Wellington International announced Thursday that it has finalized an agreement with Wellington Equestrian Partners to organize the 2023 Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) at the Equestrian Village facility in Wellington, Florida. The team at Wellington International, organizers of the Winter Equestrian Festival (Florida), will be responsible for the 2023 AGDF and, despite a short timeline, will work diligently to provide an enhanced experience for all participants, guests and fans.
“We know that dressage competitors and spectators have been eagerly awaiting news of the 2023 AGDF season, and we are happy to report that our team will once again be working hard to put forth an exciting, memorable and safe event,” Michael Stone, president at Wellington International, said in a statement. “Our staff is very familiar with the competition, hospitality and other logistics of AGDF at the Equestrian Village venue, so we expect to be able to continue the tradition of excellence this upcoming winter.”
“Wellington Equestrian Partners has every confidence in the team at Wellington International to effectively operate the 2023 AGDF, and we are happy to be working with such a well-established partner in the equestrian and events industry,” said Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners. “Our organizations will work together to ensure the success of the 2023 show, as well as continue to discuss and plan for long-term enhancements in order to elevate AGDF to an even greater level in the future.”
AGDF will run Jan. 11-March 31. The horse show will feature eight weeks of international dressage competition and two weeks of international para-dressage competition.
Friday Night Stars will remain the highlight of the weekly dressage competition at AGDF. Featuring the Grand Prix freestyle, the event showcases the highest degree of difficulty in the sport, with talented riders and their horses performing technical movements in sync with songs of their choice under the lights. In 2023, there will be eight Friday Night Stars held during AGDF.
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“The founder and CEO of the Global Equestrian Group, Andreas Helgstrand, is a household name in the dressage world and has a passion for the discipline, so we are thrilled to finally have an opportunity to explore and promote a world-renowned dressage event,” said Anders Bjørnstrup, commercial director of Global Equestrian Group, the parent company of Wellington International. “The AGDF is a respected brand with a storied history, and we are pleased to be able to play a role in the development of the event.”
Back by popular demand this winter, one week of the CDI5* dressage competition—Week 10, which runs March 15-19—will be held down the street at the main jumping grounds of Wellington International. Spectators will have a novel opportunity to experience Friday Night Stars in a new venue.
For more information on the 2023 AGDF, click here.
Editor’s Note: The Chronicle of the Horse LLC is owned by Global Equestrian Group.
