The Danish National Equestrian Centre

Vilhelmsborg, one of the largest equestrian centres in Europe, occupies a lovely manor house and offers facilities of a high international standard. National and international events are held here, especially those for riding and breeding.

The centre is located in a historic and attractive natural setting near Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city with almost 300,000 inhabitants and about 30,000 students enrolled at the University of Aarhus and other institutions of higher education. The city is a rapidly growing commercial centre with Denmark’s largest container port as well as a rich cultural scene comprising theatres, museums, a concert hall and other entertainment venues.

The manor house of Vilhelmsborg dates from 1844 and the farm buildings from 1857. The Municipality of Aarhus bought the manor house in 1973. It has since been restored and has gained three new large riding halls, while build-ings for course participants and event stables have also been added.

The equestrian centre is run on a non-profit basis by the Municipality of Aarhus, the Danish Equestrian Federation, the Danish Warmblood Society, Danish Agricultural Advisory Service and Aarhus Riding Club. H.R.H. Prince Henrik is Patron.

National organisations such as the Danish Equestrian Federation have their teaching and training centres here. Aarhus Riding Club is situated in the grounds. The Danish Warmblood Society and the Danish Association of Icelandic Horses have their administrative offices here, and the approximately 25 breeding organisa-tions under Danish Agricultural Advisory Service run a large number of events. There are about 200,000 visitors annually to the Vilhelmsborg area.

Activities include teaching, testing of stallions and mares, courses, training, national and international events like the World Cup in dressage, jumping and riding for disabled riders.

The show hall boasts a riding arena measuring 28 x 70 metres and accommodates 3,000 spectators. In addition, there are warm-up and training arenas measuring 20 x 60 metres each; four outdoor dressage arenas and a driving course, each measuring 30 x 70 metres, stab-ling for 300 horses, endurance courses; a show jumping stadium measuring 80 x 120 metres as well as 20 hectares of paddocks for grazing.

The centre has 24 double rooms, a campsite, classrooms, meeting and conference facilities, the latter situated in the manor house, as well as a first-class restaurant in the superintendent’s house, a cafeteria in the show hall and a can-teen in the former smithy.