160 horse and rider combinations are once again descending on Taree Showground for the 2017 Regional Dressage Festival from August 4 to 6, a championship event bringing riders from all across the state and further afield, including riders from QLD and one from New Zealand.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Featuring some of the country’s top equestrian athletes, including Olympic riders; Australian Para-Equestrian combination Lisa Martin and her lovely mare First Famous, who placed 4th and just outside a podium finish at the Rio Olympics; New Zealand Grand Prix competitor Jacqui Winspear is competing on her Grand Prix horse JW Limitless and her Intermediate II Horse (the level just below Grand Prix) JW Darjeeling; Rozzie Ryan was the reserve rider for the Australian Dressage Team at the Beijing Olympics and one of the travelling Para-Equestrian coaches for the Rio Olympics. Rozzie will be competing on the Grand Prix horse Adonie. Someone who should need no introduction in the Equestrian world, Heath Ryan, who has represented Australia in both Dressage (Beijing Olympics) and Eventing (World Equestrian Games, Stockholm) and is the current reigning Australian Grand Prix Champion riding a locally owned and bred horse Utopian Cardinal.
These Olympians are joined by a number of NSW Dressage Development Squad members including local Katina Smith who will be competing on a number of her stud bred horses and Hunter Valley riders Sheridyn Ashwood and Lizzie Wilson-Fellows.
During the weekend there will be Championships awarded across all 10 levels of Dressage from Prepatory to Grand Prix with Open, Amatuer Owner Rider, Junior/Young Rider and Pony divisions.
There are also a number of Para-Equestrians competing across the Para-Equestrian grades.
Saturday evening, under lights are the Dressage Freestyles, where the riders perform a dressage test of their own design, choreographed to music. There will also be a Working Equitation display during the evening.
Entry is free for spectators, and the public are invited to come along and watch the action from the Grandstands. There is food and drink available, trade stalls for every equine enthusiast regardless of discipline.