CHIO Aachen Reveals Doping Control Program to Press

The press received a special tour from the CHIO Aachen organisation to check on the progress on doping control at the show.  The blood in the test tube was only tomato juice, but for Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Hanbücken, head veterinary of the CHIO Aachen (June 26th - July 5th, 2009), it was an opportunity to show how he and his 18 colleagues will take samples during the show - in other words what happens, when one of the 450 horses is medically tested. The organisers of the CHIO, the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e.V. (ALRV), had invited the press to visit the grounds a week before the CHIO kicks off. The Show Director, Frank Kemperman, informed them about the current status of affairs - together with some of his employees.

In the rooms of the "Medication Control Programme" Dr. Hanbücken explained exactly how a doping control works, who takes the samples and where these are analysed. Normally this area of the stables is not open to the public. The organisers are not only well prepared in the fight against anti-doping either.

The media were also given a taste of the forthcoming sporting highlights: In the Deutsche Bank Stadium the dressage rider from Aachen Renate Dahmen and Jana Kun - mother and daughter - performed a choreography from the "Horse & Symphony" concert (Saturday, June 27th), and in the Albert-Vahle Arena Svenja Hein from the ALRV Sports Department explained the main principles of vaulting. Hein revealed that "the vaulters are well-known for two things: Top class sport and a fantastic atmosphere." They will be opening the CHIO Aachen 2009 on June 26th.

Dressagedaily's Mary Phelps and JJ Hathaway will be on the scene at the 2009 CHIO Aachen as of July 1 thru 5, 2009.  Visit the official website at www.chioaachen.de