2027 CDI Hickstead Lifted to CDIO Status, 2027 FEI Nations Cup Season Taking Shape

Dressage

Great Britain

The 2027 edition of the CDI Hickstead on 10 - 16 May 2027 has received CDIO status from the FEI and will include an FEI Nations Cup leg.

Hickstead is one of the premier venues of international dressage sport in the U.K.

Dressage at Hickstead

For years Hickstead was run by Dane Rawlins until its last CDI in 2019. Hickstead first held a CDIO Nations Cup in 1999 and until 2019 it hosted fourteen editions with CDIO status.

The competition found a national re-start with a new organizers' team in 2021 and an international re-start in 2023 for two years. The 2025 edition, however, was cancelled due to “exorbitant costs."

In 2026 the show returned on the CDI calendar under new management led by Grand Prix rider Daniel Watson

2027 FEI Nations Cup Leg

In 2027 International Dressage at Hickstead will host an FEI CDIO3* Nations Cup as part of its expanded International schedule.

"The Nations Cup will run alongside a full week of International and National classes, including the popular Dressage Masters," the organizer stated.

Nations Cup Series Taking Shape

At the moment, five shows are plugged into the FEI database with CDIO status for next year. They are Hickstead (10 - 16 May), Lier (19 - 23 May), Rotterdam (17 - 20 June), and Falsterbo (15 - 18 July).

Aachen (28 June - 4 July) has CDIO 5* status, but since 2024 is no longer of the FEI Nations Cup series. It seems to run its own nations cup "format", seemingly setting its own roles as a rogue elite show under the FEI's benevolence. Aachen is the only show with a senior Grand Prix CDIO status without being part of the series.

Wellington has announced its CDIO planned for 3 - 7 March 2027, but the FEI is not (yet) listing it with CDIO status in its database.