International guest stars and judges, Australian Olympic and WEG representative riders, Grand Prix dressage and jumping horses, and the best of Australia’s young dressage and jumping horses will be on display at next month’s PSI Dressage & Jumping with the Stars. Held from March 24 – 26 at the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, the event is 3 days and 2 nights of almost non-stop competition activity, informative Masterclasses and trade village shopping.
Now in its 13th year, the annual event was initially created as a young dressage horse competition to support a dressage master class being presented by Anky Van Grunsven. Since then it has developed into a prestigious and unique event which showcases young dressage and jumping horses with the potential to achieve international levels of competition and promotes the Australian performance horse breeding industry. With the added presence of the international guest stars – drawn from riders and trainers at the elite level of dressage and jumping – and the equine stars who emerge over the three days, it’s a fantastic event for competitors and spectators alike.
The PSI Australian Young Dressage Horse Championships for 4, 5 and 6 year old horses are the feature classes, with entrants required to compete in qualifying events all over Australia to be eligible to compete. Contested over several rounds and judged by international level judges, the top 3 finalists in each age group will this year be ridden by Ingrid Klimke (Germany) who will asssess their rideability and potential with her awarded mark helping determine the final placings. The Champion of each age group then goes on to contest the “Champion of Champions” award, previous winners of which have gone on to represent Australia at Grand Prix level: Cinderella (2001 winner) at the 2006 WEG and Jaybee Alabaster (2003 winner) at the 2010 WEG. Each age-group champion also becomes eligible for selection to represent Australia at the World Young Dressage Horse Championships in Germany later in the year.
Young Jumping classes were added to the event in 2002 and cater for horses ranging from 4 years up to 7years of age. Almost without exception the “Champion of Champions” Jumping horses have gone on to achieve success in World Cup qualifying classes in Australia. The most notable Champion, the 2005 winner Ashleigh Drossel Dan, competed for Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and more recently for Brazil at the 2010 WEG.
Other levels of competition have been progressively added to the event so there is also now a CDI-W Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle, a CDI-Y Qualifying event for the FEI World Cup Young Rider Final and the Prix St Georges Cup for the emerging FEI dressage horses. For the jumpers there is a Grand Prix class, newly added for 2011, and likely to include many graduates from the Young Jumping Horse Championships in recent years.
The international guest stars are one of the main drawcards and this year will be no exception. German dressage and eventing star Ingrid Klimke will present the Saddleworld Dressage Masterclass as well as riding the top 3 horse finalists in each of the age groups. Daughter of the legendary German dressage rider and trainer, Dr Reiner Klimke, Ingrid is an extremely talented and successful young horse trainer, a Grand Prix dressage competitor, a winner at the World Championship Young Dressage Horse titles and an Olympic and WEG team gold medallist in Eventing.
Greg Best, international showjumper and trainer will be presenting the Saddleworld Jumping Masterclass. Greg is best known for partnering the famous Gem Twist at international level, winning silver in the team and individual events at the 1988 Seoul Olympics representing America, followed by a top 4 finish at the 1990 WEG.
Annabel Frenzen, a member of the German Young Rider Team Squad will be test riding the top 3 young dressage ponies in each age group. She was a member of the gold medal winning German team at the 2006 European Pony Championships, and has won and placed in pony classes at the Bundeschampionships.
DJWTS crowd favourite and regular visitor, Dr Ulf Moeller, will again be attending, on behalf of event sponsor, Performance Sales International (PSI) who have had a long association with the event. He will present the PSI Mini Masterclass on Friday afternoon and on Sunday morning will conduct a young horse judge, trainer and rider’s workshop.
With so much happening and so many stars to be seen it’s definitely an event not to be missed
More event information, including ticket details available from: www.equestrianvictoriaevents.com.au/DJWTS.
Related Links
Annabel Frenzen Guest Judge Rider for Pony Classes at 2011 Dressage with the Stars
Ton de Ridder to Present 2010 Saddleword Dressage Masterclass