Enjoy The Experience Of A Lifetime At The Adequan Global Dressage Festival
By Kim Beaudoin
Even if you aren’t personally involved with horses or the art of equestrian riding, chances are that if you are from the Wellington community, you may be familiar with the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF).
Now in its sixth year, the AGDF is hosted at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and is home to some of the world’s most elite dressage competition at the national and international levels. Riders and spectators come together for the 11-week circuit to enjoy the Olympic sport of dressage and the world’s largest international dressage circuit.
When visitors first step onto the show grounds, they will immediately feel calmness in the air. The staff and riders pride themselves on the supportive and educational atmosphere that the festival has to offer. Admission is free, and spectators are encouraged to come out and enjoy all that the venue offers.
“The AGDF is an excellent place for spectators to come and watch some of the best dressage riders in the world compete,” AGDF Director of Sport Thomas Baur said. “There really is so much for the audience to do — shopping, entertainment and fun on Friday nights. There is also a new opportunity this season for spectator participation with a mobile audience test scoring app.”
Dressage has been practiced for centuries and was first introduced to cavalry to create obedient and flexible mounts for the militia. The system of training was first recorded by the Greek historian Xenophon and was built upon throughout history by riding-masters of both civilian and military backgrounds. Dressage is often referred to as “ballet on horseback,” and features movements influenced by the rider’s weight, legs and seat.
Spectators, now more than ever, have a chance to be involved with the competitions. Beginning this season, the AGDF will give the audience the option to use the new Spectator Judging app. The technology was first thought of by international five-star judge Katrina Wüst of Germany and created by software developer and German national judge Daniel Göhlen. Each app user may give a score movement by movement, in a simplified manner, or create an overall score at the end of the ride. The spectators are then able to compare their scores directly with the scores given by the official judges.
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival also encourages spectators to check out vendor shopping for both horse and rider, and there is also an array of food vendors to choose from.
Equestrian Team Apparel owner Staci Rosner is at the show with her business for the second year in a row.
“This is my second year vending at [AGDF]. Everyone has been so nice, and they are all so down-to-earth,” she said. “I have a variety of customers, and this year we are really trying to tap into the junior rider crowd.”
Rosner sells an assortment of apparel brands, including C4 Belts, Kastel Denmark, EIS and B&C.
“I love the relaxed atmosphere here at AGDF,” she said. “As far as the customer base, the riders are very in touch with what they want regarding the products that I have to offer.”
She has been very pleased with her experience. “Overall, it’s really a unique and laid-back show,” Rosner said. “The customers are great, the atmosphere is great and the shopping is spot on.”
On the competition side, spectators can enjoy watching rides from national and international level horse and rider combinations. One popular rider competing this year is 2016 U.S. Dressage Olympic bronze medalist and AGDF veteran Laura Graves.
“I’m just looking forward to being here with the amazing friends that I have made at AGDF — Adequan and the other sponsors of this show who continue to sponsor it and give us this amazing venue that gets packed every Friday night, there is just nothing like it,” she said. “Even competing in Rio, competing at Rotterdam, competing years ago at Aachen, nothing compares to the atmosphere here. It’s even more unbelievable under the lights.”
Select Friday nights throughout the season, part of the Friday Night Stars series, feature a freestyle competition under the lights in the Stadium at PBIEC. A freestyle is a dressage test ridden to choreographed music. The rider and horse execute their movements in a similar system to that of figure skating, and are always impressive to watch.
Professional rider Francine Gentile has been competing and enjoying the educational benefits of the festival for years. “There is no place like it on Earth,” she said. “It’s the place to come where you can see the best of the best, not just for the day, but for the whole season. It’s motivating, and it’s really the place where professionals strive to be.”
There are many aspects of the 2017 Adequan Global Dressage Festival that make it an amazing event for all to come out and enjoy. Great food, great horses, great vendors and entertainment are all contributing factors.
“I think that we are a family,” said Allyn Mann, director of title sponsor Adequan. “It really is just a wonderful experience to have the owners, the riders, the fans, the grooms and, of course, the horses. I feel that if this was as good as it got, it would be wonderful. But we know that there is much more to come.”
The AGDF welcomes spectators and encourages anyone who wants to learn more about the sport of dressage to visit and enjoy the show. The 2017 festival hosts seven CDI events, two CPEDI competitions and national shows through March 25.
The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is located at 13500 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. For more information, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.
2017 Adequan Global Dressage Festival Weekly Schedule
March 2-5: AGDF 8
Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W and FEI Grand Prix Freestyle (Saturday, March 4), presented by Everglades Dressage; FEI Grand Prix and FEI Grand Prix Special, presented by Peacock Ridge; and FEI
Small Tour, presented by the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center.
Schedule includes National Show.
March 10-12: AGDF 9
Para-Equestrian CPEDI 3*, presented by Mane Stream courtesy of Rowan O’Riley, Mission Control, Adequan and Nutrena; and National Show.
March 16-19: AGDF 10
CDI 4* and FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Havensafe Farm; CDI 3*, presented by the Dutta Corp; and CDI 1*, presented by CaptiveOne. Schedule includes National Show and the Florida
International Dressage Youth Championships.
March 22-25: FEI Nations Cup Week – AGDF 11
CDIO 3* and FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Stillpoint Farm;
CDI 3*, presented by Harmony Sporthorses; and CDI 1*,
presented by Yellow Bird Farm. Schedule includes National Show.
Tentative schedule, subject to change. Friday Night Stars freestyles on Friday nights of CDI competition with exception of AGDF 8. Dates are actual competition days. Visit www.globaldressagefestival.com for more information.
