeth like an unhappy dressage horse mulling over the criticism I received over featuring a photo of a sugared muzzle Always happy to see the Hensies de Moeschal Signal Monument on the Belgian-French borderFour days later I optimistically reset the needle of my compass and drove south on another laborious four-hour drive to make my way to Compiègne I first went to CDI Compiègne in 2013 and haven't missed a single edition since just because it's one of the best shows on the planet Compiègne is one of my favourite show of the year disregarding the nec plus ultra CDIO Aachen even on a bank holiday with four bumper-to-bumper traffic jams (Brussels The sumptuous agricultural fields had yellow rapeseed flowers in full bloom and the Thalys high-speed train sped by my car twice putting my little over the allowed speed limit 140 km an hour into bigger perspective Once you arrive at the "Grand Parc" you know why this show is the best: easy parking amazing arenas set in a sumptuous green park and all soaked in a French "joie de vivre" But what about the castle in Wiesbaden (the parking sucks there) but what about the Hamburg Derby (great show but too far a drive for me to cover in person) Come to Compiègne and be convinced of its supremacy It's a great show and it should be a staple on every serious competitor's calendar Katharina Krumböck patting FarahnezAfter two years of horrendous rain in 2023 and 2024 it seems like the CDIO Compiègne is finally blessed with good weather Today it was 29 c° and it felt like summer There were plenty of rays of sunshine that accompanied on the way driving from Eurodressage headquarters in Belgium (No I'm not DUTCH but I speak Dutch/Flemmish) to France I arrived at the show at 14h10 with the horse inspection beginning at 14h30 The white tents and tupperware boxes with FEI passports were all set up in front of the trot-up space and soon a flock of international dressage judges and the FEI veterinarian gathered there to inspect all the horses I have been lamenting about it for years and it continues to be a big pet peeve that dressage riders are so lazy they can't braid their horses for the trot up Today about 75% of the presented horses sported the "just out of bed look" with no mane plaited and riders in their normal stable wear instead of dressing up nicely for the occasion Ai carramba; here is the sense of pride and formality Raphael SalehThe judges had a busy afternoon as four horses were sent to the holding box and particularly the children and pony riders needed instruction on how to properly trot up a horse walk around to tree and turn to the right and then trot in a straight line towards us" For some it seemed like they were asked to solve the Poincaré conjecture It made me wonder why their trainers didn't even bother to practise a horse inspection with their kids or if all mimetic ability has gone lost now that generation alpha is glued to their face-hugging cell phone and can't look around and see what the grown-ups are doing before they try it thelmselves While local visitors on the show ground celebrated the 1 May bank holiday by wandering around in the park watching dressage horses I watched a little bit of the light training before I headed to my hotel where I checked in and posted the first score of the 11 CDI's that are taking place across the globe this weekend Rien van der Schaft in the Spanish team shirtWith summer temperatures remaining high through the evening I decided to favour a social life and I had a lovely dinner on the outside terrace of my hotel before returning to my room to write this little blog I'm looking forward to tomorrow and as even though this is my 13th "Compiegne" I haven't lost any of my enthusiasm for it a staple on the international dressage calendar and a competitor and spectator favourite is returning with its 14th edition on 2 - 4 May 2025 The world's best dressage riders gather in the "Stade Équestre du Grand Parc" for a three-day celebration of international dressage sport The CDIO Compiègne is a unique dressage event set in the gorgeous park of the historic French town of Compiègne As the sole French leg of the FEI Nations Cup series the CDIO attracts top dressage riders and famous horses for the fans to witness upclose and personal visitors get to enjoy top sport from the comfort of a beautiful terrace Joie de vivre and the CDIO Compiègne go hand in hand Becky Moody and JagerbomdCompiègne has a full programme of classes from pony level to Grand Prix and offers a taste for every dressage loving fan The competition kicks off on Friday morning 2 May 2025 with the Pony Junior and Young Riders classes and throughout the day the seniors will compete in the small and big tour classes alongside the Under 25 Grand Prix riders which boasts a purse of 86,600 euro in prize money begins on Saturday 3 May with the Grand Prix and concludes on Sunday morning with the Special and Freestyle On Sunday afternoon 4 May 2025 at 15h00 the competition concludes with a spectacle brought by Lorenzo Dubbed the ‘child prodigy of the Camargue’ Lorenzo has dazzled audiences worldwide with his daring the "Flying frenchman" continues to push the boundaries of equestrian performance delivering breathtaking displays of horsemanship "We want to stay true to our commitment to accessibility so this event is entirely free for spectators," said show director Monique Marini Corentin Pottier on GotilasYear after year Compiègne is considered an important station for team qualification for the major summer championships Kronberg (YR; U25) and Crozet (senior Grand Prix) Selectors from various nations send their riders to Compiègne as an observation event and to achieve the necessary scores to be nominated on the national teams The scores ridden at Compiègne matter as an experienced panel of judges officiates at this show who was president of the ground jury at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris He is assisted by 5* judges Katrina Wust (GER) and Vint-Warmington will officiate as well across the levels Compiegne show director Monique MariniCome and meet the stars at the Stade Équestre du Grand Parc where the sport’s most illustrious names such as Isabell Werth (GER) and France’s own Pauline Basquin have all made their mark in this prestigious arena View the FEI schedule here For more information, visit www.compiegne-equestre.com On December 18, 2024, Pope Francis approved the equipollent canonization of Blessed Thérèse of St. Augustine, Mother Superior of the Carmelites of Compiègne, and her 15 companions, assassinated during the French Revolution. An equipollent canonization means that the nuns have not gone through the complete, lengthy process for usual canonizations, but that their sanctity is simply recognized. These nuns are particularly famous around the world due to a 1956 opera, Dialogue of the Carmelites, by Francis Poulenc, based on a work by the same name by Georges Bernanos, which was itself based on The Song at the Scaffold by Gertrud von Le Fort. The Carmelite nuns were guillotined in 1794 during the closing days of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution. After threats and denunciations in a climate of persecution of the Church, the nuns were taken from Compiègne to Paris by cart. They were brought before the Revolutionary Tribunal on July 17, 1794. Condemned, they were executed the same evening at 8:00 p.m. in the Place du Trône -- today's Place de la Nation -- and their bodies were thrown into the Fosse commune de Picpus. Their crime? "Fanaticism and sedition," declared the public prosecutor. Their story made a lot of noise and became anchored in popular memory. Especially since, when they went up to the scaffold one by one, each of the nuns kissed a little statue of the Virgin held in her hand by their prioress. Before being guillotined in turn, the prioress gave the statue to the crowd, and it became a relic preserved and prayed before today in the crypt of the Carmel of Jonquières-Compiègne. In the eyes of the Church, it is clear that the 16 Carmelites died because they did not want to renounce their faith. Recognized as martyrs, they were beatified on May 27, 1906, by Pope Pius X and their feast day was included in the liturgical calendar on July 17, their date of death. In addition, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to issue a decree recognizing the heroic virtues of the founder of the Emmanuel Community, Pierre Goursat, who is now recognized as "venerable." Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. It’s free! Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you. Please make a tax-deductible donation today! Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. Open navigationClose navigationHome All the major chapters in the American story from Indigenous beginnings to the present day History from countries and communities across the globe Explore U.S. involvement in World War I in the critical year of 1918. World War I finally came to an end after four-plus years of combat Armistice Day was wildly celebrated throughout the world and Paris took to the streets with pure joy and the tenuous peace between Europe’s great powers collapsed Austro-Hungarian forces began to shell the Serbian capital ordered a troop mobilization against Austria-Hungary France and Germany declared war against each other on August 3 the German army invaded Belgium on the night of August 3-4 the people of Europe greeted the outbreak of war with jubilation Most patriotically assumed that their country would be victorious within months Germany was most prepared for the outbreak of hostilities and its military leaders had formatted a sophisticated military strategy known as the “Schlieffen Plan,” which envisioned the conquest of France through a great arcing offensive through Belgium and into northern France was to be kept occupied by Austro-Hungarian forces while Germany attacked France but in early September the French rallied and halted the German advance at the bloody Battle of the Marne near Paris well over a million soldiers of various nationalities had been killed on the battlefields of Europe and neither for the Allies nor the Central Powers was a final victory in sight On the western front—the battle line that stretched across northern France and Belgium—the combatants settled down in the trenches for a terrible war of attrition More soldiers died on the last day of WWI than on D-Day. Find out why Allied leaders found outrageous excuses to send 13,000 men to their deaths against a defeated enemy. The senseless 11th-hour slaughter captures the whole of WWI. Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on November 11th On November 11, 1778, Patriot Colonel Ichabod Alden refuses to believe intelligence about an approaching hostile force. As a result, a combined force of Loyalists and Native Americans, attacking in the snow, killed more than 40 Patriots, including Alden, and took at least an additional 70 prisoners, in what is known today as the Cherry […] Nat Turner, the leader of a bloody revolt of enslaved people in Southampton County, Virginia, is hanged in Jerusalem, the county seat, on November 11, 1831. Turner, an enslaved man and educated minister, believed that he was chosen by God to lead his people out of slavery. On August 21, 1831, he initiated his uprising […] On November 11, 1864, on orders from Union General William T. Sherman, Union soldiers begin destroying all railroads, factories and commercial buildings in Atlanta, Georgia—anything that could help support the Confederacy’s military or economic goals. (Historical records cite the destruction starting anywhere from November 10 to November 12.) The actions dealt a crippling blow to […] Exactly three years after the end of World War I, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is dedicated at Arlington Cemetery in Virginia during an Armistice Day ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding. Two days before, an unknown American soldier, who had fallen somewhere on a World War I battlefield, arrived at the […] On November 11, 1942, Congress approves lowering the draft age to 18 and raising the upper limit to age 37. In September 1940, Congress, by wide margins in both houses, passed the Burke-Wadsworth Act, and the first peacetime draft was imposed in the history of the United States. The registration of men between the ages […] On November 11, 1942, German troops roll out Operation Case Anton, occupying Vichy France, which had previously been free of an Axis military presence. Since July 1940, upon being invaded and defeated by Nazi German forces, the autonomous French state had been split into two regions. One was occupied by German troops, and the other […] On November 11, 1971, Rolling Stone magazine publishes journalist Hunter S. Thompson’s most famous work: a two-part, semi-fictional account of his time covering an off-road desert race in Las Vegas—while tripping on LSD and contemplating the death of the American Dream. “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American […] The Soviet Union announces that, because of its opposition to the recent overthrow of the government of Chilean President Salvador Allende, it would not play a World Cup Soccer match against the Chilean team on November 21, if the match were held in Santiago. The International Football Federation had given the Soviets until the 11th to […] On November 11, 1978, a stuntman on the Georgia set of “The Dukes of Hazzard” launches the show’s iconic automobile, a 1969 Dodge Charger named the General Lee, off a makeshift dirt ramp and over a police car. That jump, 16 feet high and 82 feet long (its landing totaled the car), made TV history. Although […] Authorities unearth a corpse buried in the lawn of 59-year-old Dorothea Puente’s home in Sacramento, California. Puente operated a residential home for elderly people, and an investigation led to the discovery of six more bodies buried on her property. Puente struggled with mental illness and had already been in trouble with the law. She had […] Both World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic were devastating events in history. So why did memorials for one event overshadow the other? Some winged warriors, like the famed Cher Ami, received military honors for their intrepid feats as battlefield messengers. After terrorizing trans-Atlantic ships in World War I, German U-boats grew even more fearsome in World War II. Manfred von Richthofen—better known as the “Red Baron”—was the top scoring flying ace of World War I, with 80 aerial victories between September 1916 and his death in April 1918. We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day Learn something new with key events in history from the American Revolution to pop culture you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis has declared as saints 16 Carmelite martyrs executed by guillotine during the French Revolution and confirmed the martyrdom and heroic virtues of five others in a series of decrees published Dec Using what the Vatican called an “equipollent” or equivalent canonization Pope Francis approved adding to the canon of saints Blessed Teresa of St Augustine and 15 other members of the Carmelites of Compiègne killed during the French Reign of Terror The French revolutionary government outlawed religious life in 1790 and the community of Carmelites in Compiègne was forced to leave their convent two years later after being discovered to have continued living in community as consecrated women they were tried and publicly executed by guillotine supported by the cardinals and bishops who are members of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints was approved by Pope Francis and extends devotion to the Carmelite martyrs to the universal church The other decrees approved by Pope Francis Dec 18 included recognition of the martyrdom of Archbishop Eduard Profitlich Archbishop Proffitlich was born in the German empire in 1890 joined the Jesuits and served as a nurse in the First World War before being ordained a priest He was later made a titular archbishop and served as apostolic administrator of Estonia where he remained following the Soviet occupation of the country in 1940 The archbishop was arrested after Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union in 1941 and was taken prisoner in Russia where he was charged with anti-Soviet agitation and espionage The pope also recognized the martyrdom of Salesian Father Elia Comini and was killed out of hatred of the faith Oct The priest had been serving the local population in his hometown which had become a fierce battleground between the German occupiers and the Allies He and Father Martino Capelli celebrated Mass buried the dead and sought to be peacemakers Fathers Comini and Capelli went to help some 69 hostages being held by the German S.S. but the priests were accused of being spies and were incarcerated with other prisoners and Father Comini he was shot with the others The recognition of a sainthood candidate’s martyrdom clears the way to beatification Pope Francis also recognized the heroic virtues of Pierre Goursat a layman and founder of the Emmanuel Community he experienced a profound spiritual conversion when he was 19 years old opened a religious bookstore and established a publishing house in Paris After joining a group of the Legion of Mary the first to broadcast Sunday Mass on television in France in 1949 and he realized the importance of mass media as a tool for evangelization in large halls with the public after showing films eventually establishing the French Cinema Circle in 1951 He became secretary-general of the French Catholic Office of Cinema in 1960 and built close relationships with producers He also participated in the Cannes and Venice film festivals Goursat became active with the charismatic renewal movement and eventually founded the Emmanuel Community in 1972 in France as part of the movement He retired from managing the community after a heart attack in 1985 and spent the rest of his life in silence and adoration The two other decrees Pope Francis signed Dec -- The heroic virtues of Bishop Áron Márton of Alba Iulia he ministered to what had become a Catholic minority in Transylvania communists tried to destroy the faith in Romania and to limit the rights of ethnic minorities He was arrested in 1949 and imprisoned until 1955 Though allowed to return to his diocese as bishop he was placed under house arrest from 1957 to 1968 after which he was free to govern his diocese -- The heroic virtues of Italian Redemptorist Father Giuseppe Maria Leone spiritual direction and the pastoral care of children The beatification of candidates who are not martyrs requires verification of a miracle attributed to their intercession Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important America’s voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. 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Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Practical insights from and foracademics and university staff Everything you need for each stepof your study abroad journey Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC) is a prestigious French engineering school that offers innovative customised interdisciplinary programmes emphasising research and industry collaboration It fosters creativity and technological excellence in its students Alongside the normal steps taken in the process of beatification and canonization for several men and women, Pope Francis also employed the little-known process of equipollent or “equivalent” canonization for the French Carmelite sisters martyred in the French Revolution. The Carmelites of Compiègne facing the guillotine public domain.The sixteen sisters of Compiègne whose story was famously dramatized in Francis Poulenc's opera “Dialogues des Carmélites” —debuted 1956 — have been the object of popular devotion since the time of their death The account of their martyrdom is well-suited to the high drama of opera — and needed no exaggeration to fit on stage Leave a comment During the Reign of Terror following the French Revolution, religious communities were disbanded, and common prayer and religious dress were made criminal offences. After a rushed conviction on ambiguous charges, the whole community of sisters were given a death sentence. On their way to the guillotine, the sisters, still in formation, were permitted to affirm their vows. The community went joyfully, singing prayers, and encouraging Catholics around them; they had resolved to offer their lives for the Church in France. When they arrived