FEI European Championships 2015: Mercedes-Benz at European Festival of Equestrianism in Aachen

AACHEN/BERLIN -- August 7, 2015: The history of equestrian sport in Aachen dates back to 1898. In this long history of success, 2015 ranks as a very special year. "Mercedes-Benz has a long tradition of involvement in equestrian sport, as is impressively demonstrated by its over 60 years of partnership with the CHIO Aachen. We are especially pleased to have the opportunity to make a special contribution with our general sponsorship of this year's FEI European Championships", says Dr Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The FEI European Championships will be held from 11 to 23 August 2015 in the grounds of the tradition-steeped Aachen Soers. For the first time, five equestrian disciplines will be contested at a single location. One of the high points of the Championships, which are expected to attract some 450,000 visitors, is the team show-jumping event, the Mercedes-Benz Cup, which will take place on 20 and 21 August. Riding for their respective nations, the best show-jumpers from across Europe will compete to provide the spectators in the packed stadium with the famous Aachen atmosphere of thrilling excitement. The Mercedes-Benz Cup, with prize money of 300,000 euros on offer, will be hotly contested not only by the defending title holders from Great Britain, but also by the German team around Mercedes-Benz Brand Ambassador Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

Mercedes-Benz has close, long-standing ties with equestrian sport in Aachen. It is therefore almost logical that it should now take on the role of general sponsor of the European Championships. "For decades, there has been a very special link between equestrianism and our brand. It is not just values such as elegance and sportiness; in this special year, it is above all our new products that additionally strengthen these close ties", says Dr Carsten Oder, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany and Head of Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany, enthusing about the partnership. "For these reasons, we have also extended our partnership with the CHIO until 2018", explains Dr Oder.

Elegance and sportiness will also be demanded of the riders competing in the Mercedes-Benz Cup – especially at an entirely new and challenging obstacle: the internationally renowned course designer Frank Rothenberger has designed a special fence for Mercedes-Benz. The riders, horses and spectators can expect an innovative design that will focus on the main design elements of the brand, the star and the colour black.

The brand with the star is making 54 shuttle vehicles available to ALRV (Aachen-Laurensberg Racing Club). In addition, five Mercedes-Benz G-Classes will serve as course vehicles. Apart from the chauffeuring service, Mercedes-Benz will also be prominently represented in the exhibitor area, where visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of Mercedes-Benz's product diversity. In the tournament grounds, visitors will have an opportunity to experience 15 Mercedes-Benz models close-up on the exhibition stand. Among others, Mercedes-Benz's entire SUV range will be on view: the GL, GLA, GLC, GLE, G-Class and, of course, the new GLE Coupé.

Mercedes-Benz has been a long-standing sponsor of top-level equestrian sport, not only with its involvement in the European Championships and the CHIO, but also with its national involvement in, among other events, the Hamburg Derby, German Masters in Stuttgart, Donaueschingen, Frankfurt, Pforzheim and other tournaments as well as with its rider forums (over 200 Mercedes-Benz rider forums across Germany since 2007 with a total of more than 85,000 visitors).