Equestrian Sport Productions and Wellington Classic Dressage announced Wednesday that they will host several international events at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival venue on the corner of South Shore Blvd. and Pierson Road.
The proposal will utilize the AGDF venue as the main base for the international events, aside from the iconic Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W, while other shows would continue at the Loxahatchee venue or the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center.
The two groups reached an agreement on the structure of the dressage calendar for 2014 and beyond and will submit it to the United States Equestrian Federation.
Working together with the USEF and the other dressage show organizers, including IHS Palm Beach and Gold Coast Dressage, a balanced winter dressage circuit has been developed that reduces the overall number of CDIs in Palm Beach County, but creates a series that will be very attractive to international riders from all over the world.
The proposal is subject to approval by the USEF, but both organizations are confident that it is in line with recent discussions between all the parties.
“I am very pleased that an agreement has been reached to work together, and I know that the sport of dressage can really grow and reach the level it deserves by utilizing the fantastic facilities at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival,” Wellington Classic Dressage Manager Noreen O’Sullivan said.
Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Production, agreed. “I am delighted with the outcome. This is a great step forward and is proof that groups working together despite prior differences are much more powerful than continued opposition,” he said. “We can now give Wellington a world-class circuit at a world-class venue, and that is only to the benefit of both the dressage and non-equestrian communities in our great village.”
Equestrian Sport Production President Michael Stone stressed that the agreement was subject to USEF approval. “I am confident that our proposal will be well received and is in the best interest of the sport,” he said. “However, out of respect to the decision-making process of the USEF, the full details of the proposal cannot be released until we have received the formal approval.”