at the guillotine, they knelt one by one before their religious superior, and asked permission to die. The oldest of the sisters executed could not even stand up on her own; she was 78. Plaque at Picpus Cemetery dedicated to the Martyrs of Compiègne Credit: Wikimedia commons/ CC BY SA 3.0Pope Francis’s use of equipollent canonization reflects the long-standing cultus or veneration of the sisters because it is rather more a recognition of longstanding acclimation of the faithful and ceremonies as the normal process for canonization an “equivalent” canonization is the papal rubber stamp which recognizes a pre-existing one which has outlasted the generations immediately after the person’s death The announcement this week is a way of squaring the legal status of a cause — or the lack thereof — with the well-established reality of an individual or group’s popularity and veneration It is meant as an acknowledgment of the legitimacy of a cultus which began in the sensus fidelium and has grown into a place equivalent to legal canonization in the life of the Church such persons have already been popularly styled ‘saints’ for some time and were commemorated liturgically in local Western churches — St Wenceslas was so venerated in Bohemia before his equipollent canonization in 1729 as were some founders within their respective religious communities like St or more broadly in Eastern Catholic Churches Although this way of recognizing sainthood has seen less use in recent memory – Pope Benedict XVI made only one equipollent canonization Hildegarda von Bingen in 2012 – the practice has never been completely discontinued and remains an accepted prerogative reserved to the Roman Pontiff Equipollent canonizations reached their highest frequency in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with important names such as: Cyril and Methodius in 1880 In a December 18 decree from the Dicastery for the Causes of the Saints Pope Francis ordered that the Sisters of Compiègne be listed in the Book of Saints as a way of extending their cultus to the universal Church Share The idea of a“Book of Saints” invokes an image of a large, hidebound, probably red, tome that lists (as far as anyone can) all the saints on record. Such a book would be of real interest to Catholics, even if one could be forgiven for having never seen it. In reality, the “Book of Saints,” more properly called the “Roman Martyrology,” is the Church’s official daily record of saints and martyrs, including many holy men and women from the Old Testament — St. Daniel the Prophet and the Three Children in the Furnace are commemorated this week on December 17. The Martyrology is a sometimes under-appreciated liturgical book of the Latin Church. Undergoing periodic revisions alongside the General Liturgical Calendar, the Martyrology’s official Latin text was greatly amplified after the Second Vatican Council to include hundreds of martyrs from the English Reformation, French Revolution, China’s Boxer Rebellion, and many martyrs who died as witnesses to the faith under Communist regimes of the last century. The revision also included saints from earlier martyrologies of local churches, such as a large number Celtic and Syriac monastic saints, to give greater attention to the universality of Christ’s call to holiness. The most recent print edition, which is, in fact, a large, red, cloth-bound tome, was published in 2004. The Martyrology is intrinsically connected to equipollent canonizations because it is by listing the saints’ names there that these canonizations take practical effect. The book directly relates to our shared Catholic notion of a saint’s liturgical place in the life of the Church. The weighty volume provides lists of saints, and a line or two of biography, for each day of the year, even “ferial” or “non-saint” days. The Martyrology also names each of the many “and Companions” we often see mentioned each year on the General Calendar, such as those who died alongside St. Charles Lwanga in Ugandan and St. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn in Korea. The book also outlines how the names can be proclaimed liturgically each day during the Liturgy of the Hours. The Roman Martyrology is the only post-conciliar liturgical book not yet translated into English. While translations are available in Spanish and French, the official English translation, undertaken by ICEL — the International Commission on English in the Liturgy — is still on its way. In the meantime other, partial or unofficial attempts have been made to make this inspiring book more accessible for daily reading. Pope Francis has made other equivalent recognitions, most notably of St. Peter Faber, whose equipollent canonization was announced on 17 December, 2013. While Faber’s equipollent canonization was not the first in Francis’s pontificate (that was St. Angela of Foligno in October 2013), it serves as a textbook case for the use of this process, and is of personal importance for the Holy Father. Faber was an early Jesuit whose life and work the Pope studied in his years of formation in the Society of Jesus. St Ignatius Loyola, the order’s founder, was a close friend of Faber and regarded him especially for his spiritual insight and writings. Ignatius considered Faber to be the most adept, even more so than himself, at leading the Spiritual Exercises, the kind of ‘spiritual bootcamp’ which would become the hallmark of Jesuit spirituality. For those reasons, the Jesuits held a devotion to him from the earliest days of the order. To be a son of St. Ignatius meant to love Peter Faber, and to absorb his spiritual teachings. Sacred images in private oratories, prayers to Faber in prayerbooks, and even relics of him were spread among Jesuit communities, though he was not formally canonized until the 2013 announcement. Still very much the Jesuit, and out of devotion to Peter Faber, Pope Francis announced his equivalent canonization on his own birthday. The sixteen Carmelite sisters will now have their names recorded in full in an entry for July 17, the date of their martyrdom in 1794. The pope thus extended the ability to commemorate these saints liturgically to the whole Church. A votive or “devotional” Mass can be celebrated for any saint listed in the Martyrology on that given day, provided no other feast takes precedence (GIRM 316, a-b.) The equipollent canonization of these heroic sisters means a wider appreciation of their stories, and a universal invitation to all Christians to draw strength from their witness and intercession. ReplyShare1 reply12 more comments...LatestNo posts The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints gave notice this week of the advancement of several causes for new potential saints. Alongside the normal steps taken in the process of beatification and canonization for several men and women, Pope Francis also employed the little-known process of equipollent or \u201Cequivalent\u201D canonization for the French Carmelite sisters martyred in the French Revolution. The Carmelites of Compi\u00E8gne facing the guillotine public domain.The sixteen sisters of Compi\u00E8gne \u201CDialogues des Carm\u00E9lites\u201D \u2014debuted 1956 \u2014 have been the object of popular devotion since the time of their death The account of their martyrdom is well-suited to the high drama of opera \u2014 and needed no exaggeration to fit on stage Leave a comment Plaque at Picpus Cemetery dedicated to the Martyrs of Compi\u00E8gne Credit: Wikimedia commons/ CC BY SA 3.0Pope Francis\u2019s use of equipollent canonization reflects the long-standing cultus or veneration of the sisters an \u201Cequivalent\u201D canonization is the papal rubber stamp which recognizes a pre-existing one which has outlasted the generations immediately after the person\u2019s death The announcement this week is a way of squaring the legal status of a cause \u2014 or the lack thereof \u2014 with the well-established reality of an individual or group\u2019s popularity and veneration such persons have already been popularly styled \u2018saints\u2019 for some time and were commemorated liturgically in local Western churches \u2014 St Although this way of recognizing sainthood has seen less use in recent memory \u2013 Pope Benedict XVI made only one equipollent canonization Hildegarda von Bingen in 2012 \u2013 the practice has never been completely discontinued Pope Francis ordered that the Sisters of Compi\u00E8gne be listed in the Book of Saints as a way of extending their cultus to the universal Church Share The idea of a\u201CBook of Saints\u201D invokes an image of a large, hidebound, probably red, tome that lists (as far as anyone can) all the saints on record. In reality, the \u201CBook of Saints,\u201D more properly called the \u201CRoman Martyrology,\u201D is the Church\u2019s official daily record of saints and martyrs, including many holy men and women from the Old Testament \u2014 St. Daniel the Prophet and the Three Children in the Furnace are commemorated this week on December 17. The Martyrology is a sometimes under-appreciated liturgical book of the Latin Church Undergoing periodic revisions alongside the General Liturgical Calendar the Martyrology\u2019s official Latin text was greatly amplified after the Second Vatican Council to include hundreds of martyrs from the English Reformation and many martyrs who died as witnesses to the faith under Communist regimes of the last century The revision also included saints from earlier martyrologies of local churches such as a large number Celtic and Syriac monastic saints to give greater attention to the universality of Christ\u2019s call to holiness The Martyrology is intrinsically connected to equipollent canonizations because it is by listing the saints\u2019 names there that these canonizations take practical effect The book directly relates to our shared Catholic notion of a saint\u2019s liturgical place in the life of the Church These canonizations and the Martyrology also serve as a witness to the Christian unity desired by the various apostolic Churches the names of several post-schism Orthodox saints were included in the book the names of the twenty-one Coptic martyrs killed by ISIS 2015 were added long venerated by the Assyrian Church of the East during a meeting with that Church\u2019s