No dressage at Windsor Horse Show 2025, and I guess beyond?

[nikicb]

The Royal Windsor Horse Show will not host a dressage competition in 2025, as the CDI classes have been deemed financially unviable.

Scheduling challenges and rising costs lead to historic venue axing dressage competition

The Royal Windsor Horse Show will not host a dressage competition in 2025, as the event has been deemed financially unfeasible.

www.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Traks]

Oh that’s a shame. Do they not get many people wanting to watch or is it just the costs of running it there?

 

[nikicb]

Oh that’s a shame. Do they not get many people wanting to watch or is it just the costs of running it there?

In the article it says that the format of the competition means they have to run the GP class on the Wednesday before the main show opens on Thursday, and opening the showground on that day just for the GP is very costly. They also point out that dressage struggles to attract the audiences and sponsors. I should imagine that they are also aware of the affect the CDJ incident has had on how dressage is viewed to the wider public, and don't want to take the financial hit, and let's face it, who can blame them?

It's the same for the GP class at LIHS really - even with the ticket prices being very low, there are only a handful of spectators. I go as I like to see the combinations before I watch the freestyle the following day, but totally get it's rather dry for those not particularly into dressage.

 

[canteron]

Any sponsor now would want to be very careful who they sponsor in dressage, safer not to. I think that BD and the fei should have acted faster and more strongly to mitigate this obvious outcome.

 

[Sanversera]

Possibly because of the cruelty people have inflicted on dressage horses.

 

[dorsetladette]

They aren't offering on site stabling either this year so I suppose entries in general are likely to be down.

 

[rara007]

I’m sure they have the stabling saga every year?

 

[dorsetladette]

I’m sure they have the stabling saga every year?

Really? I just saw an FB post shared over the weekend and thought it was odd for such a big/prestigious show to not offer stabling.

 

[rara007]

It’s a very wet site often, and most show horses only have classes on 1 day. Last year they didn’t release any National stabling until entries closed, 2023 ‘extremely limited’ stabling on site.
The fei stables are separate and will still be there.

 

[ester]

It’s def been an issue in previous years too

 

[Velcrobum]

It’s a very wet site often, and most show horses only have classes on 1 day. Last year they didn’t release any National stabling until entries closed, 2023 ‘extremely limited’ stabling on site.
The fei stables are separate and will still be there.

It is indeed a very wet site and given how much rain we have had last autumn and this year so far it is going to take a decent period of dry weather in March/April for the site to dry out enough to even support Lorry parking. Building the grandstands and tentage also requires decent access I know temporary roads get put down but it all costs money.......