FEI Dressage World cup is returning to Olomouc with thirty competitions during the event

The Equine Sport Centrer Olomouc will host an international dressage FEI World Cup event for a second time. The organisers have prepared a total of thirty competitions from the pony category to the Grand Prix, over the four days of the event.

Equine Sport Center Olomouc has been an organiser of international jumping events for the last decade. Last year the organisers expanded the portfolio of major international events by adding dressage for the first time, and just like in the show jumping competitions, dressage riders in the highest category can earn points for the World Cup. 

“Thomas Baur, one of the top dressage event organisers in Europe and the U.S.A., is going to be the event director once again this year. He is the head of the Global Dressage Festival. in 2018 Baur was the manager of dressage and para-dressage competitions taking place as part of the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, he was also appointed this year’s director of the dressage part of the FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha that will take place from 4th to 8th April. Therefore, we are greatly honoured to be able to work together with such an experienced manager,” said Kristýna Koutná, Equine Sport Centrum Director.

The schedule of this International Equestrian Federation event includes a total of thirty competitions in the following categories CDI-W, CDI3*, CDICh, CDIU25, CDIP, CDIY, CDIYH, CDIJ. Not only the most experienced riders but also juniors, young riders up to 25 years old, riders with young horses, and pony riders alike will be able to enjoy the event.

“The main judge will be Gabriela Valeriánová from the Czech Republic, her team will consist of Elizabeth Max-Theurer from Austria, Maarten van der Heijden from the Netherlands who was the former Secretary General of the Dutch Equestrian Federation, and will also be one of the judges at the FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha, Christof Umbach from Luxembourg and Katrina Wüst from Germany who was one of the Tokyo 2020 dressage judges,” said Kristýna Koutná.

The first FEI World Cup Dressage competition will take place in the Olomouc arena on Thursday, 11th May. The CDI-W Grand Prix will take place on Friday and the Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday. An equally attractive category is CDI3*, the highlights of this category will be the Grand Prix on Friday and the Grand Prix Special on Saturday. A higher number of Czech riders will compete in CDI1* from Thursday to Saturday and in CDI2* on Saturday and Sunday. The FEI registration system is available now and will remain open until the applications deadline on 28th April. For more information on the event programme, visit www.escolomouc.cz.  

Photo: Jan Andrash, ESC Olomouc