LEAD: Swiss dressage team pulls out of Olympic equestrian events

Asian Economic News, Jan 14, 2008

HONG KONG, Jan. 10 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DETAILS AND COMMENTS FROM HK ORGANIZER)

The Swiss dressage team has withdrawn from competing at the Olympic equestrian events to be held in Hong Kong in August, fearing the hot weather will affect the horses' performance, according to the country's equestrian team.

Following Swiss rider Silvia Ikle's decision to pull out of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Swiss Equestrian Federation announced that none of the Swiss dressage team riders will be showing at the event to be held in Hong Kong this summer, a statement published on the dressage team website said.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post on Thursday quoted Swiss dressage team chief Peter von Grebel as saying the dressage horses are sensitive to the ''very stormy and hot'' summer weather in Hong Kong and that could be ''dangerous for the health of the horses.''

The International Olympic Committee in 2005 authorized Hong Kong to host the event instead of Beijing because of health concerns for the horses.

The Swiss federation statement said since Ikle and her horse Salieri CH is not competing, ''the Swiss Dressage Selection Committee has decided that no team, nor any individual Swiss rider, will be sent for dressage to Hong Kong.''

Equestrian Events of the Games of the 29 Olympiad Company spokesman Mark Pinkstone told Kyodo News in Hong Kong no equestrian team has applied to participate in the events yet because the deadline for application is in May.

''There is no need for the Swiss team to notify us (about their decisions),'' Pinkstone said. ''They haven't made any application to the event.''

Asked if the Swiss team could change their minds and apply to join the event before the deadline, Pinkstone said: ''There's still plenty of time.''

Riders' qualifications will be vetted by both the Beijing organizing committee for the games and the International Equestrian Federation, he said.

The three equestrian events -- jumping, dressage and eventing -- will be held in two venues in Hong Kong, with jumping and dressage at Sha Tin, and eventing at a cross-country venue in Sheung Shui.

About 300 horses would be shipped from all over the world to Hong Kong for the 12-day Olympic events in August, and the five-day events for the Paralympics games in September.