head The weighty volume provides lists of saints even \u201Cferial\u201D or \u201Cnon-saint\u201D days The Martyrology also names each of the many \u201Cand Companions\u201D we often see mentioned each year on the General Calendar The book also outlines how the names can be proclaimed liturgically each day during the Liturgy of the Hours The Roman Martyrology is the only post-conciliar liturgical book not yet translated into English While translations are available in Spanish and French undertaken by ICEL \u2014 the International Commission on English in the Liturgy \u2014 is still on its way partial or unofficial attempts have been made to make this inspiring book more accessible for daily reading Pope Francis has made other equivalent recognitions whose equipollent canonization was announced on 17 December While Faber\u2019s equipollent canonization was not the first in Francis\u2019s pontificate (that was St it serves as a textbook case for the use of this process and is of personal importance for the Holy Father Faber was an early Jesuit whose life and work the Pope studied in his years of formation in the Society of Jesus was a close friend of Faber and regarded him especially for his spiritual insight and writings Ignatius considered Faber to be the most adept \u2018spiritual bootcamp\u2019 which would become the hallmark of Jesuit spirituality the Jesuits held a devotion to him from the earliest days of the order and even relics of him were spread among Jesuit communities though he was not formally canonized until the 2013 announcement Pope Francis announced his equivalent canonization on his own birthday The sixteen Carmelite sisters will now have their names recorded in full in an entry for July 17 The pope thus extended the ability to commemorate these saints liturgically to the whole Church A votive or \u201Cdevotional\u201D Mass can be celebrated for any saint listed in the Martyrology on that given day provided no other feast takes precedence (GIRM 316 The equipollent canonization of these heroic sisters means a wider appreciation of their stories and a universal invitation to all Christians to draw strength from their witness and intercession Subscribe now CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TDN FOR FREE! Remember Ben with a gift to Thoroughbred aftercare Subscribe for FREE to the Daily PDF or the News Alerts Home » Archive » Top News Europe » Al Asayl's Map Of Stars Goes Two-For-Two in Compiegne Feature Al Asayl's homebred Map Of Stars (GB) Sea The Stars {Ire}–Bateel {Ire} by Dubawi {Ire}) notched a one-length tally going nine furlongs at ParisLongchamp last October and stepped forward to justify 11-10 favouritism with a career high on seasonal return in Monday's Listed Prix Pelleas at Compiegne The eventual winner was positioned in a handy third until inching into second at halfway Coming under pressure with 500 metres remaining he was ridden to the fore entering the final furlong and ran on strongly in the latter stages to defeat Cambaceres (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by an ultimately comfortable two lengths Map Of Stars is the second of three foals and lone scorer from two runners produced by G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) herself a half-sister to Listed Prix Charles Laffitte victrix Basemah (Fr) (Lemon Drop Kid) out of G2 Pretty Polly Stakes runner-up Attractive Crown (Chief's Crown) a half-brother to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Tajlina (GB) (Kingman {GB}) hails from the family of Group 1-placed sires Arokar (Fr) (Akarad {Fr}) and Star Shareef (Ire) (Shareef Dancer) (Sea The Stars (Ire) @AgaKhanStuds – Bateel (Ire) par… pic.twitter.com/JF2XagFuSB — French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) July 22, 2024 Not a subscriber? 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Copy Article Link Editor / News Stories:editor@thetdn.com Advertising:advertising@thetdn.com Customer Service:customerservice@thetdn.com Click Here to sign up for a free subscription Text © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition) - Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED - NO SCREEN SHOTS Team Denmark put on strong form in the FEI Nations Cup at the 2024 CDIO 5* Compiègne on 3 - 5 May 2024 While German Frederic Wandres won the 5* Grand Prix it were the Danes that put on a repeat show and claimed victory in the team ranking for the second The CDIO Grand Prix on Saturday 4 May was judged by five of the seven judges that will officiate at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Rapahel Saleh For riders this was a unique opportunity to perform in front of the panel that will assess them - hopefully - in the summer in Versailles We are all aware of the commotion going on in the dressage world fairly loud on social media demanding a recalibration of the judging system (or at least folding back and adhering to actual criteria set in the FEI Judges Manual) while another mostly silent group keeps their lips sealed and prays for the storm to blow over The judging system is certainly not bad as it is but continuously needs improvement and fine-tuning to make it more fair as society changes and particularly the social licence towards animal welfare The judges are well aware of the wind of change that is blowing Looking at the individual break down of scores in the 5* Grand Prix it is obvious that these news tidings impacts judges differently if the difference is even distinguished?!) The scoring of these concepts is in troubled water Driving force behind Compiegne: Monique MariniI just love Compiègne and I think I have mentioned this time and again in my article I am very biased and plead guilty admitting it For more than a decade I have attended this competition and saw it develop into an even more fabulous show It's a true treasure trough for photographers with the beautiful green park in the background and sponsor banners tastefully (and minimally placed) so they don't spoil the picture Three rings - action from pony level to elite Grand Prix - wonderful shops and an enthusiastic home crowd filling the stands and bleachers It really feels like a championship in Compiegne and I just love being there Still deeply imprinted in my brain are the good times sitting in the sun taking pictures of horses while sharing a glass of wine with dressage lovers and owners ringside I'm not sure if it would be smart to push the dates further back in May as this first weekend of May seems jinxed Daniel Bachmann on VayronTeam Denmark won the Nations Cup with Daniel Bachmann Andersen spearheading Denmark to victory He placed second in the Grand Prix on Rudolf Spiekermann's 13-year old Westfalian Vayron (by Vitalis x Gloster) The humongous bay Westfalian was already member of the Danish team at the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck but despite his age still looked green at Grand Prix back then His huge size doesn't do him any favours but Bachmann showed improvement in Compiegne with good extensions but still on the forehand and crossing behind and alas the passage is quite swaying in the hindquarters He received a total of 76.152% but the marks ranged between 73.478% and a whopping 78.152% from the Danish judge Carina Cassoe Kruth and her lovely mare Heiline's Danciera (by Furstenball x De Niro) have been a team fixture since 2021 The black mare has so much elasticity and bounce and three outstanding basic gaits but she continues to be too tense in the piaffe (totally on the forehand and the nervous trembling of her lip doesn't paint a pretty picture) She had to be trotted up twice in the vet inspection in Compiegne and was also ridden hard in the training session the day before In the test she was overasked in the third trot extension The collected walk was ridden too freely and in the half pass right the hindquarters trailed a bit The highlights all were in canter with fabulous tempi changes and pirouettes She finished on 74.913% with individual scores between 73.804% and 76.196% SchufroNanna Skodborg Merrald had originally entered her number one for Compiegne but replaced him with Blue Hors St In Compiegne the gorgeous black stallion lacked in overtrack in all trot extensions (still scores a 6 - 7.5 The right trot half pass was the best one and the left pirouette a high point Overall in passage the horse was not tracking up evenly with the left hind it was a mixed bag of nations that completed the top 10 in Compiegne The winner of the class was Frederic Wandres on Hof Kassekmann's 17-year old British Hanoverian Duke of Britain (by Dimaggio x Rubinstein) The pair won team bronze at the 2022 World Championships but since then Bluetooth took over the baton as number one horse in the barn Duke now is being competed at selected shows his last start being only in the Grand Prix at the CDI Hagen in September although by the time the canter work started he relied on his rider to carry him through Duke is incredibly secure in the rhythm in piaffe and showed a good collected walk as well as two tempi changes and zig zag but the highlight of the test was the very well ridden flying change after the extended canter The trot extensions did not have the best suspension and elasticity but were correctly executed Patrik Kittel on JovianSwedish Patrik Kittel and Andreas Helgstrand's (and silent owner Cathrine Rasmussen's) 10-year old KWPN stallion Jovian (by Apacher x Tango) landed fifth place with 74.283% The tall bay stallion no doubt wows with his trot and canter extensions and showed a ton of crossing in the trot half passes but in this test the passage work was not always regular behind and the piaffes are on the spot Also in collected walk he appeared short-long behind but he is ridden fully on the curb and he not always jumps the tempi changes even behind One of the most pleasing tests of the day came from the sixth placed pair British Becky Moody on the 10-year old KWPN bred Jagerbomb (by Dante Weltino x Jazz) Internationally they are fairly newcomers; but nationally this horse has a lot of mileage down his belt despite his age He was quite impressed in the Grand Prix and had big eyes but Moody beautifully rode him through the test and displayed correct training and work The best parts in the ride were the half passes straight two tempi changes and fantastic one tempi's The collected walk was not so clear in the rhythm and in piaffe he can still drop more in the hindquarters They posted 73.804% with marks between 71.848% and 76.087% Pauline Basquin on Sertorius de Rima ZFrench Pauline Basquin has developed into the Joan of Arc of dressage France's beacon of hope and beautiful riding With her elegant 14-year old Zangersheide registered Sertorius de Rima Z (by Sandro Hit x Voltaire) she showed improvement in the piaffe Country mate Corentin Pottier and the 13-year old KWPN bred Gotilas (by Totilas x Ferro) gave an equally strong impression with really fluent and easy going riding While the passage work is not always as engaged and strong behind and the piaffe could show more taking of the weight behind Swedish Maria von Essen and the 12-year old KWPN bred Invoice (by Jazz x Ferro) could not repeat the same level but still showed many things I personally prefer to see hands with the thumbs up than piano hands but overall the contact was light and soft looking The transitions in and out of piaffe were a bit shuffling The passage could improve in self carriage but the straight two tempi changes were very appealing Becky Moody on JagerbombPhotos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED - NO SCREEN SHOTS A CSI3* competition is still in full swing in Compiègne Several classes were on the programme this afternoon and it was a battle between mother and daughter: Penelope Leprevost and her daughter Eden battled it out in a thrilling jump-off!  