For all those of you who like to watch the warm ups, here are some clips from Carl’s and Charlotte’s preparation minutes before the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle to Music on Friday 16th May 2014 (full results – click HERE)
Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro smashes the Grand Prix Freestyle world record with a winning performance (93.27% ) at the London International Horse Show in Olympia on 17th December 2013:
The hosts: Richard Davison (left) and Carl Hester (right)From left: Richard Davison, Sylvia Loch and Carl HesterClick on the image for the event’s website
It seems that The Dressage Convention is here to stay and will be a yearly event which I am very excited about as I couldn’t make this one in person.
If you are on Twitter, have a look at #TDCTalk tag for various updates from the event. Horse and Hound Magazine also ran a super tweet-report live from Bury Farm and I recommend having a look at their profile for many thought provoking lines: @horseandhound
Here is a little taste for what happened at the weekend. My resolution is to make the 2014 one in person!
“Forum contributors have declared that every rider should be able to watch a trainer and decide whether or not that trainer’s methods suit them and their horse. A valid point, but, we must not forget that the majority of BD members are made up of grass roots riders, with prelim and novice being the most well supported BD classes. Therefore, is it not the responsibility of British Dressage to present their membership with trainers who embrace the scales of training, the welfare of the horse and importantly compliment the examples set by our current Olympic champions?”
This convention is not organised by British Dressage who instead is running its own National Convention with…Adelinde Cornelissen. I admire her journey from a school teacher to international dressage rider in the same way I admire and feel inspired by anybody with passion, drive and courage to go for their dreams. I am also all for learning from various sources. However, I don’t agree with sacrificing legacy and welfare over results. Sadly, Adelinde is one of the riders who use rollkur training method.
I spied this information on Sylvia Loch & The Classical Riding Club (CRC) open group of which I am a member and which is a fabulous wealth of information and an opportunity for discussion on all things classical dressage.
It transpires that Carl Hester, Richard Davison, Charlotte Dujardin, Sylvia Loch and Miguel Ralao Duarte of the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art are bringing in a one of a kind event this year – The Dressage Convention 2013…