Quadrille

Dear athletes, staff members and colleagues

Welcome to Belgium !

More than ever before, it feels amazing to be able to say this, however we are fully aware that the circumstances are still far from ideal. Nevertheless, we hope this can be a signal that, step by step, we can go back to a world in which our athletes are given all options to do what they do best : inspire society thanks to amazing sports performances. 

A big thank you to all volunteers and partners of the event, as also to all others that have contributed to make this competition possible, even in these unseen circumstances.

De Tokyo Paralympic Games are approaching and after a year with very few competitions, the tension will be rising quickly in these last few months. We feel with you and cross our fingers for all the athletes, because together we are stronger ! 
Best of luck, and hope to see you in Tokyo.

Anne d’Ieteren
President Belgian Paralympic Committee

De twee woorden die eerst bij me opkomen wanneer ik aan dit voorwoord begin, zijn hoop en dankbaarheid. Dankbaarheid, dat ondanks de enorm moeilijke omstandigheden waarmee we het afgelopen jaar te maken kregen, de organisatie toch de hoop, moed, kracht en het doorzettingsvermogen had om deze gevestigde waarde op de internationale kalender, en een van de belangrijkste Belgische internationale topwedstrijden, CPEDI Waregem, te laten doorgaan. 

En laat nu ook net die 4 woorden -  hoop, moed, kracht en doorzettingsvermogen – de definitie vormen van de paralympische sport, beoefend door atleten die zichzelf keer op keer overtreffen, buitengewone prestaties neerzetten en dagelijks een inspiratie zijn, of zouden moeten zijn voor ons allemaal!

Dit jaar heeft deze wedstrijd voor onze atleten nog een extra dimensie en is ze van groot belang in aanloop naar de Paralympische Spelen van Tokio, die deze zomer zullen doorgaan. Zeker nu vele andere wedstrijden op het paralympisch programma, die zo belangrijk zijn voor de opbouw van een goed wedstrijdritme, jammer genoeg nog steeds een voor een van de FEI-kalender verdwijnen. 

Tenslotte wens ik nogmaals mijn dank uit te spreken ten aanzien van het organisatiecomité, dat de wedstrijd jaar na jaar heeft weten uitbouwen tot een internationaal evenement, dat steeds weer de beste internationale ruiters en paarden  naar België kan doen afzakken.  
Langs deze weg wil ik dan ook de organisatoren en sponsors danken voor hun onaflatende inzet, en wens ik de eigenaars en ruiters, en dan in het bijzonder de Belgen, een sportief hoogstaande wedstrijd toe.

Stephan Detry
Voorzitter KBRSF

Dear horse lovers,

It is with mixed feelings that in this exceptional year we welcome the riders and horses here in Waregem to our CPEDI***, proud because despite all the difficulties we have managed to organize the competition and sad that we have to experience this behind closed doors. But as is the case for everyone in this unprecedented global crisis situation, we are going to do everything we can to make the most of it. What we will have to lose in conviviality will certainly be compensated by the drive of the riders and their teams who will have one last chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics at the end of August.

I would therefore like to thank our entire team for all the efforts that have been made under these difficult circumstances in recent months with the uncertainty about the possibility of organising the competition and the ever-changing modalities that had to be considered. Each board of directors always started with the question whether the competition could go ahead and under what conditions.

I would also like to thank the team of Sport Vlaanderen Waregem and the people of Stad Waregem with whom we followed the situation day after day and adjusted the organization according to the new rules of the day. We would not have succeeded without them. Not only because of the sanitary puzzle for the riders, their supervisors and the people of our organization had to be taken care of, also the problem of rhinovirus affecting the horses changed the logistics of the organization in the last few weeks. But each time with the same drive and solution-oriented approach, these problems were overcome.

We would also like to thank our sponsors and partners who continue to support us even though unfortunately our event will have less visibility this year due to the lack of our audience and I would urge therefore all of our supporters to follow the competition via the live stream.
Our students from Vives  who have been our partners for several years now for providing the animation around the competition also faced a difficult challenge this year and they spontaneously offered to take on the entire part of the organization and the follow-up of the Covid  formalities. I am convinced that this will be a very interesting experience for them, although of course I hope that they will not experience this again in their later career. I would also like to salute and thank our loyal volunteers who, despite the circumstances, are here this weekend, albeit in a more limited number but without whom this event could not take place.
In particular, I would also like to mention Juliette Lams, who joined our Board of Directors a few months ago and who, with her knowledge of the organisation of sporting events and her extensive relationship in the Flemish sports world, is a very welcome help to us. I thank her for her dedication and her very practical and effient approach.

I take this opportunity to thank the other members of the Board of Directors wholeheartedly for their enthusiastic commitment and enduring positivity to have completed this 38th  edition of the dressage competition organised by Quadrille against all odds.
May riders and horses surpass themselves to obtain the Olympic ticket and may they and everyone else find their way to Tokyo in good health and without worries.
 

Bruno Bouckaert
President

Save the date

The dates for our next International Para-Equestrian 2021 is known. It will take place on 22-25 April 2021. Make a note of it in your agenda. Hope to see you then!

Anne Van Neste-d'Ieteren, Belgian Dressage Champion from 1977 until 1982 founded this sports club in 1981. In the dressage world, Quadrille is unique, because this club is working not only with valid riders but also with paralympic riders, offering possibilities to participate to different contests.

The organization of the World Championships 2003 was a perfect example in this way and a highlight for sports intended to disabled in Belgium

The objectives of QUADRILLE

• To promote the equestrian sports and in particular the dressage
• To give support to its members and particularly the riders and their companions to participate in national and international competitions including Olympics and Paralympics
• To organize competitions or to participate in the organization of these
• To promote this sport among people with disability
• To organize practice and education
• The organization of all possible activities and developing all initiatives that could contribute to the widest possible publicity of the equestrian sport among able-bodied and riders with disability and their environment