PrintWith a plethora of championships just concluded and others on the horizon, our columnist wonders if dressage is taking the right course.
For dressage, this has been the summer of championships. Fully one third of the season has been taken up by championships of one sort or another.
Some of us have been running from one to the next in a non-stop marathon. It raises questions: Where are we going? Where exactly is the finish line? Short term, for this year at least, the goal is the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games this fall, but after that what are our long-term goals?
The Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships and the USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship, along with the USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals in Illinois kicked off the championship season.
The following week the Adequan FEI North American Junior And Young Rider Championships started in Kentucky and then immediately the big one for us, the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions in New Jersey, which features national championships for juniors, young riders, the Brentina Cup, the national Intermediaire championships and Grand Prix held in conjunction with the USEF Selection Trials for the WEG.
The dates of the WEG, Olympic Games and Pan Am Games always affect the timing of the selection trials. One reason is the deadline for the Nominated Entry form. Each country has a deadline to inform the Fédération Equestre Internationale of the initial list of horse/rider combinations they are considering entering. The final list, or Definite Entry, isn’t due until a little later.
Other factors determining the dates of the selection trials include how far out we want the horses competing as well as the timeframe for travel from the United States to Europe and back again so they’re well rested and prepared. Of course, everyone has opinions on what the ideal time frame should be, and that’s where we have to let experience be our guide.
The State Of Dressage
One of the reasons behind tying the championships into the selection trials is very simple—by having all age groups competing at their respective international levels together in one place, we have the opportunity to observe the state of dressage from budding to accomplished international riders.
Current, and possibly future, team riders have a chance to meet while the younger riders can watch and learn from the older, more seasoned ones.
There’s no doubt the Festival of Champions is a special event, which more often than not is held at a special venue, the USET Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, N.J. The U.S. Equestrian Team history practically oozes out of every crevice of the historic building.
While watching the schooling this year, I sat beside a trainer from Europe. He mentioned it was his first time to Gladstone, and he commented on the atmosphere of camaraderie and team spirit surrounding the competition. Having competed in these championships over the years, it was heart warming to hear others recognize the spirit that I always felt permeated throughout the landmark.
