Don't Miss the Saddleworld Dressage Festival This Week!

Only a few days to go before the Saddleworld Dressage Festival gets underway.  Starting Thursday December 9, there will be four full days and one night of competition activity at the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre. 

The Festival incorporates the Victorian Dressage Championships at all levels from Preliminary to Grand Prix, including Pony classes and young horse qualifers for next year’s PSI Dressage & Jumping with the Stars. More than 300 horses from all states of Australia will be competing.  The two feature events are the Pacific League World Cup Final and the Marcus Oldham Aachen Challenge for young riders aged 16 – 25 years. For spectators there’s also an extensive trade village with over 20 exhibitors

Daily highlights will include:

Thursday December 9

Many of the Pacific League World Cup Final competitors will be using the Intermediate II as a warm up class in the indoor arena, whilst outdoors the Preliminary and Advanced horses will be competing.

Friday December 10

A big day for the FEI horses !  The Grand Prix CDI-W is the first leg of the Pacific League World Cup Final and 13 horses have been selected to compete, including the current Australian Grand Prix Champion Heath Ryan and Regardez Moi, and Gitte Donvig with Port Said who were 2^nd to Heath at the Australian Championships.

In ring 1, the Prix St Georges class will be running for most of the day, and all eyes will be on the talented and beautiful mare Diamantina IV and Maree Tomkinson who have had a tremendous run of success at the recent Australian Championships and Equitana.

With 5 other rings running, including the first of the Pony classes, there will be plenty to watch. From 6.30pm a Welcome BBQ and the Dog races will be a relaxing way to end the day.

Saturday December 11

Starting at 10am, the first round of the Marcus Oldham Aachen Challenge takes place, with about a third of the competitors riding in their first “Aachen” (as it is affectionately known).

Elementary horses and ponies will compete throughout the day from 10am, and from mid-afternoon in the indoor, the Advanced horses will dance through their Freestyle.

Saturday night, from 7pm, all action moves indoors for the feature event, the Grand Prix Freestyle that determines the winner of this year’s Pacific League World Cup Final and with it, the opportunity to travel to Leipzig, Germany in April 2011 for the World Cup Final.  The evening also includes a performance from Peter Denahy, who will entertain with a mix of his music and comedy.

Sunday December 13

The last day and it’s an exciting one !  From 1.30pm, the final of the Marcus Oldham Aachen Challenge with the top 3 riders from the first round competing in a derby style ride-off to win the highly coveted trip to Aachen CHIO next year. A popular class to watch as these talented young riders have just 10 minutes to become acquainted with each other’s horses before riding a Prix St Georges level test.

Also in the indoor arena will be the Grand Prix Special and the Intermediate I Freestyle.

Outside there will be five rings in action, starting from 9am.

Don’t miss it ! Tickets available for daily purchase at the entrance gate. Admission prices:  Daily Car Pass $10,  4 Day Car Pass $25, Saturday night $25 per person (note: no allocated seating on the Saturday night)

More event information:  www.equestrianvictoriaevents.com.au/DF

Enquiries:      Event Director - Caroline Coleby 0432 505 774     dwts@live.com.au