Anyone out there excited? It’s just hours until the 2013 Espayo National Dressage Championships get underway for four days of the best dressage action of the year. 22 Championship titles will be won, from Prelim to Grand Prix, including the KBIS National Para Championship and the Shearwater Young Horse Championship. The entry list certainly reflects the calibre of the competition!
Carl Hester will be bidding for his eighth National Champion title and if he wins, he’ll equal the record of our outgoing Chairman, Jennie Loriston-Clarke, who dominated in the late 70’s and early 80’s. In the Nathalie Grand Prix, he rides Jenny Green’s stallion Fine Time 13 who he’s been successfully campaigning this year while Gemma Appleton takes time out to start a family. Mr Hester faces fierce competition as it’s a spectator’s dream class. Fellow European Team bronze medallists Gareth Hughes and Michael Eilberg bring DV Stenkjers Nadonna and Marakov respectively while Lara Griffith will compete the Bechtolsheimer’s Andretti H who has been national champion on two occasions with Laura B. Crowd favourite Mr President will make his farewell appearance with Steph Croxford, bring the tissues for that one! Other ones to watch include Nikki Crisp (Pasoa), Daniel Watson (Fideramber), Peter Storr (Belmondino) and Emile Faurie (Topolino). You can see the full list and times here.
A number of riders will be busy bees over the four days with multiple rides. Topping the list is Becky Moody who has six rides over nine classes! Alice Oppenheimer also rides six but just six classes! Emile Faurie, Micheal Eilberg and Daniel Greenwood all have five rides apiece including Woodlander Farouche in her first 'adult' championship on Sunday in the Suregrow Advanced Medium Open.
On Saturday and Sunday, London 2012 team gold and individual bronze medallist Laura Tomlinson will host an insightful 30-minute Masterclass which promises to be a cracker. The weekend also features Anna Ross Davies giving her take on what makes a great freestyle tests – Anna is always entertaining so get your seat early! Some of Britain’s up and coming stars, including double Euro gold medallist Phoebe Peters will be giving a demo to show ‘the Future is bright’ (click here for times).
A trip to the Nationals is made all the better by the fantastic shopping experience. And, this year, we have increased the size of the shopping village with over 60 tradestands, so it’s a great place to kick-start your Christmas shopping! Whether you are spoiling yourself or your horse with a luxury high-end treat, looking for some brilliant basics or even something for your home or yard, you’re sure to find it at the Nationals. To whet your appetite, you can read the full list of tradestands here.
If you haven’t yet got your ticket for the Nationals, don’t worry! Although advance ticket sales are now closed, tickets are still available on each day of the Championships at the gate. You can also upgrade your ticket to the Nationals Pavilion or covered seating (NB: Thursday and Friday are now the only remaining days available). On arrival at the showground, don’t forget to get your Show Programme (available on the gate and at the Secretary’s Office) for all the essential reading on the competitors as well as the all-important schedule. For the full Nationals experience, why not purchase a Radio Nationals headset? These pre-tuned headsets (available from the Secretary’s Office), give you detailed commentary on the classes and help keep you up to date with what’s happening and where, ensuring you don’t miss a thing. Please note that there is a change of frequency this year so any old headsets won’t work.
And, if you can’t make it to the Nationals, you can keep up to speed with all the goings-on, scores and results by visiting the website here plus end of day reports on this website. You can also get all the latest Championships news, interviews and gossip by following British Dressage on Twitter and Facebook.
Click here to visit the Championships website for detailed information on the event, ticket prices and schedules.
Espayo National Dressage Championships 2013 Classes
Click on the links to see entries and times.
Thursday 19 September
1. Visualise Preliminary Championship
2. Fairfax Prix St Georges Championship
3. Suregrow Advanced Medium Restricted Championship
4. Stretch & Flex Elementary Restricted Championship
5. Horse Health Intermediate II Championship
Friday 20 September
6. Dodson & Horrell Novice Open Championship
7. Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Championship
8. KBIS Para Equestrian Dressage Championship
9. Dodson & Horrell Novice Restricted Championship
10. Dressage Deluxe Medium Restricted Championship
Saturday 21 September
11. a Shearwater Potential International Dressage Horse 4-y-o Assessment and Pre-judging
11. b Shearwater Potential International Dressage Horse 5-y-o Assessment and Pre-judging
12. Nathalie Grand Prix Championship
13. Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I Freestyle Championship
14. Dressage Deluxe Medium Open Championship
Sunday 22 September
15. Suregrow Advanced Medium Open Championship
11 Final of the Shearwater Potential International Dressage Horse Championship
16. Espayo Grand Prix Freestyle Championship
17. Stretch & Flex Elementary Open Championship