The top three in this section coloured entirely in the French tricolour She counted on GFE Candy De Nantuel (by Luidam) to ride clear to the finish in 69.06 seconds She was closely followed by her daughter Eden Leprevost Blinlebreton Eden also did it clear in the saddle of Golden Cygano JAP (by Ugano Sittte) and clocked off in 70.26 seconds Juliette Faligot and Arqana de Riverland (by Cornet Obolensky) completed the top three after a clear round in 71.13 seconds Charlotte Bettendorf (Salt Lake City 4) and Maelle Martin (Epsy Mouche) completed the top five Click here for the results Powered by Bury Free Press, Suffolk Free Press, Newmarket Journal & Haverhill Echo Powered by Bury Free Press, Suffolk Free Press, Newmarket Journal and Haverhill Echo Home   Bury St Edmunds   News   Article These days this key Suffolk route is better known for its flooding problems but 40 years ago it was a different scenario Having opened in the summer of 1984, Compiegne Way, in Bury St Edmunds was then the new link road connecting the A143 with the St Saviour’s Interchange of the A45 (later renamed the A14) But despite being newly built and its flooding issues well in the future Compiegne Way was already coming in for criticism – and in the spring of 1985 a Bury Free Press photographer went to capture the scene the town’s MP Eldon Griffiths said the newly-completed link road looked like a ‘cross between Wigan and Auschwitz’ He said the fence along Compiegne Way was ugly and forbidding and would be more appropriate in a concentration camp than in Bury “It should have been a planning condition that the area was landscaped,” said Mr Griffiths “There is no reason why the area should be the filthy mess it is when it could be an attractive asset to the town.” Suffolk County Council’s assistant county surveyor said a landscaping plan was ‘in hand’ for the area while a British Sugar spokesman said: “We are aware of the need to improve this aspect of the factory “The scheme will take about two or three years and banks will be formed and grassed over.” ‘with its militaristic barbed wire fencing and views of sludge ponds complete with dead trees’ Spring Campaign Launches TODAY!Join us to hit our $60,000 goal fast Mass Propers for Monday of the Third Week of Easter: Entrance Antiphon: The Good Shepherd has risen who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his flock but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God Jn 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you Not as the world gives do I give it to you Jn 12:24: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies putting off our old self with all its ways for through the healing paschal remedies you have confirmed us to his nature Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit » Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books! Today the Roman Martyrology commemorates St convert from Judaism and a professed Priest of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel Born in 1145 at Jerusalem and died by being stabbed to death in 1220 at Licata Caterina Cittadini is also commemorated today She was an Italian Roman Catholic religious from Bergamo who established the Ursuline Sisters of Saint Jerome Emiliani The order was dedicated to the education of girls in Bergamo and in the surrounding areas and has since expanded outside of the Italian nation leaving you an example that you should follow His steps" (Epistle) The Christian slave might complain that his membership in the Church had not alleviated the harsh conditions of his life Peter points to the example of Christ who was in all things to be the model of the Christian neither was guile found in His mouth," but nevertheless he was subjected to persecution and injustice But the Christian is expected to be a follower of Christ but delivered Himself to him that judged Him unjustly." If then Christians feel that they have not achieved the liberty and the equality they long for they are to remember that Christ had come not to right all the wrongs and injustices in the world but to give an "example that you should follow His steps." Men often complain against God when they suffer what they consider undeserved misfortunes They think that God ought to interfere and punish injustice and wickedness here and now They are like the apostles James and John; they want to call down fire from heaven and destroy those who appear to them to act improperly Christ made it clear that all injustice will be rectified eventually but that for the present He wishes to allow the cockle to grow among the wheat When the proper time comes God will deal with injustice in His own way But it is not only the slave who is to be subject to authority and to recognize that mistreatment patiently borne is a service acceptable to God and meritorious for man Obedience to legitimate authority does not depend on the worthiness of the official exercising authority Christ Himself had commanded His disciples to obey the officials of the Jewish Church even though they might not be personally worthy of the office they held He was obedient first of all to His parents "He went down with them and came to Nazareth He observed the ritual and the laws of the Jewish Church He obeyed the laws of the Roman authorities and paid the tribute they demanded He set off on a Genoese ship on 1 April 1219 and stopped first in Messina before heading off to Civitavecchia before he ended up in Rome to meet with the pope The friar preached in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran while in Rome where he met both Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Dominic He foretold that Francis would receive the stigmata while Francis foretold his premature death.st angelus of jerusalem snip From there he was a guest of the Basilians in Palermo where he was for about a month before preaching in Agrigento for over a month before settling in Licata He had healed seven lepers and the ailing Archbishop of Palermo Bernardo de Castanea while in Palermo He settled on the Sicilian island though his fame as a wonderworker caused crowds to flock to him He also had success in converting some Jews though most Jews in Palermo came to despise him for this since he himself was once Jewish He wanted to convert a Knight named Berenger Catholic tradition states that Berenger was living in incest and that Angelo convinced the knight’s companion to leave him Berenger became enraged and arranged to have him attacked and murdered in front of the Church of Saints Filippo and Giacomo in Licata He didn’t die from the attack until four days after the attack and during that time he prayed for his assassin and asked the civil authorities to pardon him setting an example for all those that he preached to He was buried at Saints Filippo and Giacomo Church His sepulchre at Licata quickly became a site of Pilgrimage Symbols and Representation: Carmelite with a knife in his head; Carmelite with a sword in his breast and three crowns; Carmelite with an angel bringing him three crowns; Carmelite with lilies and roses falling from his mouth The sisters left the orphanage in 1823 to live with their cousins Giovanni and Antonio Cittadini Caterina became a teacher at a girl‘s public school in Somasca in 1824 The sisters felt a call to the religious life; their spiritual director recommended that they should stay in Somasca and become the basis of a new congregation In 1826 the sisters rented a house in Somasca and in October opened a boarding school for girls and instituted the oratory style of education for her girls The sisters established another “Cittadini” private school in 1832 Giuditta directed these new school until her sudden death in 1840 followed quickly by her spiritual director from the orphanage The rapid succession of tragedy ruined Caterina’s health but was cured through the intercession of Saint Jerome Emilani Caterina quit her public teaching position in 1845 to manage the schools and guide the three companions who help her To help organize the work and lives of her companions she wrote the beginnings of a new rule similar to that of religious orders In 1850 she obtained permission to build a private oratory to keep the Blessed Sacrament at her boarding school In 1851 she applied for approval of her new religious family and told her to write the rules of the new order; her first attempt based on the Constitution of the Ursulines of Milano was rejected A second attempt was accepted on 17 September 1854 under the title Orsoline Gerolimiane (Ursuline Sisters of Somasca) the bishop of Bergamo gave his approval; the order achieved papal recognition on 8 July 1927 and to care for the abandoned; today they work in Italy -- Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED - NO SCREEN SHOTS Dutch pony riders Kate