08/05/2011

Father to horsewoman Judy Ann Melchior, who was competing in the GCT Valencia, he has dedicated his life to horses. Besides being a horseman himself, he has developed one of the most prestigious studbooks of the globe, and he is a horse breeder, sponsor and major horse shows organizer.

This year, the 2011 Oxer Award goes to Belgian Leon Melchior, outstanding figure within the equestrian world for his many contributions to the development of this sport at a championship level.

During the official dinner, which took place at the Hemisfèric, in the City of the Arts and Sciences, were recognized Melchior’s work and efforts. His daughter, rider Judy Ann, who is competing this weekend in Valencia, received the award on his behalf.

Leading figures in the equestrian world, politicians, and riders competing at the tournament, attended the ceremony. Among the most popular faces were Athina Onassis and husband Álvaro De Miranda, Carlota Casiraghi, the couple of riders Alexa y Rodrigo Pessoa, Jesús Garmendia and his wife, soprano singer Ainhoa Arteta and Ana García Obregón’s sister, Amalia, who came with her daughter, rider Carolina Aresu. Others who did not want to miss the gala were Marta Ortega, rider Sergio Álvarez Moya, City Sports councilor, Cristóbal Grau, rider Cayetano Martínez de Irujo, Oxer Sport President, Carles Vilarrubí, and so on. Finally H.R.H Infanta Doña Elena did not attend the event that had over 300 guests.


LEON MELCHIOR, A LIFE DEDICATED TO HORSES
Even though Leon Melchior was a construction business owner, his passion for horses made him compete as a rider. Afterwards, he set off one of the most prestigious studbooks around the world: Zangersheide, from where many winning horses come, like Taloubet Z that together with German rider Christian Ahlmann won last weekend the World Championship Final.
These and other achievements have placed Zangersheide in a fifth place in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horse show jumping studbooks ranking last year and several of his horses – which display the “Z” label on their names, have obtained a podium position at the World Equestrian Games.

Currently, the studbook breeding procedures are centered in scientific advances, such as cloning, artificial insemination, genetics investigation, and embryo transfers, breeding purely show jumpers with a brilliant history.

Furthermore, Leon Melchior is the owner of a vast empire that besides his studbook includes sponsorships, equestrian events organizer, and horse shows director, like the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses, that takes place in Lanaken.

The Oxer Award is given each year during the Global Champions Tour official dinner in Valencia. In 2009 was given H.R.H. Infanta Dª Pilar de Borbón, and in 2010 went to Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.