The 2015 Barcelona Dressage Tour is Around the Corner

With the 2015 CDI Jerez de la Frontera, one of the nicest shows celebrated in Spain at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, finished the next Spanish ‘super-date’ is already around the corner. Spain has a big heart for dressage: as numbers from a recent FEI survey are proving, competitors and audiences are rising and show organizers don't lag behind. Here we go with the next international dressage gathering you shouldn’t miss for anything in the world: the 2015 Barcelona Dressage Tour.

We are almost set up for the countdown of the Barcelona Dressage Tour on the Iberian peninsula, with another CDI3* starting on 17 - 22 March and a CDI4* on 25 - 29 March 2015 at Can Alzina. The programme offers the widest range of tests possible which competitors will be able to ride under the eyes of an outstanding number of international top judges. For any detail on the programme please go to events.topiberian.com.

The World Cup Final and European Championship Ground Jury is almost entirely on the scene! It is a real treat for top riders as well as for any newcomer who would like to enjoy this amazing opportunity to compete amongst their stars and under the eyes of the best. The BCN Dressage Tour enters its second edition in 2015 so don´t miss it! It seems to be once more the place to be. Entries are still open and you should book as soon as possible.

Who hasn’t heard of the BCN Dressage Tour?

Last year the venue had a spectacular ‘coming out'. Professional, interesting, fun, relaxing and comfortable at the same time, the event lived up to its leitmotiv "Friends & Music – Dressage & Emotions." What else could one ask for? If you missed the inauguration edition here are some facts & figures: we are heading south to the Spanish-French border, towards Can Alzina. The beautiful host farm for this venue lies 30 km outside of Barcelona. Where we find the Collins, Vilà, Elias families together with Topiberian preparing the last details for the 2nd edition of this interesting ‘outdoor season opener’. It will surely be another astonishing dressage event, with the stakes high in the prize money, close to 80,000 euro can be won amongst extra-surprises.

The curtain will rise!

Very soon the action starts: we are awaiting some of the world’s most important dressage riders at this competition once again: full spot light for Carl Hester, Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and some other top riders, etc. etc. We can find some of the top stars of the Dressage World Ranking on the entry list already and whoever hasn´'t booked his trip to Barcelona should hurry up! Besides these stars, we do have more than 180 horse-rider combinations at this moment for the 2 weeks; all in all 13 nations are represented during the 2 CDIs.

It is a unique occasion to present horses to not less but fourteen 5* judges who officiate in Barcelona’s top ground jury.

You can still go!

The show grounds are well connected to Barcelona, a boiling city with its international airport, tourist highlights, lots of cultural events, cosmopolitan feel a.s.o. So riders who like to enjoy the ‘downtown’ atmosphere, will be able to get out of their riding boots and take a rest on the boardwalk of Barcelona’s ‘92 Olympic port area with lots of places to dine, dance, enjoy a glass of wine, soak up the sun and meet with friends away from the competition and showgrounds.

Of course the hospitality area ‘Jockey Club’ will be located once again in the Holding Box on the show grounds. You can still book your table now and enjoy the show while being seated in a fun ambience. All tables do have a great view on both competition arenas. You won’t miss your favourite horse while enjoying a wonderful lunch with your friends or family. Hospitality and Cuisine are ‘spelled with capital letters’ at Can Alzina. A part of the host family is involved in the wonderful restaurant named after the XIth century typical Catalan farmhouse “Masia” where the restaurant is located.

Judges and JSP

Maribel Alonso Quinzaños, the Mexican 5* judge and LADY at the upcoming Olympics of Rio 2016,  and Stephen Clarke who doesn´t need much presentation, native from Great Britain, FEI Judge General, are among other fourteen 5* top judges are joining, Thomas Lang (AUT), Vincenzo Truppa (ITA) Gotthielf Riexinger (GER), Susanne Baarup (DEN), it seems to be the never ending list, probably one of the largest 5* judges gathering at one competition; and there is even more: riders will be able to meet Uwe Mechelm and David Hunt in Barcelona, two gentlemen who will be part of the JSP at the Europeans in Aachen, 2015’s top event. An amazing opportunity to show new horses or improvements to this select crowd.

And what else?

‘As good as it gets’ is not only the name of a movie but it could be the headline of this year’s show. The warm temperatures and the sun that has finally come out seem to accompany the last preparations for the event. There will be super music, adapted to the different tests, the rhythm of the music helps to underline and accompany the different gaits or the cadence; last weekend in Jerez, riders and audience already enjoyed this new way of turning a lot of tests into a real Kür.

There will be online live scoring, all exercises judge by judge are refreshed on the screen and accessible live. There is a grooms & riders sms service, of course WiFi on the showground and in the stable area, live streaming with the video library online. Can Alzina’s top facilities are awaiting the riders once again, with 150 wooden stables, with plenty of showers not only for the horses, sanitary conditions have been improved; a lunging ring, 2 top competition arenas, spaceful warm-up and training grounds and the indoor arena, all of them with top Martin Collins footing horses will appreciate.

For any further information on where to stay, what to see, where to eat, directions and more, visit the official show website events.topiberian.com, which will have continuous, updated information on all these events. For anything else, please feel free to contact barcelona@topiberian.com.

by Katharina Braren