Posted, February 4, 2006

Heavy Rains Wash Out Wellington Dressage Show at the Winter Equestrian Festival

Dressage Competition Re-scheduled for Sunday, February 5 - Ride Times to Be Posted On www.stadiumjumping.com

Wellington Dressage competition at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, started off day three this morning under cloudy skies and drizzle, but by 11:00 am heavy rains poured down on the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club rings. With most riders electing to scratch their rides, and the weather worsening to include strong winds, show management ended the show early today. Mary Silcox, head of dressage for Stadium Jumping Inc., the producer of the Winter Equestrian Festival, will re-schedule classes for competition on Sunday, February 5, as follows:

• Class 83, the USEF Grand Prix Special, a High Performance qualifier for the USEF Grand Prix National Championship and a qualifier for the World Equestrian Games Selection Trials, will be competed on Sunday morning; ride times will be posted later today at www.stadiumjumping.com
• Riders who were scheduled to compete this afternoon in Training Level through Fourth Level classes will have the opportunity to re-schedule their ride in a Test of Choice class on Sunday.
• The $25,000 Windsome Dressage/Show Jumping Team Spectacular scheduled for 3:00 pm today was cancelled. Show management may re-schedule the event for later in the season. The popular event, which has been contested at the Winter Equestrian Festival for 10 consecutive years, will return as scheduled for the Wellington Dressage show in 2007.

“I want to thank all those riders who braved the weather this morning and competed in the rain,” said Silcox. “We are re-working tomorrow’s schedule and will try to accommodate those riders who did not have the opportunity to compete this afternoon.”

Wellington Dressage is the first of three dressage shows featured at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Wellington Dressage runs through Sunday, February 5, at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club.

Photo and text by Mary Hilton