New date for Dressage Deluxe National Dressage Championships 2010

This year’s Dressage Deluxe National Dressage Championships is to move forwards a week from the scheduled date of 16 – 19 September; the competition will now take place 9-12 September 2010. British Dressage has made the difficult decision to move the show after receiving news that a visit from the Pope to nearby Coventry would clash with the summer championships.

300,000 people are expected to converge on Coventry Airport, located just three miles from the show ground, to welcome the Catholic leader on Sunday 19 September. Stoneleigh Park, venue for the dressage competition, has been allocated as a coach park hub to receive those travelling to the area and many of the roads in the vicinity will be closed for the duration of the weekend. Police have advised organisers to either cancel or move the competition.

Following an intensive review of the options British Dressage has decided that the best course of action is to move the event to run a week earlier than planned; the earliest date the competition could be brought forward following regional finals. To move later would cause the show to be adversely affected by reducing daylight hours as well as impacting on riders and support staff leaving for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

Chief Executive for British Dressage Amanda Bond commented: “the nationals are the highlight of the British Dressage summer competition season and it is of course unthinkable that the championship be cancelled outright. Although the move is not ideal we hope you’ll agree we had no choice but to opt for this new date. I’m confident that this year’s show will be better than ever despite our unexpected hiccup with Pope Benedict XVI!”