Jansen and Esmae Niessen ruled the roost in the packed pony division at the 2024 CDIO Compiegne on 3 - 5 May 2024 the two Dutch young ladies shared the trophies in the three classes held during the weekend In wet conditions with occasional rain showers spoiling the party throughout the weekend pony riders from six different nations came to collect scores and ride themselves in the picture of team selectors for the approaching summer highlight of the season the 2024 European Pony Championships in Opglabbeek (BEL) in July The team championship test on Friday was dominated by Esmae Niessen aboard the 10-year old Danish bred pony Strandgaards Do It My Way (by Dr Doolittle x Bolero) Two of three judges placed the pair first with 73.286% an overall result that gave her the victory She stayed ahead of Russian born Agata Zakhrabekova Zakhrabekova consistently placed in the top three aboard the 7-year old Westfalian bred RM Golden Showman (by Golden West x Noir de Luxe) In the team test they were second with 72.524% Niessen on Strandgaards Do It My WayOn a rainy Saturday Dutch Kate Jansen won the individual test with 71.261% She rode the 12-year old Rhinelander bred FS Mr Magic (by FS Mr Right x Don't Worry) on which she took over the ride in 2023 from German Rafael Reichart-Eisenhardt after Jona-Emily Bomberg introduced the palomino at international pony level in 2021 Zakhrabekova was again second with 71.081% The kur to music on Sunday was a toss up between Jansen and Niessen and ended in favour of Jansen on FS Mr Magic with 75.065% while Niessen and Do It My Way were second with 74.795% Zakhrabekova finished her weekend with a third place on 74.085% Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED - NO SCREEN SHOTS Works on a pothole ‘the size of a bin lid’ in a town road have been ordered Suffolk Highways confirmed to SuffolkNews this morning its personnel would fill the crater in Compieneg Way Several notices for it have been filed on Highways’ pothole reporting tool one of which estimated it was 40 to 50 centimetres wide and around 20 centimetres deep It has been variously described as ‘absolutely huge’ and ‘extremely deep’ and ‘the size of a bin lid’ One driver said they busted their wheel and tyre on the pothole and had to have their car towed home They said it ‘needs urgent attention before someone has a horrific accident’ Another motorist suggested it could be a recurring pothole as there have been others in the same spot and it is ‘difficult to avoid as it’s on the curve’ A different report suggested the defect was a ‘serious danger to cyclists and motorcyclists’ and could cause ‘serious damage to motor vehicles’ The countdown is on for the 13th edition of the "Internationaux de Dressage" - CDIO 5* Compiègne - on 2 - 5 May 2024 This highly celebrated international competition in the gorgeous Grand Parc equestrian stadium gathers the elite of the dressage world as it not only serves as one of just three FEI Nations' Cup legs but also as observation event for Paris Olympic team selection The Grand Parc equestrian stadium will welcome athletes for a full three-day programme with classes for youth riders - from pony level to Under 25 - as well as a CDI 1* small tour and 3* big tour alongside the 5* FEI Nations Cup The weekend will conclude on Sunday afternoon with a spectacular show Orangerie and VIP seating at the CDIO CompiègneThe venue offers all for the demanding dressage riders: spacious arenas good stabling and plenty of catering and shops for lifestyle and entertainment The fully modernised main stadium gives grandeur to the competition and has turned the CDIO Compiègne into one of the most beloved spring dressage festivals on the annual FEI calendar The 2024 competition year is all about the Paris Olympics Many nations have flagged Compiègne as a team observation and selection trial which means that countries will be sending their top riders to this show Grand Prix riders will have the unique opportunity to ride in front of the judges that will officiate at the Olympics at the palace of Versailles and Susanne Baarup (DEN) are all signed up to judge in Compiègne president of the ground juryThe ground jury in Compiègne further includes Maribel Alonso and IDOC president Hans-Christian Matthiesen Compiègne is also a fixed selection event towards the European Youth Championships later this summer The CDIO Compiègne hosts the only CDIO 5* FEI Nations' Cup in the world and will welcome teams from 10 different nations as well as individual riders It will be an action packed program filled with stars making Compiègne an event not to be missed International elite in Compiègne"We’re really eager to see the entire dressage ‘’family’’ once again," show director Monique Marini explained "We know that this year is very special with the big rendezvous in Versailles Compiègne is a one-of-a-kind meeting for all Riders know that they are always well received and that the conditions are optimal with the infrastructures and surfaces perfectly meeting the demands of top level sport." Marini added that her show is also a favourite in the community with visitors from across Europe as wel as locals coming for "a day in the park" "The public always shows its loyalty," said Marini "We worked hard to improve the hospitality and provide  substantial catering in a superb setting the stands were full and the atmosphere exceptional There’s no doubt that it will be the same this year." View the FEI Schedule here Entries for the CDIO Compiègne close on 16 April 2024 For more information visit www.compiegne-equestre.com Danish chef d'equipe Anne-Mette Binder has her high performance riders make a wish list: In which events would you most like to compete When she weighed the wishes with the results she came up with her three-rider squad for the FEI Nations Cup™ of Compiegne (FRA) German Frederic Wandres won the Grand Prix test aboard his evergreen Hof Kasselmann's Duke of Britain (by Dimaggio x Rubinstein) with 76.435% Denmark captured an impressive win Saturday in the CDIO5* Nations Cup event a key component in Binder's "milestone plan" ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games (FRA) and Carina Cassoe Krüth (Heiline's Danciera) bested a competitive field of nine teams with a winning point total of 225.500 with the home nation France third (215.261) Originally 10 teams were entered for Compiegne but team Australia dropped out of the Nations Cup as Lyndal Oatley did not show up This left Mary Hanna and European rookie Jessica Dertell in the competition as individuals "It's a very important competition here for us This is in our 'milestone plan'—so we call it—where we watch the riders and then from all the events that we have put into our milestone plan...we will select the final [Olympic] team," said Danish team captain Anne-Mette Binder (DEN) The Danish trio excelled in what could have been viewed as a tryout of sorts for Paris Leadoff rider Bachmann Andersen shined brightest in the Grand Prix test his mount from the 2023 European Championships (GER) The personal best score was also good enough for second individually in the competition Schufro in the pouring rain"Daniel is very experienced and Vayron was also in Riesenbeck for the European Championships they as a pair are relatively new for these bigger events and championships [Daniel] really fulfilled our hopes and expectations," said Binder Bachmann Andersen has only been paired with the 13-year-old Westphalian stallion for two years but they found success almost immediately when stepping into international competition together Since their championship debut last summer Bachmann Andersen has focused on fitness and building up his partner's strength and he hadn't done the real Grand Prix yet," Bachmann Andersen said about Mr Spiekermann's gelding who was previously trained and competed by Helen Langehanenberg "I've been working a lot with getting him [stronger] and getting more stable and really being able to lengthen his frame and extension and all of that succeeded really well [today] The transition out of the piaffe was better than it's ever been and I think almost my entire counter-canter was very convincing," he added Krüth and Skodborg Merrald showcased the strengths of long-term partnerships with Krüth earning marks of 74.913% and Skodborg Merrald receiving 74.435% Krüth was also a part of the squad that won this same competition a year ago Kruth and Heiline's Danciera"I have been riding [Heiline's Danciera] since she was four years old She actually had her own foal when she was four so she was a little bit late in her education," Krüth shared and she's always been very practical in her movements...I've been riding her forever 4 Skodborg Merrald recently finished second in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final with Blue Hors Don Olymbrio Schufro for stallion's first international start of 2024 "I've been riding him since he was seven," Skodborg Merrald said "It's quite a longer relationship with him now Winning the lone five-star event of the 2024 season the Danish catapulted themselves up the series leaderboard to sit third after two events on 15 points Sweden leads the way after finishing third in Wellington (USA) and has 20 points Germany follows closely behind in second with 19 points The 2024 FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ series concludes in Budapest (HUN) Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED Related LinksScores: 2024 CDIO CompiègneTeams for FEI Nations Cup at 2024 CDIO CompiègneOlympic Fever at 2024 CDIO 5* Compiègne: The Countdown is On Olympic hopefuls will enjoy a golden opportunity to prepare for Paris when they take part in this weekend’s 5* FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ show in Compiègne the field will be competing in front of the judges who will be scoring the Olympic Dressage competition at the Château de Versailles later this year All eyes will be on the French team as they build up to their home Olympics following a promising sixth place at last year’s FEI European Championships Wearing the Tricolore in Compiègne will be three partnerships who impressed in last month’s CDI 5* of Fontainebleau The trio is Alexandre Ayache & Jolene (pictured above) Pauline Basquin & Sertorius de Rima (main image) and Corentin Pottier & Gotilas du Feuillard (pictured below) French coach Jean Morel said: “A Nations Cup always has a very special flavour because while our sport is usually individual in a Nations Cup you’re also riding for the others a good rider is judged not only by his sporting results but also by what he contributes to the atmosphere the atmosphere created by his staff and his ability to listen to the staff’s instructions If we had good results at the last European Championships We were happy to collectively eat lunch and have drinks together in the evening.” France are also set to participate in big events in Falsterbo and Aachen as they continue their preparations for Versailles The likes of Morgan Barbançon & Habana Libre A are sure to figure in Morel’s thoughts as he prepares to confirm his picks for Paris in July Morel added: “The selections for Versailles have not yet been made The race is open and the CDIO 5* at Compiègne will allow us to slim down our choices I’ll be submitting my long list at the end of June Germany feature Frederic Wandres & Duke of Britain while Great Britain’s Annabella Pidgley brings Gio The FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ season began in February with a victory for Germany in Wellington. It is Saturday's Grand Prix class that will determine series points, with Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle classes taking place on Sunday. Watch all the action on FEI TV Sweden takes the top spot in front of Denmark and the Netherlands We look at who's on show in the European series opener.. Moving up the levels in Dressage is a fine balance between pushing yourself and going into the show underprepared We take a look at 15 years of spectacular equestrian fun in the Austrian city.. Juan Matute Guimón reflects on a year in which he spent months in hospital fighting for his life A month away from the FEI World Equestrian Games we take a closer look at Charlotte Dujardin's new horse.. Let's take a closer look at what the Dressage competition has to offer at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ and which athletes should be on your radar.. Public funding has been announced for the entire French hydrogen industry including €74 million to develop Plastic Omnium’s (Levallois-Perret With this government funding, Laurent Favre says Plastic Omnium is constructing what is reported to be the largest hydrogen vessel facility in Europe the future factory will produce 80,000 Type IV storage vessels a year with the first ones to be produced as of 2025 Plastic Omnium says it will continue its hydrogen research and development (R&D) activities at its α-Alphatech R&D Center based in Compiègne Favre also announces two major contracts with Stellantis (Hoofddorp Both contracts cover the design and production of 700-bar high-pressure hydrogen vessels modules for commercial vehicles “The support of the French government allows us to accelerate the ramp-up of our industrial production of hydrogen vessels in France The signing of two new contracts with Stellantis and HYVIA illustrates our customers’ confidence in our technological expertise in hydrogen storage,” Favre says “These announcements are a major step in our ambition to become the world leader in hydrogen mobility by 2030 and the preferred partner of the players in this sector serving the transformation of our industry towards low-carbon mobility.” Funding is part of the PIIEC (Important Project of Common European Interest) framework and supports projects considered essential for Europe’s competitiveness HYVIA was also selected within this framework Public funding has been announced for the entire French hydrogen industry, including €74 million to develop Plastic Omnium’s (Levallois-Perret Favre also announces two major contracts with Stellantis (Hoofddorp, Netherlands) and HYVIA (Ile de France) The last few days a grey overcast sky has been replaced by blueness the swallows have arrived and after a restless night I jump into my car for the 3h30 min drive to Compiegne for my favourite spring show of the year As soon as I cross the border from Belgium into France a totally different country and culture are visible One drives across a huge agricultural area with hectares of turnrip rape fields in full bloom An explosion of yellow painted in between acres of lush green grass land that stretch out to the horizon It's 22 C° when I arrived in the equestrian park of Compiegne where the organizers have succeeded once again in making the event even prettier and better than the year before In 2022 they boasted a brand new main arena and this year the trade fair has been made extremely cosy and inviting with wooden seats high tables around a big "orangerie" style central bar I'm right on time for the start of the horse inspection It takes 15 minutes to braid your horseConfusion is key when it sometimes comes to FEI rules an urban legend started floating round the dressage world that an FEI steward at the CDI Beloura had told riders horses were no longer allowed to appear braided at the horse inspection I had to rub my eyes because I couldn't believe the nonsense I just read I immediately checked with two stewards and they confirmed that no rule change had taken place and braids were certainly not banned from the trot up. A quick look at the horse inspection rules (p 33) actually does not even mention whether a horse needs to be braided or not but I find it totally unstylish to present a horse unbraided This unkept or dishevelled look seems proof of laziness a lack of style and care for tradition (most of these riders even have full-time grooms working for them In Compiègne some appeared in their stable clothes Only the French team seemed more co-ordinated with all wearing the team shirts Karate KickAnother big difference with eventing horse inspections is the manner in which dressage horses behave the horses gently trot in a relaxed pace next to their rider some see the opportunity to act like jacks out of the box  and behave like lunatics I often wonder if these horses get proper turn-out so they get rid of their excess energy or do they stay boxed in a paddock with only hand-walking or the horse walker as their moment of freedom A well mannered trot up is something that can be trained. And am I being too drastic if I wish for all stallions to be cut if they are not licensed breeding stallions riders are allowed to train in the competition arenas and wherever you turn your head There are no less than seven arenas at these show grounds and they were filled to full capacity with riders practising their tests suppling their horses and familiarising them with the surroundings I see that all is in place for a fabulous three days of competition and cross my fingers that we will have more of the same weather - Text and Photos © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition) Related LinksScores: 2023 CDIO CompiegneExceptional Line-Up of World Elite Riders for the 2023 CDIO Compiègne Read the press release Read the press kit during her visit to Plastic Omnium’s α-Alphatech Research and Development Center in Compiègne announced public funding for the entire French hydrogen industry including €74 million to develop Plastic Omnium’s hydrogen activities Plastic Omnium announces the signing of two major contracts with Stellantis and HYVIA to supply high-pressure hydrogen vessels modules for commercial vehicles Carina Cassoe Krüth could not be beaten in Compiègne (FRA) leading Denmark to victory in the nation's first outing of the 2023 FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ season Under the supervision of Chef d'Equipe Anne-Mette Binder the three-rider Danish squad of Krüth (Heiline's Danciera) Anna Kasprzak (Addict de Massa) and Lone Bang Zindorff (Thranegaardens Rostov) did not finish outside the top 12 across the  5* Grand Prix 5* Grand Prix Special and  5* Grand Prix Freestyle tests to record comfortable victory in the second leg of the six-event Nations Cup series The Netherlands finished second with 41 points while Germany—who took an opening leg victory in Wellington (USA) in February—finished third with 45 points athletes received points equivalent to their finish position in each test Those points were totaled for a final team score with the lowest cumulative score taking top honors Athletes completed two tests each; all athletes contested the Grand Prix before splitting across the Special and Freestyle Carina Kruth on Danciera"Even though there were mistakes This is what we tried to achieve with our little team—that it's okay to make mistakes so that you feel comfortable in trying to find a solution and solve the problems if you're in them," said Danish team captain Anne-Mette Binder (DEN) A most experienced combination of Krüth and the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood mare Heiline's Danciera (by Furstenball x De Niro) were part of Denmark's gold medal-winning squad at the 2022 World Championships in Herning (DEN) in August while Kasprzak and Zindorff brought forward mounts that were less experienced at the level Krüth and her veteran partner certainly delivered taking top honours in both the Grand Prix (78.674%) and Grand Prix Special (76.107%) "Yesterday [the Grand Prix] was mistake-free There was a little bit here and there with details but the feeling was amazing," Krüth detailed I think the feeling was even better than yesterday but then I had some very big mistakes...That's how it is with horses Krüth and Heiline's Danciera have been partnered since the mare was just a 4-year-old In addition to their gold medal performance in Herning they have also represented Denmark in the Tokyo Olympic Games (JPN) and 2022 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final (GER) "We've been doing Grand Prix since [Heiline's Danciera] was eight and that's why I'm still so much in love with the sport because you can keep working on little details and major things," said Kruth The Nations Cup podium in CompiegneKasprzak and Addict de Massa (by San Amour x Maestro) were consistent throughout the weekend finishing 10th in the Grand Prix and ninth in the Special Zindorff and Thranegaardens Rostov (by Romanov) finished fourth in the Freestyle Both riders were pleased with the development of their horses But it's great fun that we cheer each other and