MANY of the nation’s top exponents of dressage will be in Orange next week for the fourth annual Dressage With Altitude event from February 14 - 17.
Although this year’s event won’t be a qualifying event for the Olympic Games, as was the case last year, it is still classified as a high ranking event and has taken on a different theme this year.
Event director Cathie Drury-Klein said the event would be badged as “celebrating food, wine and art - the sport of dressage”.
“We have decided on this theme to promote the lifestyle aspect of the sport,” Ms Drury-Klein said.
Competition will be at Bradgate Park Indoor Arena east of Orange on the southern side of the Mitchell Highway on Malaba Road.
“After the outstanding success of last year’s event the organising committee had to reinvent and inspire and come up with an action-packed weekend,” Ms Klein said.
She said horse enthusiasts in the area would be attracted to the Friday night event featuring a dressage masterclass presented by Brett Parbery, Tor Vandenberg and David Shoobridge.
The following night in keeping with this year’s theme, the popular Grand Prix Freestyle event will feature an evening of gourmet food, wine, art, and of course dressage.
Ms Drury-Klein said she was impressed with the calibre of riders and horses for this year’s event, held at one of Orange’s best kept secrets - an Olympic style dressage arena.
“Rozzie Ryan on GV Bullwinkle who represented Australia as first reserve at last year’s London Olympics will be competing,” she said.
Other featured riders include Brett Parbery, Sheridyn Ashwood, Dr Kerry Mack, Carolyn Wagner and more.
Late next week Bradgate Park will become a hive of activity when temporary stables are erected to cater for the many horses competing.
There will also be horse floats parked side-by-side on the expansive property which provides the perfect venue for this event.