Dressage-News

WELLINGTON, Florida, Jan, 13, 2014–The Global Dressage Festival World Cup event has attracted the largest number of entries ever in the fourth year of the winter circuit and includes European riders and horses that have not previously competed in Florida.

The schedule shows 216 rides in CDI classes, with 40 combinations in the Grand Prix including the Spanish Olympian and World Games combination of Jose Daniel Martin Dockx on the American-owned Grandioso and German team rider Christoph Koschel with two horses.

Prix St. Georges has more than 40 entries, a reflection of preparation for the Pan American Games in Toronto in July which will include teams of mixed Big Tour and Small Tour conmbinations for the first time. The Pan Ams provide an avenue for a single nation from the Americas to qualify a team berth at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

The previous highest number of entries in 18 international events since creation of GDF in 2012 was 198 in the finale event that included the Nations Cup at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center’s Stadium complex in 2014 .

This year’s first of seven CDIs that now make up the Global circuit was the biggest kickoff event with 131 rides compared with a previous high of 46.

The GDF circuit this year is the richest dressage circuit in the world with more than $650,000 in prize money with the CDI5* invitational Feb. 4-8 offering $200,000 making it the second largest prize money in the world.

The 5* event already has received entries from several European combinations as well as the top Californians including the national champion partnership of Steffen Peters and Legolas. He plans to compete the talented Rosamunde, new to Grand Prix, in the CDI3*