support each other." Germany has taken over the series lead with 21 points ahead of Sweden (16 points) and Denmark (15) The FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ continues at Budapest (HUN) You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed 2018This undated file photo shows the train wagon in which the armistice of 1918 ending World War I was signed on Nov Standing in front of the train are the most important members of the armistice it was a symbol of the humiliation of surrender The Nazi leader had it dragged to Germany after conquering France in World War II France — Adolf Hitler went in wartime for revenge Angela Merkel plans a pilgrimage in the name of peace with opposite aims and the same destination: a train car in a French forest Hitler tried literally to rewrite history in 1940 when the Nazi leader commandeered the dining coach to serve France the same humiliation Germany suffered there on the last day of World War I This time, Merkel will have the French president by her side as she visits what remains of the Wagon of Compiegne the carriage-turned-office where the Allies and Germany signed the armistice on Nov carriage 2419D from serving sauteed veal and boeuf bourguignon to passengers in the seaside town of Deauville to serving as a crucible for world peace while stopped in the middle of a forest in Compiegne photo shows the exact location where the Nov armistice was been signed in the forest of Compiegne (Thibault Camus/AP)Puzzled tourists often ask Bernard Letemps why the Allies signed the cease-fire agreement that ended the atrocities of the Western Front in that humble setting instead of a grand military building or a glittering palace the official headquarters in Senlis of the Allied commander would have been the expected place to sign a cease-fire Veterans Day: History of a symbolIt is perhaps the most famous poem to come out of the Great War “In Flanders Field” was written in 20 minutes — just 15 lines in all — but it spoke volumes about those who lost their lives during the First World War on a field near Ypres HistoryNetBut the town had endured a brutal German assault Its inhabitants were taken hostage and its mayor shot in September 1914 How the bruised townspeople would react to the presence of a German delegation "It was out of the question to receive the plenipotentiary Germans in (such a) town," Letemps said A moveable train carriage in the nearby Compiegne forest was deemed ideal: The isolated location would deter intruders and the calm and secrecy offered a measure of respect to the defeated Germans Foch had fitted out a mobile office just the month before — a dining car chosen at random from the French passenger train fleet And so 2419D became known as the "Wagon of Compiegne." picture shows the signatures of the Allies and Germans on the armistice document dated Nov and displayed at the Vincennes castle museum in Vincennes On left from top : French Marshal Ferdinand Foch and below: British Admiral Lord Wester Wemyss from the top: Matthias Erzberger head of the German delegation and member of the parliament Count Alfred von Oberndorff representative of the minister of foreign affair of Germany Ernst Vanselow representing the German Navy In addition to the signatures the text above reads in French: "The present armistice was signed on Nov (Michel Euler/AP)The Armistice was signed just after 5 a.m. but officials held out six hours to put it into effect out of a sense of poetry — the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 cost lives on both sides at the end of a war that had already left 17 million dead "The train car represents the end of fighting smiling: "It fulfilled its role of dining car before becoming famous." Right up to Armistice Day, US clout in WWI kept increasingOn the final morning of World War I if one nation had momentum after the first global war’s four years of unprecedented slaughter it was the United States.The Armistice Museum lays on the train tracks on the site of the signing in the middle of forest Foch was immortalized in statues ubiquitous across France and gave his name to one of the broad leafy avenues radiating out from the Arc de Triomphe The same reception was not reserved for the losing side: One of the Germans to sign the document was vilified for his role in the surrender The story of dining car 2419D and Compiegne didn't end with the war For throngs of French mourners in the post-war years the dining car became a shrine to peace and catharsis file photo shows the saloon car of Compiegne in where the armistice ending World War I was signed on Nov (AP Photo)The car was taken to Paris for display in the courtyard of the Invalides before it went back to Compiegne in 1927 to sit in a specially-made memorial constructed on the site of today's museum Letemps said the wagon received over 190,000 visitors in one year alone in the 1930s as it became a focus for mourning France's 1.4 million fallen soldiers it became a rallying cry during his ascent to power as he exploited the German public's contempt for the punitive terms of surrender The Nazi leader visited the site in 1940 when his armies conquered France The Fuhrer ordered the dining car brought out of the memorial and returned to the tracks in the spot in the forest it occupied in 1918 What ensued was Hitler's surreal theatrical restaging of the 1918 armistice The 1940 Armistice was dictated in that train — with Germany the victor and France the loser "General (Wilhelm) Keitel read the conditions for the Armistice in the car with Chancellor Hitler sitting in the place of Marshal Foch," Letemps said Hitler then ordered the car to be hauled to Germany and displayed representatives of Germany with Adolf Hitler in the railroad dining car to discuss terms during World War II (AP Photo)The dining car was destroyed at the end of World War II though how that happened has been lost to time Some accounts blame members of the Nazi SS donated a car from the same series to the museum — 2439D is identical to its ravaged twin from its polished wooden finishes to its studded It is parked beside the display of the original car remains: a few fragments of bronze decoration and two access ramps Merkel becomes the first German chancellor in 78 years to visit the forest clearing where the end of the globe's first conflict was written She will be joined by French President Emmanuel Macron in a scene reminiscent of 1984 when Chancellor Helmut Kohl poignantly held President Francois Mitterrand's hand at an ossuary near Verdun this visit will make for soul-searing images of its own recounting the military and civilian history of France go to make up the Musée de la Figurine Historique And the museum spreads out over 5,300 square feet and includes twenty dioramas devoted to the First Empire. Two historical reconstructions present 'The victory at Austerlitz recalls Napoleon's sleepless night on the eve of the battle; the second represents the few moments before the three emperors engaged in combat. Some of the dioramas for example “Bataillon au bivouac” “L'Armée impériale de 1806 à 1812” and the “l'Intendance de l'artillerie” show the day-to-day life of the imperial army the “Bataillon au bivouac” gives an excellent portrayal of camp-life according to the rules set out in 1809 for the infantry Visitors are presented with further historical reconstructions such as “A military parade in front of the Tuileries Palace and the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in 1811” [see inset] “The capture of the Great Redoubt of the Moskowa 7 September 1812” and “The Return of the Body 15 December 1840”. The most impressive diorama has to be that of the battle of Waterloo by Charles Laurent who for greater accuracy used charts from Belgian military headquarters and worked on the reconstitution for 18 years (1905-1923) The diorama features almost 12,000 figurines spread out over 270 square feet and triangular panels signal the positions of all the protagonists (Napoleon Wellington and the Ompteda's Hanoverian battalion) The different phases of the battle are related using lights and recorded commentaries. “The Arrival of the Empress Marie-Louise at the Château de Compiègne” is a fine illustration of the pomp of the imperial palace at the height of its glory Nor is Compiègne during the Second Empire omitted with the reconstitution of a reception in the park of the château The museum also features several showcases displaying arms and prints of military uniforms. Compiegne Itinerary Whether you are a private individual or a company you get tax benefits on donations to the Fondation Napoléon © Fondation Napoléon 2025 ISSN 2272-1800 Home » Archive » Europe » Half to Territories Starts at Compiegne Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring Tuesday's Observations features the half-sibling to Dalham Hall stallion G1SW-Fr Territories (Ire) Copy Article Link US Equestrian announced the three athlete-and-horse combinations that have been selected to the 2022 U.S The athletes will be led by USEF Youth Coach George Williams we have three very talented young riders,” said Williams “It is exciting to see them have this wonderful opportunity to gain invaluable European experience in the international arena and compete against some of the best young riders in the world.” The combinations will compete as a team in the Youth Nations Cup at the Hagen Future Champions CDIOY in Hagen The athletes may also opt to compete as individuals at Internationaux de Dressage de Compiègne Dressage Young Rider European Tour is generously supported by Discover Dressage the three senior athlete-and-horse combinations that will represent  the USA in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup at the CDIO5* in Compiègne The team will also be led by George Williams Temporary traffic lights are in place on a key route in Bury St Edmunds for more than a month The lights are in Compiegne Way until May 20 for work by UK Power Networks Delays were reported in Bury St Edmunds after police were called to a broken down lorry The incident was in Compiegne Way at the junction with Hollow Road A police spokesperson said they were called at 2.27pm and the road was closed Initially vehicles were going the wrong way around the roundabout at the junction before the road was closed