In sweet anticipation of the CHIO Aachen 2022

Five weeks before the CHIO Aachen 2022 begins, Stefanie Peters, President of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e.V. (ALRV) reports about the excitement in the run-up to the event: “This joy, this feeling of celebrating many days together and experiencing a unique atmosphere that has certainly fallen short over the past two years,” stated Peters at the General Meeting of the ALRV in the Deutsche Bank Stadium on Monday evening.

She pointed out once again how important the further development of the Soers Sports Park is for the future of the ALRV and the CHIO Aachen. Also for being able to extend the commitment for the youth and integrating the Para sport into the CHIO Aachen. One needed space for this idea and everything possible would be done to ultimately realise this vision.

A new era is starting for the ALRV as far as the management team is concerned: After Frank Kemperman postponed stepping down from his position as ALRV Chairman on the request of the Supervisory Board so he could continue steering the fate of the association during the pandemic, he will now officially be withdrawing from the operative business at the end of September. He will nevertheless remain closely linked to the CHIO, the ALRV members namely unanimously voted him onto the Supervisory Board. Stefanie Peters thanked the 67-year-old from the Netherlands for “also supporting us in the future with your experience and knowledge.”

Helen Rombach-Schwartz is also stepping down from the board of the ALRV, “with a heavy heart we have had to accept her desire for a change,” said Stefanie Peters. Helen Rombach-Schwartz started working for the ALRV on February 1^st, 1988, she was appointed authorised signatory in 2006, she has been a member of the board since 2008. Among others, she is responsible for the budget of the association and on Monday evening she presented the financial report for the last time – and once again she had good news, because in spite of all the setbacks the annual accounts, which were checked by the auditors of “Ernst & Young”, recorded a balanced result. Hence, the members of the board and of the Supervisory board were unanimously discharged. The Managing Director of Rolex Germany Gmbh Rémi Corpataux and Thomas Weikert, President of the Germany Olympic Sports Association (DOSB) were unanimously appointed as new members of the board.

On October 1^st, Philip Erbers will officially join the board, the Director of the Sports Department, Birgit Rosenberg has been a member of the board for over two years. She informed the 88 members present about the many activities of the CHIO Aachen CAMPUS, which range from holiday camps for the youngest riders, to numerous workshops, through to the Programme of Excellence for the best aspiring show jumping and dressage talents. The “Full-service Training Days” for dressage riders and show-jumpers have just come to an end – both events were fully-booked. “We want to intensively share our know-how, our network and our unique sports, so that Aachen becomes a competence centre of the international equestrian sport 365 days a year,” explained Rosenberg.

The designated board member, Philip Erbers, informed the attendees about CHIO Aachen’s sustainability projects. Concepts have been and are being developed in the areas water, transport, waste management, energy and CO2 compensation. These are accompanied by a further key idea: “Sustainability not only entails being ecological sustainability, it also involves social aspects. Here, accessibility also plays a key role, of course, with a view to our activities in the field of Para sports,” commented Erbers.

In his final report as Chairman (“It has always been an honour for me to serve our wonderful TSCHIO”) Frank Kemperman looked back, but particularly looked forward. In 2021, a great deal had been possible again, above all it had been possible to stage a CHIO Aachen again in September, even if the situation had been very uncertain for a long time and it was only possible to start selling the tickets at a very late stage. “A huge thanks to our spectators for their understanding,” Kemperman stated. In addition to the CHIO and the own “Aachen Youngstars” in the winter, 18 further events were held at the grounds. Now it is “finally time for a CHIO again,” said Kemperman. Slightly different to usual, with top (jumping) sport on the first weekend with classes for the best U25 and Young Riders (up to 21 years). And of course with the most legendary competitions in the world, the Deutsche Bank Prize in the dressage, the SAP Cup in the eventing and the Rolex Grand Prix and Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup in the show jumping. For Kemperman, the last working day as Chairman of the ALRV will be at the end of September. In addition to his role on the Supervisory Board, a further task awaits him, namely being able to dedicate more time to his family at last. “I am going to become a professional grandfather,” Kemperman joked.

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ALRV pays tribute to its long-standing members

25 years: Klaus Franz Amrhein; Paul Herbert Becker; Marcel Pelzer; Jochen Schulte; Oliver Stadler; Franz-Josef Steffens
40 years: Helmut Permantier; Karl-Heinz Simons; Dr. med. Hanns-Joachim Vögeli; Hans Werner Willecke
50 years: Bernhard Krings; Ritter Alfred Bourseaux