Dressage-News

OTTAWA, April 18, 2021–The National Capital Dressage Festival CDI3* that was scheduled for May 21-23 has been canceled because of what the organizer reported Sunday as tightened coronavirus restrictions in Ontario, leaving only one Olympic qualifier in the country ahead of the Tokyo Games.

Paul Teeple, president of the event, told dressage-news.com his organization had not been able to get a waiver from the provincial government to be able to host the show. There were also difficulties in being able to bring foreign judges into Canada, unlike the United States where the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee had been successful in seeking waivers for athletes and officials seeking to earn a start at the Games in Tokyo beginning at the end of July.

Cancellation of Ottawa leaves only a CDI3* in Cedar Valley, also in Ontario, remaining on the schedule for June 4-6 that would also be a qualifying competition for the team of three riders and horses.

However, several top riders competed throughout the winter at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida and are at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida this weekend seeking to earn a score that is required after April 1.

Some Canadians hoping to make one of the three team places plus a reserve are also entered in the CDI4* at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina later this week, the last possible qualifier in the U.S.

Equestrian Canada Olympic criteria requires team prospects to earn three Grand Prix and three Grand Prix Special scores that initially were to be from Jan. 1 this year but because of major disruptions in the competition schedule results from 2020 could be used.