Steffen Peters and Rosamunde (Terri Miller
With a record turnout and lengthy waiting list, the Festival of the Horse CDI has proven to be one of California’s most popular international dressage competitions. In addition to a full roster of national classes, the highlight of the weekend will no doubt be the star-studded field of 18 in the CDI Grand Prix led by U.S. Dressage Team veteran Steffen Peters. After scoring big wins earlier this month at the Dressage Affaire CDI 3* with Legolas 92, Peters will now present Four Winds Farm’s young prodigy Rosamunde in pursuit of additional High Performance qualifying scores and to hopefully secure a U.S. Team berth before heading to Europe in May for final Olympic preparations. Returning home to the West Coast after two recent CDI 3* victories in Florida, the pair is currently ranked #2 on the USEF Ranking List for the 2016 Olympic Games. Also joining the impressive Grand Prix lineup is former FEI World Equestrian Games bronze medalist Kathleen Raine and her longtime partner Breanna for their 2016 California CDI debut, as well as 2012 Olympic Team member Jan Ebeling aboard the impressive Hanoverian stallion FRH Rassolini. In the small tour, an incredibly talented roster of 13 up-and-coming horses and riders will vie for top honors, while the Junior, Young Rider, and Under-25 divisions showcase the future of the sport with the largest fields of the year to date on the West Coast.
But it’s not just the top competition that makes the Festival of the Horse so distinctive. Held in conjunction with the Blenheim Spring Classic II hunter/jumper show, the event provides a special atmosphere for exhibitors and spectators alike as well as exceptional amenities that has become the standard for the California Dreaming Productions series. “San Juan Capistrano is a wonderful setting for a horse show which allows us to showcase everything we pride ourselves in offering to our riders, owners, sponsors, and fans, including our sold-out VIP and competitor hospitality, special arenas and footing, lovely awards, and our live streaming service to share all that ambiance and excitement with the world,” said CDP co-founder Alisa Wilson. "Once again the response from the West Coast dressage community has been incredible, and we are so thankful for everyone’s support. We all look forward to the Festival of the Horse being an amazing finale to this year’s CDP series."
Don’t miss any of the excitement! To learn more about the Festival of the Horse CDI3*/Y/J/U-25, visit www.californiadreamingproductions.com or visit us on Facebook. Don’t miss your chance to watch America’s top dressage riders LIVE, including Axel Steiner’s expert commentary and behind-the-scenes interviews sponsored by Lisa Seger Insurance. Signing up for CDP Live is easy – no special PayPal accounts are needed as fans simply need a credit card number. Season Pass holders are encouraged to sign up at any time, while Day Pass or Two-Day Pass viewers should activate their subscription on the morning of the competition day they intend to watch (live stream access begins at actual time of purchase). For more information, visit http://californiadreamingproductions.com/?page_id=455.