Hartpury Festival of Dressage 2009
Spectators were treated a feast of entertainment at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage, Hartpury, near Gloucester, on Wednesday to Sunday, 15th - 19th July. Over 200 well known and up and coming riders and horses came to Hartpury College to compete in a wide range of competitions in the majestic Indoor Arena and Outdoor International Arenas in this special year, when GB hosts The European Dressage Championships at Windsor in the lead up to London 2012.
Carl Hester, (Newent based, pictured above), headed the list, just back from British Team Bronze Medal success in Aachen and Paralympic Gold Medallists Lee Pearson, Simon Laurens, (Birdlip based) and Sophie Christiansen were on their mettle ahead of the defence of the title, together with Emma Sheardown, Jo Pitt and Sophie Wells at The European Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships in Norway.
The action started with the FEI CPEDI3* International Para Dressage Competition Team tests all Wednesday, the Individual Championship tests on Thursday, and the FEI Para Freestyle tests on Friday all sponsored by The Markey Group in the Indoor Arena.
The Premier League ran all day Wednesday and Thursday, with the FEI Prix St. Georges and FEI Grand Prix on Friday. Saturday saw the 4, 5 and 6 year old Shearwater Young Horse Championships in action and the VERY SPECIAL GALA EVENING with the FEI CDI Grand Prix Freestyle and the unusual Circomedia Trapeze display. Sunday included the Pony, Junior and Young Rider Team tests, and from 12.45 the Pegasus FEI CDI Intermediate I Freestyle and the Devoucoux FEI CDI Grand Prix Special.
Photographs courtesy of Kevin Sparrow
