18 World Champions in August 2017
World Championships Icelandic Horses in the Netherlands
May 2017 - From August 7 to 13, Oirschot (The Netherlands) will be the focal point for horse lovers worldwide. Stoeterij de Breidablik hosts the World Championships (WC) for Icelandic Horses in a specially built roofed stadium boasting 10,000 seats. 300 participating combinations from 19 countries will battle it out on the specially prepared oval and pace tracks. They will showcase the five gaits of the Icelandic horse, both in sport and breeding. More than 50,000 international fans are expected to visit during the seven days of sporting highlights. On Sunday, August 13th, the 18 new reigning World Champions will be known. www.wk2017.nl
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Activities
Besides the gait tests on oval and pace track the program is focused on breeding. The best stallions and mares worldwide are assessed for their gaits and exterior in front of an audience. But that is not all. The WC2017 grounds the size of 34 hectares will host also the Markaður (shopping area), a Breeders Boulevard exhibiting breeders worldwide and a glamping campsite with 800 pitches for visitors as well as riders.
The sports and breeding program has been expanded with lectures and seminars as well as an elaborate program of evening concerts, parties and good catering by LaPlace, to extend the festival atmosphere of these World Championships. This all is made possible by the active participation of over 500 volunteers who care selflessly for the event.
The Galashow on Saturday night provides a showcase of the best of what (Dutch) equestrian sport has to offer and is suitable for young and old. Among others carriage driver Chardon and his son Bram, the Dutch Volting Show Team, De Fryske Quadrille (a show team of Frisian carriages), Sanne Voets (Gold Medal Winner Paralympic Games 2016) and the internationally known freedom dressage act Pierre Fleury are highlights of this full-length show.
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Program
Every two years World Championships are organized. The organization of the World Championships has composed the program in collaboration with the FEIF (International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations). For the full schedule go to wk2017.nl.
- Mo 7 Aug: Breeding exterior review
- Tu 8 Aug: Preliminaries four gait, ridden abilities breeding
- We 9 Aug: Opening Ceremony, preliminaries five gait, ridden abilities breeding
- Th 10 Aug: Preliminaries tölt T1, pace test, ridden abilities breeding
- Fr 11 Aug: Preliminaries T2 tölt, Icelandic Show by Dutch Studbook NSIJP, B-finals four gait, pace race 250 meters, ridden abilities breeding
- Sa 12 Aug: Pace race 250 meters, B-finals tölt tests and five gait, final young riders four gait and five gait, breeding show and Gala Show
- Su 13 Aug: Pace race 150 meters, A-finals young riders tölt tests, A-finals tölt tests, four gait and five gait, awards for four gait and five gait combination, closing ceremony and celebration!
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WC2017 facts at a glance
- 2nd time in the Netherlands (previous World Championships in 2007)
- 7 days of unparalleled sports
- Two oval tracks and a pace track
- More than 300 participants from 19 countries
- 50,000 visitors
- Stadium with 10,000 roofed seats
- 4,500 seats at the pace track
- 800 camping pitches
- 10,000 m2 wooden floorboards
- 850 steel ramps
- 500 volunteers
- More than 90 exhibitors in the Markaður (shopping area)
Information and tickets
Tickets: Day tickets from € 19 to € 95
€ 199 week ticket (until May 1, 2017), Gala Show € 24
Website: wk2017.nl
Facebook: wcicelandichorses2017
Soundtrack: World Cup song: We Run As One
Icelandic horses
The Icelandic horses ranges in height from 130 to 145 centimeter in height. They are small but sturdy animals reared in isolation in Iceland from the early Middle Ages. Once the Vikings took them with tem in their boats from Northwest Europe. There is an official import ban on horses in Iceland, in fact, horses leaving Iceland (also for the World Championships) may not return.
What makes this breed so special? A typical Icelandic horse is independent, willing to work, sensible and friendly. What makes them really special is their willingness to go and their additional gaits. In addition to walk, trot and canter the Icelandic horse has two extra gaits: the tölt and pace (up to 45 kilometers an hour). The gaits of the horse are genetic. Icelandic horse that have the three basic gaits and tölt are called four-gaiters, if the can also pace they are five-gaiters.
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For the editor
- Should you need more information about this event, an interview with one of the organizers or more photographs? Please contact Nicole de Boer, +31 (0) 624 808 928, pr@wk2017.nl.
- Register as press for the World Championships via www.wk2017.nl (menu: press).
- Use of images (high res as attachement) free of copyright in accordance with the contents of this press release, photo credits mandatory (photo's: Henk Peterse and Geert-Jan Heyda)
- A4 size ad included in attachement
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WC2017_Ad_A4.pdf
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foto Henk Peterse WC2007_MG_0731.jpg
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photo Geert-Jan Heyda WC 2007_WK0811_0659.jpg
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photo Geert-Jan Heyda WC 2007_WK0812_2876.jpg
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foto Henk Peterse WC2007_telgang_MG_0254.jpg
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photo Geert-Jan Heyda WC 2007_WK0811_0735.jpg
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