Course design and jump specialists Olaf Petersen (Paehl) and Frank Rothenberger (Buende) have founded a new company and will immediately bundle their jump building expertise for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. This strategic alliance has been developed with CARO & Olaf Petersen OHG and is also expected to realize future international jump building projects.

Both Petersen and Rothenberger are united by their high degree of competence and international reputations. The two most recognized German course design specialists first collaborated for the Olympic Games in Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney. The official combination of CARO & Olaf Petersen OHG will cause an international sensation. “We met and said that we could also do this together,” said Petersen and Rothenberger added: “After all, we have worked together in our sport for close to 30 years.”

The time-frame for the production of the jumps that will be used for Hong Kong is quite tight. The first half of the obstacles, based on the ideas from joint course designers Leopoldo Palacios (Venezuela) and Steve Stephens (USA), need to be shipped at the end of February. The design of the jumps lay in the hands of Palacios and Stevens and had to be approved by the “Look Committee” of the BOCOG (Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee).

The realization rests with the CARO and Olaf Petersen OHG. “The jumps need to be transportable and stable, look good and should be effectively usable – and not just for the Olympic Games,” said Petersen. The collaboration of the two course design specialists suits the wishes of the Hong Kong Jockey Club who are entrusted with the majority of the organization for the Olympic equestrian competitions.