Sacramento, CA  – Dressage athletes from around the country and close to home have arrived at Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta for four days of competition from June 13 to 16, including the Golden State CDI3* Y-J-U-25 – CPEDI3* and the Golden State Dressage Classic.

National and international organizations recognizing this week’s competition are the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), United States Dressage Federation (USDF), California Dressage Society (CDS), and the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) for the CDI3* Y-J-U25 and CPEDI3*.

Talented young horses will be competing to qualify for the 2013 Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse Dressage Championships presented by HorseShow.com, and young riders will be contesting the qualifiers for USEF National Junior and Young Rider Championships, as well as USEF National Pony Rider Championships.

Equestrian achievement knows no age boundary, however, as Colfax, California, resident Barbara Fleming proves today during her Century Ride, a treasured tradition among dressage riders that celebrates the combined ages of 100 for horse and rider. Barbara and Wing, her Morgan gelding, have competed through Fourth Level dressage, in hunter pleasure at Morgan shows, participated in quadrille, and enjoyed riding the Pacific Crest Trail.

Local young talent is equally on show this week, with under-25 age riders such as Elk Grove resident and University of California, Davis, student Genay Vaughn, competing to qualify for the USEF Young Adult Brentina Cup, a program developed to assist and encourage US young riders between ages 16 and 25 in making the transition to senior Grand Prix competition, the pinnacle of competitive dressage sport.

New this year at Golden State Dressage is FEI Para-Equestrian Dressage competition, the only equestrian discipline that is included in the Paralympic Games, held immediately after and at the same venue as each Olympic Games. Para-Equestrian riders are classified according to the level of their disability/impairment so as to provide meaningful competition, and compete in FEI PA Grade Ia (equivalent to USDF Intro Level) through FEI PA Grade IV (equivalent to USDF Third Level).

Due to the limited number of competitions in North America in which Para-Equestrian athletes can qualify for international competition, these dedicated equestrians travel long distances to qualify. This weekend’s competition provides Para-Equestrians from as far away as Connecticut and as close to home as Folsom, California, with a world-class venue in which to pursue their dreams.

Judges this week reflect the international nature of dressage sport, with Alison King (Hong Kong), Lorraine Stubbs and Elizabeth McMullen (Canada), and Marian Cunningham (Peru) joining Axel Steiner and David Schmutz (USA).

In further support of Para-Equestrian competition, Golden State is hosting a Para-Equestrian Dressage FEI Course, with exams, for current Para-Equestrian judges seeking promotion to FEI 3* and 4* status, as well as a Para-Equestrian Dressage FEI Refresher Seminar, without exams, for FEI judges.

Riders of all ages and levels of accomplishment will be hotly contesting the qualifying classes for the 2013 Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse Dressage Championships presented by HorseShow.com, 2013 Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships, 2013 AGCO/USEF National Junior and Young Rider Championships, 2013 USEF National Pony Riders Championships, 2013 USEF Brentina Cup Championships, 2013 USEF National Intermediaire I Championships, and 2013 USEF National Grand Prix Championship.

Golden State Dressage Shows continue to grow, thanks to the generous support of sponsors such as California Dressage Society, Murieta Equestrian Center, Kathleen’s Cook Shack, JRD Saddlery, David Schmutz, Seana Adamson, Sonoma Chapter CDS, Lara Oles, and the many volunteers essential to horse show management.

The public is welcome, free of charge, to come out and enjoy the variety of Golden State Dressage competition on show at Murieta Equestrian Center this week.