07 Oct “Felix Austria” – BEMER Riders Tour visits the Arena Nova
(Wiener Neustadt/ Austria) Familiar location — new momentum: The CSI Arena Nova from 6 – 9 October in Wiener Neustadt has a new look and is hosting the BEMER Riders Tour for the first time. It is the seventh and penultimate event of the show jumping series, which has been held since 2001, features eight stages this season and is currently a showcase of female domination.
The CSI Arena Nova heralds the start of the indoor season in Austria and is under the management of a new team this year. The Army Riding Club of the Theresian Military Academy Wiener Neustadt with Lieutenant Colonel Roland Pulsinger has taken on the task of leading the CSI to new heights. Pulsinger, together with his associates, immediately set to work. The result: an enlarged warm-up area and partially renewed ground. Now the CSI Arena Nova returns with a total of 94,000 in prize money and a carefully coordinated programme. The equestrian event is accompanied by the ‘Apropos Pferd’ trade fair across four halls. The BEMER Riders Tour with the qualifier on Friday evening from 8 pm in the Prize of Arena Nova powered by EPP (25,500 euros) and the rating competition in the Grand Prix of Sport.Land Niederösterreich on Sunday from 1 pm (35,000 euros) will account for 60,000 euros in prize money alone.
The momentum of the new “movers and shakers” raised interest. From Austria comes World Cup participant Bianca Babanitz and national champion Markus Saurugg. One Austrian has already been able to shine in the Riders Tour — Thomas Frühmann won the overall classification with the unforgettable The Sixth Sense in 2006 and was “Rider of the Year”.
Battle for pole position
There is still an open question as to who will be favourite heading into the eighth and final leg of the BEMER Riders Tour at the VR CLASSICS in Neumünster in February 2023. From a statistical point of view, since 2001 it has always been advantageous to arrive as the number one in the ranking, even if the lead was not particularly comfortable. Currently, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann has been leading the series ranking since the sixth stage in Lier, Belgium, with 14 points ahead of Sophie Hinners (Marburg). The 2015 Tour overall winner is already well ahead of the current third-placed rider, the Dane Mathias Norhaeden Johansen (30 points), but Meyer-Zimmermann will not be able to defend her lead just a few days after the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona.
Mathias Norhaeden Johansen well prepared
The current ranking third, Mathias Norhaeden Johansen (30 points) might be well short of the overall winner of the 2015 Tour, but the 28-year-old Dane, who is based at Dietmar Gugler’s stables, will be well prepared. “Camelot will definitely come along, maybe Accolade or a completely different horse,” says the show jumper. With Camelot he placed second at the BEMER Riders Tour in Donaueschingen-Immenhöfe, with Accolade he was fourth at the Munich leg.
Niklas Betz from Limbach in Saarland scored his very first BEMER Riders Tour points at the fourth stage, now the U25 candidate is heading for Austria where he could overtake quite a few competitors. On Sunday, 9 October, from 13:00, we will find out who can succeed in the seventh rating competition of the BEMER Riders Tour.
Ranking BEMER Riders Tour after 6. Leg
1. Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann (GER), 57 Punkte
2. Sophie Hinners (GER), 43
3. Mathias Norhaeden Johansen (DEN), 30
4. Emanuele Camilli (ITA), 25
5. Mario Stevens (GER), 23
6. David Will (GER), 20
6. Remco Been (NED), 20
6. Mathieu Billot (FRA) 20
9. Wolfgang Puschak (GER), 19
10. Marcus Ehning (GER), 18
Legs of BEMER Riders Tour 2022/23
1. CSI4* Horses & Dreams meets Canada, Hagen a.T.W., (GER) 20. – 24. April 2022
2. CSI2* Pferd International München (GER), 26. – 29. Mai 2022
3. CSI3* Ommen (NED), 6. – 10. Juli 2022
4. Fest der Pferde – CSI2*, RZ Freese, Donaueschingen (GER) 28. – 31. Juli 2022
5. CSI4* Turnier der Sieger, Münster (GER) 25. – 28. August 2022
6. CSI3* BEMER Riders Tour Azelhof, Lier (BEL), 1. – 4. September 2022
7. CSI2* Wiener Neustadt (AUT), 6. – 9. Oktober 2022
8. CSI3* VR CLASSICS, Neumünster (GER) 16. – 19. Februar 2023
PHOTO: The CSI Arena Nova in Wiener Neustadt hosts the BEMER Riders Tour for the first time (Foto: CSI Arena Nova)