Zurich/Dielsdorf, 15 August 2022 – From 24 to 28 August 2022, the best young European riders will compete at the first Zurich Youth Masters in the show arena at the Horse Park Zurich-Dielsdorf. Over 150 riders with more than 300 horses from 13 nations and a large audience from home and abroad are expected. During five days, 25 international competitions in four different age groups are planned: A CSI-P for pony riders, a CSIO with Nations Cups in the categories Children (U14) and Juniors (U18) as qualifiers for the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Youth Final, and a CSI-U25 as qualifier for the Final of the European Youngster Cup (EY Cup), which serves as a stepping stone for international youngsters into the world elite. The event is under the patronage of the „Suisse Youth Jumping Academy“ SYJA. As a highlight, the 29th traditional Suisse Elite Foal Auction will be held for the first time as a hybrid event on Saturday evening. The programme and all information are online on the website www.youth-masters.ch.
With the Zurich Youth Masters, an international youth tournament will take place for the first time at the Horse Park Zurich-Dielsdorf, one of the most modern and spacious equestrian facilities in Switzerland. Yves von Ballmoos, initiator and OC President of the Zurich Youth Masters, on the new horse show: „This is a big premiere for us and the anticipation in the team and among our helpers, our sponsors and, of course, the riders and their parents and trainers is enormous. We want to show top international young show jumping sport in Switzerland and offer the best conditions and an ideal platform for horses and young riders of all ages and performance levels. We want to offer the youngsters a stage to be able to measure themselves against the international competition in front of a local audience. Something that has been missing in Switzerland, besides the international youth riding tournament of Chevenez JU, for over a decade.“
Over 150 riders with more than 300 horses and a large audience from home and abroad are expected. Nations such as Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Greece, Italy, Monaco, the Netherlands, Austria as well as riders from Hong Kong and Liechtenstein have already confirmed their participation. And of course, the home nation will compete in the prestigious Nations Cup at the first youth show jumping tournament of the Swiss outdoor season.
Last stage before the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Youth Final
Right from the start, the new young riders‘ tournament will feature an attractive highlight. As the official „FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Youth Qualifier Leg“, the Zurich Youth Masters will host two CSIO in the categories Children and Juniors. In analogy to the international Nations Cup formula for the elite, one team per nation with four pairs of riders and horses will also compete at the junior CSIO. The seven qualifying stages of the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Youth Series 2022 already held in Europe include such well-known show venues as Opglabbeek (BEL), Gorla Minore (ITA), Zduchovice (CZE), Fontainebleau (FRA), Lamprechtshausen (AUT), Zuidwolde (NED) and Hagen a. T.W. (GER). Dielsdorf-Zurich (SUI) is the eighth and last stage before the Final, which will take place from 22 to 25 September 2022, again at the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in Kronenberg (NED), as it did last year.
Cornelia Notz, who has been responsible for young talent in the discipline of show jumping at the Swiss Equestrian Federation (FNCH) since 2020 and is also the project manager of the Suisse Youth Jumping Academy SYJA, has nominated four riders and a reserve pair each from among the up-and-coming and recently successful Swiss young talent for the teams in the Junior CSIO and the Children’s CSIO. „We are very pleased that with the Zurich Youth Masters, an international junior outdoor CSIO is taking place in Switzerland again for the first time. This offers a large circle of our young Swiss riders the chance to compete internationally or even to make their international debut. „The best Swiss riders will receive wildcards for the CHI Genève (U25) and the CHI Basel (Ch, J).
Suisse Elite Foal Auction hybrid for the first time at the Zurich Youth Masters
After only being able to take place online for the last two years, the Suisse Elite Foal Auction of the Swiss association ‘Verein Schweizer Sportpferde’ VSS/ACSS will also be able to take place physically again this year with a high quality foal presentation for the expert audience and the eagerly awaited auction. It will be the highlight of the evening programme on Saturday, 27 August 2022 as part of the first Zurich Youth Masters at the Horse Park Zurich-Dielsdorf. The 29th traditional Suisse Elite foal auction will be held hybrid for the first time. A select lot of 24 young dressage and show jumping foals, which were chosen at the end of June at the two preliminary selections in Rickenbach and Avenches, will be brought under the hammer by the long-standing auctioneer Beat von Ballmoos, while bids can also be submitted via the online platform.
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Caption: An international stage for young Swiss riders – Pictured: Lou Puch from Zurich, member of the Swiss Junior squad, won bronze at the 2022 Swiss Championships and will compete for Switzerland in the CSIO-J equipe at the Zurich Youth Masters.
(Image/source: Katja Stuppia)
Caption: The stars of tomorrow at the Zurich Youth Masters – Pictured: Linus Hanselmann from Eastern Switzerland, member of the Swiss Junior Squad, won silver at the 2022 Swiss Championships and will compete for Switzerland in the CSIO-J team at the Zurich Youth Masters.
(Image/source: Katja Stuppia)
For questions and further information:
Contact tournament:
Zurich Youth Masters
Yves von Ballmoos, Tournament Director
Larch Street 1
CH-8421 Dättlikon
Mobile: +41 79 417 25 03
E-mail: yves@youth-masters.ch
Contact for media:
Pedro Mor
Head of Media Zurich Youth Masters
Mobile: +41 79 661 49 15
E-mail: medien@youth-masters.ch
