The European Horseball Championship FIHB WHR 2019 has opened to the public Monday, in a festive atmosphere, in Ponte de Lima, with the presentation of twenty teams from Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom, on a parade through the Expolima venue.

The town, where in 2008, made history by hosting the very first horseball world championship, is trying to internationalize and leverage the role of the high competition equestrian sport, as a motivator of a series of dynamics that extend from the sociocultural to the economic field.

In this way, the event "ocurring during the week, affirms Ponte de Lima as a national and international destination, on a equestrial level", in the words of Victor Mendes, Ponte de Lima's Mayor.

The Mayor expects "thousands of people" to flock the event, which is "an opportunity to make our territory known to all people who visit us". Adding the notion that the town "expects healthy competition", in the "event which welcomes young athletes of different nationalities".

This is the first time that the Sub-21 category is going to be part of a FIHB official international competition. The Pro Elite, Sub-16, Feminine and Mini HB categories join this category as well.

The championship organized by the Municipality of Ponte de Lima, in partnership with the Feiras Novas Association, with the Portuguese Equestrian Federation, International Horseball Federation and Vale do Lima Equestrian Center, runs until Saturday, 17th of August, in the capital of equestrian culture in the north of the country.