The Aachen School of Course design (ASCD) with its directors Prof. Dr. Arno Gego (GER), Olaf Petersen (GER) and Leopoldo Palacios (VEN) is not only an institute for professionals in course building. The school’s main goal is to support young talents in this field. It also executes interdisciplinary challenges. To promote its projects, the ASCD held two international competitions at the beginning of this year, both of which have now been judged and concluded. The challenge set aspiring course designers was to design a course within the FEI regulations for cours design for Grand Prix competitions with two different rounds and a jump-off in mind.
Some 20 entries were evaluated and judged by Prof. Dr. Arno Gego, Leopoldo Palacios, Olaf Peterson, Nelson Pessoa and Pamela Young, editor of Horse International. The designs of Mexico’s Oscar Soberon were highly estimated, which gave him first place. Runner-up was Croatia’s Eduard Petrovic ahead of third placed Oliver Billand from Peru and Peter Schumacher from Germany. Fifth place went to Marina Azevedo (BRA), Leandro Balen (BRA), Gerrit Becker (NZL), Magdolna Erdélyi (HUN), Ali Mohajer (IRI), Gilbert Remy (LUX) and Alan Wade (IRL).