Dressage-News

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 25–The 2010 Raleigh CDI World Cup qualifier scheduled for June 4-6 has been suspended, further reducing the number of competitions that U.S. riders can compete in to win a place in the World Equestrian Games selection trials.

The event was canceled after the resignation of the longtime manager, Janine Malone, earlier this month that left organizers little more than four months to find a new manager and organize the 15-year-old competition. The CDI status was assigned to Toronto, Canada.

North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association President Suzanne Mullen said that plans are underway to hold the CDI3* again in 2011.

“Although it was unfortunate that this resignation required the cancellation of the 2010 CDI***Raleigh W/J/Y, NCDCTA is moving forward with plans to enhance and improve this event for the benefit of the dressage high performance competitors and spectators, as well as our own NC dressage community,” she said.

“NCDCTA has a proud 15 year history of promoting excellence in dressage and we are more than ever committed to continuing that tradition. We are currently in negotiations with a new manager for 2011, and hope to continue hosting this important international event for years to come. ”

Only results from CDIs count for U.S. riders seeking to qualify for the selection trials for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky beginning in September.

A CDI3* that had been held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida, in December, 2008 was not held last December and the CDI3* that had been held at Wellington in conjunction with the CDI5* inivitational restricted to 20 combinations was also canceled.

However, a CDI3* to be used as a WEG test event has been scheduled for Lexington April 22-24.