2019 Adequan Global Dressage Festival Welcomes The World Back To Equestrian Village
The 2019 Adequan Global Dressage Festival is poised for the return of one of the most competitive and highly sought-after dressage circuits in the world, beginning Jan. 9, 2019 and continuing through March 31, 2019, at the Equestrian Village site at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington.
This winter circuit will provide substantial opportunities for top riders seeking qualifying scores for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, as well as for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The season will feature four qualifying events for the discipline of dressage.
“We have another bustling competition season ahead of us, and we are incredibly excited to welcome some of the top dressage athletes of the world back to AGDF,” said Thomas Baur, director of sport for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. “This year, we will see riders from all over coming to Wellington to prepare for the 2019 Pan American Games, as well as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.”
The season will continue to implement the Large Tour and Small Tour class updates that were initiated during the 2018 season, which allow riders to compete multiple horses in different classes and help the continuation of class growth throughout the season.
Formatting split the Large Tour into two separate Grand Prix divisions. One division qualifies for the Grand Prix Freestyle and the other qualifies for the Grand Prix Special. By dividing them into separate classes, the organizers then have the ability to run more Grand Prix rides, which will accommodate more horse and rider combinations.
Week 1 competition at the 2019 AGDF will begin Thursday, Jan. 9 and continue through Sunday, Jan. 13, with the first CDI-W of the season. The international competition commences with the first of seven FEI CDIs hosted during the 12-week season, which includes the Lloyd Landkamer Memorial CDI-W serving as a season-opening tribute to longtime AGDF Manager Lloyd Landkamer, who passed away in 2015.
The first CPEDI 3* competition will follow during AGDF Week 2 (January 17-20), offering para-equestrian athletes another opportunity to earn valuable qualifications for the remainder of the year. AGDF Week 3 will host another CDI-W from January 23-27.
Competition continues on Thursday, Feb. 6, with the season’s only CDI 5* during AGDF Week 5, featuring many of the world’s top competitors in the circuit’s largest and most prestigious international week. AGDF Week 6 (February 15-16) will host national level competition, while AGDF Week 7 (February 20-24) will welcome another CDI-W.
A historic staple of the season commences with the start of AGDF Week 8 (February 27 – March 3) with the Palm Beach Derby CDI-W, one of the longest-running dressage competitions in South Florida.
More recently, a traditional Dressage Derby competition was added to the week’s competition schedule and features four Large Tour riders competing against each other on unfamiliar Small Tour-trained horses in a knockout-style competition, while judge’s commentary is announced following each ride.
AGDF Week 9 (March 7-10) will hold another CPEDI, while AGDF Week 10 offers the only non-championships CDIO 3* in the western hemisphere. The week features top riders competing for their country’s colors in hopes of earning team points toward the overall FEI Nations’ Cup Series.
AGDF Week 11 (March 23-24) will host another national competition, before the final week of the AGDF season, which welcomes the FEI CDI 4* (March 26-31). Typically, the CDIO 3* concludes the AGDF season, but this season, the CDI 4* will close competition for the season at the venue.
The 2019 AGDF season features four CDI-Ws, a CDI 4* and a CDI 5*, as well as a CDIO 3* and two CPEDI competitions. Local spectators are welcomed and encouraged to come out and enjoy world-renowned competition, as the show is always open to the public with free general admission.
The weekly Friday Night Stars evenings take place every Friday during international CDI events and showcase the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle class, where combinations ride to choreographed musical routines.
A musical freestyle is a personally choreographed dressage test accompanied by music specifically composed for each competing duo, which begins as they make their way down centerline. Not only are the rides compelling, but they are also exciting to watch and exemplify the deep communication between horse and rider in the discipline of dressage.
Friday Night Stars is free and open to the public and features the top dressage riders in the world, competing under the lights at Equestrian Village. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and the class begins at 8 p.m.
The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center’s Equestrian Village site is located at 13500 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. For more information about the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, call (561) 793-5867 or visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.
Adequan Global Dressage Festival 2019 Weekly Schedule
AGDF 1
CDI-W & National Show
January 9-13
AGDF 2
CPEDI 3*
January 17-20
AGDF 3
CDI-W & National Show
January 23-27
AGDF 5
CDI 5* & National Show
February 6-10
AGDF 6
National Show
February 15-16
AGDF 7
CDI-W & National Show
February 20-24
AGDF 8
Palm Beach Derby
CDI-W & National Show
February 27 – March 3
AGDF 9
CPEDI 3* & National Show
March 7-10
AGDF 10
CDIO 3* & National Show
March 13 – 17
AGDF 11
National Show
March 23 – 24
AGDF 12
CDI 4* & National Show
March 26 – 31
THE STADIUM AT THE PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL
EQUESTRIAN CENTER
13500 South Shore Blvd.
Wellington, FL 33414
www.globaldressagefestival.com
