Florida, California Dressage Circuits Lead Expanded USA Schedule for 2013

11 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Florida, California Dressage Circuits Lead Expanded USA Schedule for 2013

Expanding dressage schedules in Florida and California have led growth in the number of CDIs in the United States for 2013 but the initial calendar of International Equestrian Federation (FEI) events shows declines in Brazil and Canada for next year when there are no global or continental championships involving the Americas.

According to the 2013 FEI calendar for which applications had to be made by Oct. 1, the number of competitions confirmed for the United States was already at 27, the same number as 2012, but with at least two more shows to be submitted for approval that would push the total to 29 for the year.

Florida leads the way with 12–up from 11 in 2012–internationally sanctioned events, including two CDI5*s, five World Cup events and the only CDIO Nations Cup outside Europe over 13 weeks from mid-January to mid-April. No other region in the world offers such an intense dressage show calendar as Florida where the CDI events are separated by less than 30 minutes drive time.

California is next with seven competitions already confirmed on the FEI calendar and at least two more alredy received by the U.S. Equestrian Federation, the governing body of the sport in America.

New York has two CDIs confirmed with one each in Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, New Jersey, Colorado and Pennsylvania.

Elesewhere in the Americas, only Brazil and Canada have schedule regular CDIs.

The Central American Games will be held in Costa Rico in March and the Bolivarian Games in Peru in November. A FEI World Dressage Challenge of Prix St. Georges and lower levels will be staged in the Dominican Republic in February.

The 2013 calendar posted by the FEI showed that Brazil has so far scheduled two events for 2013 as against seven held there this year while Canada has scheduled three shows so far compared with four for 2012. Argentina staged a CDI2* in 2012, but has not yet scheduled an event for 2013.

Events can be added after the calendar deadline, as occurred in 2012 when competitions were staged on relatively short notice to provide opportunities for riders to qualify for the Olympic Games in London.