It’s a large commitment and personal financial investment to get these riders to the championships,
and support them while they’re at the show in Traverse City, Michigan, which isn’t exactly in the center of the US ! There are no travel grants from USDF or USEF.
Congratulations to these young riders and their families.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/individual-dressage-winners-crowned-at-nayc/
I’m here scribing for the third year in a row and it’s been a wonderful show so far. So many talented young people, and many happy, well ridden horses.
I agree. Congrats to the winners and to all who’ve made the trip and put in the time & effort to be here. And cheers to all who helped out financially, too!
I just came from watching the U25 freestyle. I was rooting for the winner as soon as I heard her music start. Lol.
Congrats to her and everyone else tonight!
Beautiful grounds and perfect weather. So sorry my timing was poor yesterday, but I saw some nice rides Thursday. AND I got to meet up with Silverbridge!
Two more years in TC:
Wow, Disappointed to know they’re going back to TC again and again.
I understand that the dressage division financially leans on the NAYC jumper show
and holding a separate show in another location isn’t feasible (this is what I’ve been told by the powers that be).
But maybe someday a more centrally located venue will be used, which would benefit the horses, riders, and those nice folks who support and pay for them.
Something I have learned from this forum - no matter where a horse show is held, there are going to be lots of people not happy with the location.
Yep…it’s a big country.
I saw photos of people wearing vests in the warmup. Mildly jealous as I peel my sweat-sodden breeches and sunshirt off at 10am.
The weather is never better anywhere else in the country. Ninety degrees in Chicago??? Triple digits for much of the summer elsewhere in the country? Competing in those temperatures is some kind of abuse. Give me 70 degrees days any time.
@Silverbridge, this is great news!
Nobody wants to come to Puget Sound country in July or early August. Average 70-80 daily, no rain no excess humidity . Simply not convenient location. True for a national horse event
Never hear this discussed in my sport where we wait out yet another tornado / lightning threat and the real feel inches closer to 105 ( our stop point). Competitors say they dont want to travel, but the west coast competitors slog east 3x year to be met with unpleasant conditions of humidity, heat and waiting out storms.
To be fair, it was unseasonably cool in MI last week. We were at another USDF show in southern MI, and it was downright cold in the AM (fifties). I’ve been showing at that venue for many years and it is usually 10-15 degrees hotter this time of year.
Michigan is fairly central…it is the Midwest. Many of the HJ people are already at Horse Shows By the Bay, so I can see why they hold it there. I am always sorry for those who can’t make it because of geography!
That may work for the HJ folk, but the dressage exhibitors aren’t already there. They’re making a special trip to compete in TC, and only a few go on to Festival of Champions in Chicago afterwards.
It’s been discussed to hold the dressage NAYC a week or two prior to FOC, but there’s a reason why it doesn’t happen (can’t remember what it is). It would really be a great show for riders, owners, trainers, and families if they were back to back.
As for weather, it was very pleasant in coastal southern California the same weekend.
This year NAYC ended Sunday August 13, FOC began Monday Aug 21.
Eight days apart.
I don’t have a dog in this fight as I am an amateur with no kids that ride, but Young Riders is actually 2 weeks before Festival of Champions and it’s quite nearby, US geography-wise.
Maybe people involved who want to reduce costs should work with shippers to get full shipments of dressage horses from TC to Lamplight at a reduced cost? A sponsorship to get them one place to the other?
Dressage is always going to play second fiddle to the HJ crowd because there is so much more $$$ in their shows. May as well figure out how to make the best of it.
They can also stop off at Waterloo and show there on the week in between if they want.
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