Two weeks to go!

Nordic Horsepower Gathers in Herning

Welcome to the Nordic Championships for Icelandic Horses 2024, August 8-11 in Herning!

Experience an exhilarating event as the best Icelandic horses from the Nordic countries gather to compete in Sport and Gæðingakeppni. This will take place over four summer days at the Landsskuepladsen in Herning and will be a festive celebration of strength, beauty, and the unique spirit that characterizes the Icelandic horse and the equestrian community.

The best Nordic equestrian teams will compete in a variety of exciting disciplines, showcasing expression, elegance, and precision in both the Sports Classes and Gæðingakeppni – and with thrilling speeds over the field in the pace disciplines.

National teams have been selected and teams from Sweden, Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Finland, and Denmark will compete against each other. The best of the best will ride side by side during the final days.

Community at the Center

Enjoy yourself and meet new and old friends who share a common love for Icelandic horses or make your debut at an Icelandic horse show and find out why tölt and pace are truly something special. There will be unique opportunities to connect, exchange knowledge, and simply enjoy being part of a wonderful community. On the festival grounds you will find good food, lounge areas, parties and music, a play area for children, NM Talks and presentations.

A Unified Festival Ground

This is far from the first time that the Landsskuepladsen in Herning has been the setting for a large and beautiful championship – but this time the layout has been turned upside down a bit, so that the large area is more inviting for socializing and being together.

The new entrance to the Landsskuepladsen welcomes the public, who can easily park or leave their caravan on the campsite and then head towards a unified area on one side of the oval tracks.

When you buy a ticket, you have access to the entire Nordic Championships spectator area with the two tracks for Gæðingakeppni and Sport as well as one side of the pace track. You can sit wherever you like on the existing stands, one of which is covered on the short side. Feel free to bring your own camping chair.

We’re going all the way with a focus on coziness and setting up the area along the sports track – but on the long side away from the stables – with a lounge, exhibitors and a food area. There will be plenty of space for good conversations, views of the tracks, socializing and a cold beer or a good cup of coffee with your horse-loving friends. We hope that summer will arrive in Herning so that we can enjoy watching the powerful Icelandic horses in the sun!

Good Conditions for Horses and Riders

A Nordic Championship is more than just an ordinary World Ranking event. In addition to following FEIF’s guidelines for horse welfare and applicable Rules and Regulations, the Nordic agreement for the organization of the Nordic Championships 2024 is also followed.

All participating horses therefore also undergo a “Fit to Compete” before starting. The check is carried out by a veterinarian and a registered farrier. This is to ensure that the horse is physically ready to participate. The judging panel for the Nordic Championships has been selected by all participating countries – and we look forward to seeing harmonious equestrian teams in great performances on the tracks, where the interaction between horse and rider is top-notch. In line with FEIF’s regulations, all horses are also subjected to equipment control after their performance on the track.

Of course, the atmosphere along the tracks should be felt and it should also rush down the long sides when the beautiful trotters and fantastic gangers are shown. However, the music is kept below the newly set limit in FEIF’s guidelines and in collaboration with the head judge.

It is also important to note that the public does not have access to the stables during the championship. Only riders and their grooms have access to the stables due to doping control. It is equally important that the horses and riders have peace and quiet and the opportunity to recover well between training sessions and performances on the tracks.

During the championship in Herning, the horses are kept in well-established stable facilities and as there is plenty of opportunity for making paddocks on the large outdoor area, the organizers encourage the horses to be out for many hours a day.

A horse’s performance must never compromise its well-being. This applies regardless of whether it is recreational riding, horse keeping, breeding or sport. It is about promoting the way we handle our horses, all the way through – also at the Nordic Championships 2024.

NM Talks – Gain Insights into the Latest Research

The organizing committee behind the event wants to create a space for all of us to have the opportunity to gain more knowledge about our horses’ well-being and behavior. Therefore, everyone who has purchased admission to the grounds can participate in NM Talks, where renowned researchers and experts share in-depth insights and knowledge about horse care and training. This takes place alongside the sporting performances on the competition track.

We welcome

Veterinarian Christina Suntum will give a presentation on: “Bit associated challenges and The Icelandic Horse.”
Ethologist Maria Vilain Rørvang who will talk about: “How do horses perceive their world? – Equine perception and the link to welfare and emotions”
Lecturer at the Department of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Aarhus University, Janne Winther Christensen will tell more about “Social transmission of behavior in horses”.

Read more about the different presentations here: https://www.islandshest.dk/nm2024/nm-talks/

There is also an opportunity to learn more about the discipline of Gæðingakeppni during presentations by the two national judges Cecilie Langvad and Valdimar M. Ólafsson.

Welcome – on behalf of the Nordic Championships 2024 organizing committee and the Danish Icelandic Horse Association.

Good to know

FEIF’s current regulations are followed during the Nordic Championships
The public does not have access to the stables or the warm-up area during the Championship
NM talks – learn more
Group discount for +20 full price tickets
Children under 12 years old are free
Dogs are allowed on the premises
Please bring your own camping chair

Buy your tickets now and be a part of the party, feel the excitement and experience the most beautiful Icelandic horses at the Nordic Championships 2024!

Find tickets and prices: https://www.sporti.dk/ticket.php?e=116

Book camping on site: https://www.sporti.dk/ticket.php?e=124

Follow the Nordic Championships 2024 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Danskislandshesteforening/

Find even more information about NM on the site: https://www.islandshest.dk/nm2024/

Read more about FEIF’s guidelines: https://www.feif.org/feif/documents/world-championships/