Last Minute Cancellation of the 2024 CDI Deauville, Riders Upset

Dressage

France

With only two days to go till the kick-off, the show organizers of the CDI Deauville on 11 - 14 July 2024 have called off the show last minute. No clear explanation for the cancellation has been given.

Deauville alerted the riders by text message and posted on Instagram on 9 July at 19h that, "It is with great disappointment that we are forced to cancel the 12th edition of Dress'In Deauville due to a regulatory problem that does not allow us to organize this event. All the teams were looking forward to welcoming you to Deauville. In this Olympic year, we deeply regret it and wish the athletes all the best. We will see you again in 2025..."

Deauville's late cancellation has upset many riders who have spent time, money and energy to already ship their horses to the competition venue and to arrive on empty show grounds. The origanizers sent them an email with one sentence saying the show is cancelled. No telephone calls were answered.

"It’s hard to believe that at a time when the entire community is discussing horse welfare we face a situation where we drive 700km with our horses to CDI Deauville only to receive the information that the show has been canceled," Dutch based rider Aleksandra Maksakova wrote on her Instagram. "First, upon arrival, we were shown our boxes and no one informed us that the show was canceled. A few hours later, we received this information from the call of other riders as federations started to receive emails in the evening. No one from the organizing committee is present at the show ground and no one is answering the phone. The long trip was for nothing and we were not the only ones affected today."

She continued, "It’s disrespectful to both horses and riders and I hope that the organizers will take responsibility and that the FEI will take action so that this kind of situation will not be repeated in the future."

More riders expressed their anger and frustration over the late cancellation becausde flights, hotels, rental lorries, entry fees were paid for at great expense. British based riders had their ferries booked but were fortunate to turn their truck around before crossing the Channel. Some riders were able to divert their entries to this weekend's CDIO Falsterbo (or Samorin) but wonder whether refunds will be made by Deauville.

Eurodressage inquired with the FEI about this cancellation but has not received a reply up to this point.

(Editor's note: one day after the publication of this article the FEI issued a press release).