Dressage-News

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, April 9–The next stage of the Spy Coast Farm Young Sporthorse Show Series will be held in Lexington, Kentucky May 21, following three events during Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival.

The event at Spy Coast’s Kentucky farm and judged by Jos Sevriens and Merijane Malouin offers $6,000 in prizes and provides an opportunity to qualify for the final that will be held at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida in December.

The Young Sporthorse Show Series in cooperation with the North American Studbook is designed to provide breeders, owners, trainers and riders of young sport horses an affordable show venue to introduce sporthorses of all disciplines to the show environment and “put on necessary mileage” with new and special classes suitable to the proper development of young horses. It is also intended to create a sales environment where numerous young horses are in a single location and their talents displayed in front of a buying audience.

All horses and ponies, yearlings to five-year-olds (born 2006-2010), who are being prepared to compete in Jumpers, Dressage, Eventing or Hunters are eligible. Stallions are also welcome to compete in the under saddle divisions to acquire a performance result for their NAS life time approval status. Prize Money does not apply for NAS Stallion Classes

Prizes are: 1st place–$150 plus $50 NAS gift certificate; 2nd–$100 + $50 NAS gift certificate; 3rd–$50 + $50 NAS gift certificate.

Dressage classes include:

Suitability for Sport Under Saddle–Open to horses of all disciplines, judges will assess the basic gaits of the horse under saddle. Two horses and riders will be in the ring at once with the judges asking the riders to walk, trot, canter and lengthen the gaits. Horses will be scored on the quality of their gaits under saddle, as well as their overall impression.

Schooling Dressage–Open to horses of all disciplines, horses will demonstrate basic rideability, harmony with rider and willingness to perform using a Training Level Dressage test. The Training Level tests can be performed by any horse and rider pairing of any discipline capable of walking, trotting, cantering, and halting. The tests incorporate all three gaits, basic changes of direction, circles and half-circles. No lateral movements will be required. The training level tests were selected because of the appropriateness of the longer frame for all disciplines, including hunters.

The show program will provide a list of all of the competitors, in the order of go for each class. Each horse listed will include ownership information, a three-sire pedigree (as provided by owner) and the current price for the horse if it is for sale.

The aim of the Young Horse Show is to provide a suitable environment to begin the careers of horses without the pressures of the show circuit.

Complete details and entry forms are available by clicking 2011 Young Horse Show – Kentucky