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Andy Kistler: “The sport is my motivation”

Monday, 27 January 2025
Interview

Photo © Nanna Nieminen/WoSJ. The sport is my motivation, and the reason why I'm doing this job,” Andy Kistler – the president of Longines CHI Classics Basel – tells WoSJ. All photos © Nanna Nieminen for World of Showjumping.

 

Text © World of Showjumping

 


 

“The sport is my motivation, and the reason why I'm doing this job,” Andy Kistler – the president of Longines CHI Classics Basel – tells World of Showjumping. “The sport must be in the centre, always.”

For the 70-year-old former Swiss chef d’equipe, the role as the president of the traditional Swiss show has been a way to stay in touch with the sport he loves. When Kistler in December 2019 announced that he wished to resign from his position as Swiss chef d’equipe following the Olympic Games in Tokyo in August 2020, Michel Sorg was named as his successor. Kistler was in charge of the Swiss jumpers for six years and had huge success with the team, helping them qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 and for Tokyo in 2021, as well as claiming team bronze at the European Championships in 2015 and 2017.

“I became older, and I thought it was time,” Kistler tells about the reasons behind his resignment. “I remember watching Henrik Ankarcrona – who is much younger than me – with his Swedish team and I thought it was nice to see.”

Up the standard

Photo © Nanna Nieminen/WoSJ. Andy Kistler – second from the left – with Thomas Straumann – second from the right.

“As a chef d’equipe, I was always fighting for the Nations Cup and I'm absolutely disappointed to see how that FEI-series has developed,” Kistler says. “For me, the FEI Nations Cup was the series where we could advertise our sport the best. However, a positive point is that the FEI World Cup-series, in my opinion, is healthy. Perhaps it would be an idea to improve the quality by possibly having less venues and up the standard for each of them.”

“When I decided to leave my role as chef d’equipe, Thomas Straumann – who is the chairman of Longines CHI Classics Basel – asked if I would be interested to be the president of the show,” Kistler continues. “As always, I discussed the offer with my family and, eventually, said yes. Through my role as the president of CHI Basel, I need to stay in contact with the riders, so sometimes I go to national and international competitions, but not too many,” Kistler explains about the position he has held for the past five years. “However, the good thing in our sport is that the riders are active for many years; there are a lot of the same faces and I make sure to keep up with the younger generation as well.”

Much more work than one can imagine

Photo © Nanna Nieminen/WoSJ. “The most important for any organiser is to have a solid financial base, because you can only develop a good event if you have a strong foundation," Kistler says.

Kistler’s role as president of Longines CHI Classics Basel has opened the door to a whole new world behind the scenes of the sport. “When I was going to events in the past – as a chef d’equipe – I was always impressed by the work the organising committees are doing. However, the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes is much, much more than what one can see from the outside,” he explains. “It's unbelievable how much has to be done. Especially the week before the event and the first day of the event are extreme, because you have a lot of volunteers, many different people who are working together and there are so many questions that need to be answered. There was way more work than I ever expected.”

The financial aspect is another challenge for most of the organisers. “The most important for any organiser is to have a solid financial base, because you can only develop a good event if you have a strong foundation. In Basel, we have a super situation as we have our backbone in Dr. Thomas Straumann, who is a great supporter of our sport and especially of our event,” Kistler points out. “We have financial targets to meet, but we do not have financial problems. Additionally, we have really good partners and most of them on a long-term basis – both international brands as well as local companies. However, for many of the shows, it's a challenge for the organisers to bring the money together. The other issue many shows struggle with is to have the best riders present. When you are working hard and investing a lot and then you don't get the well-known riders to come, I think your motivation goes down as you will have less spectators and less media interest.”

“Another point is the competition between events,” Kistler continues. “When you want to be one of the best, you have to offer high prize money, you have to be attractive; there must be a reason for the riders to come to you. In Basel we have the highest total prize money among all the World Cup shows globally. Additionally, small but important details make a difference – one of our signature features in Basel is our sympathetic restaurant, where everyone from the riders and grooms to the media can get together and enjoy local food. It was an idea of my predecessor and is much-loved by all the participants.”

Launched in 2010, Longines CHI Classics Basel also pays extra attention to the next generation of possible equestrians – another special feature that makes the show stand out. “On the opening day on Thursday, we invite all the local Swiss school classes as well as those in the surrounding French and German parts to visit our show,” Kistler explains. “Normally we have around 2000 children in three to four groups present on Thursday. It's inspiring for the children and good for our sport. The children are so enthusiastic, it creates a fantastic atmosphere. We also give the school classes an assignment to make a painting about the show, and ten of the children get awarded by an invitation with one of their parents to come join us for a prize giving where they also get greeted by one of the riders.”

Finals with a Swiss touch

Photo © Nanna Nieminen/WoSJ. "I have huge respect for the challenge we are faced with and there is for sure a lot of pressure to make these finals the best they can be," Kistler says.

Having just completed the 10th leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, Basel will this year also host the FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final. “The next three months will be very intense,” Kistler says about the preparations ahead of April, when dressage and vaulting also will see their World Cup™ Finals play out in Basel simultaneously with jumping. “There are several new challenges that will make the finals different than our annual event; we will have international riders and spectators from all over the world, much more focus from the FEI and increased media attention. I have huge respect for the challenge we are faced with and there is for sure a lot of pressure to make these finals the best they can be. And of course, we will try to give the finals a little bit of a Swiss touch.”

“We started pre-ticket sales together with the CHI on the 1st of September, and Sunday is more or less sold out already. It looks like the interest is huge,” Kistler concludes.

 

27.1.2025 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply. 



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