Thermal, Calif. – Oct. 21, 2021 – As dressage horses are getting settled in for the exciting Adequan® Desert Dressage I CDI-W and the Spooktacular National Dressage Show presented by Platinum Performance, Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) is proud to welcome elite sponsors for the competition kicking off Friday, Oct. 22.
Industry powerhouse, Adequan® is recognized as the title sponsor of the Desert Dressage Series, spanning Week I, from Oct. 21-24, and Week II, from Nov. 18-21. Both Desert Dressage weeks in 2021 will feature CDI-W, CDI3* and CDI2* competition with highlight classes of an FEI World Cup Qualifier™ and qualifying classes for the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championships and the 2022 USEF Festival of Champions.
Nick Wagman schooling at the Desert International Horse Park
“We are proud to be partners with American Regent Animal Health,” said Eleni Mauromoustakos, the Director of Sponsorship and VIP Relations at DIHP. “They continue to show their investment in equestrian sports on the West Coast and we are thrilled to have them sponsor the Desert Dressage Series this year.”
Platinum Performance will serve as the sponsor of the fan favorite ‘Spooktacular’ USEF Level 5*-rated national show, featuring qualification classes for USEF National Championships and the Great American/USDF Regional Championships.
“We are happy to be back with dressage competition here at the beautiful and improved Desert International Horse Park. The environment around the international ring is fantastic with the new VIP lounge seating, and the palm tree-lined entrance makes a great atmosphere for the riders,” stated Thomas Baur, Desert International Horse Park’s Director of Dressage.
All Horses Pass Health Inspection For Adequan® Desert Dressage CDI-W
All horses passed the health inspection Thursday afternoon as athletes prepare for 16 action-packed FEI classes at the Adequan® Desert Dressage I CDI-W. Kicking off Friday, Oct. 22, at 1:35pm PST, athletes will take to the new and improved International Arena for the Hof Kasselmann CDI3* Grand Prix. The highlight of Friday’s FEI competition will be the Four Winds Farm CDI-W Short Grand Prix set to take place at 3:00pm PST.
Among the star-studded list of competitors, Young Rider talent Katherine Mathews and her 17-year-old Hanoverian stallion Soliere, owned by Peridot Equestrian LLC, look forward to continuing their success from the summer. The pair has already topped multiple podiums together, most recently earning team bronze at the CDIO-Y Nations Cup at Future Champions in Hagen, Germany, as well as earning team gold as a member of Region 7’s Young Rider team at the FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) in Traverse City, Michigan.
Katherine Mathews and Soliere
The California-native will be making her debut at the DIHP facility, commenting, “This is my first time here, and it’s a really beautiful facility. One thing about most horse shows is that the stalls usually aren’t a great size, and the stalls here are so comfortable and they are matted nicely. The footing is also lovely, which is an important factor for me.”
The United States’ Carly Taylor-Smith also looks forward to a successful week aboard her mount Rosalut NHF, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Nikki Taylor-Smith. The American-bred gelding has been successfully climbing the ranks with Taylor-Smith in the irons, having already earned two national young horses championship titles and two USDF Horse of the Year awards in his short career. She makes her return to the DIHP for the third time, eager to put her best foot forward during the week’s competition.
“I love coming here! The facility is fantastic and it’s even better than last year,” she said. “The stalls are great, the footing is great and there is plenty of space to walk around. It has been well-organized and we really enjoy coming here.”
Carly Taylor-Smith and Rosalut NHF
Athletes will compete under the lights Saturday, October 23, starting with the Elizabeth Keadle CDI3* Grand Prix Special at 6:15pm PST, followed by the Four Winds Farm CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle at 7:45pm PST.
Results and time schedules for the week can be found at https://www.foxvillage.com/.
Click here for Adequan® Desert Dressage I CDI-W schedule and results.
Click here for Spooktacular National Dressage Show, presented by Platinum Performance, schedule and results.