OFFICIAL'S DIARIES: STEWARDING AT HARTPURY'S FESTIVAL OF DRESSAGE

Hello hello….. How have you been? This time I want to share my experience of being a Steward at Hartpury’s Festival of Dressage.

The event was hosted by the Equine division of Hartpury College. It has the Hartpury Arena (main indoor arena) with a little warmup arena, the International Arena (main outdoor arena), a cove arena, 2 indoor schooling arenas, plus lunging arenas, really nice stables and grazing areas. It is a dream come true. And to my joy (not my wallet’s) they also had lots and lots of horsey shops :). This was the 10th anniversary of the show and it included: Premier League, CDI3*, CPEDI3*, Young Dressage Horse Championship and Prix St Georges Young Horse Championship. Over 400 horses took part and 17 nations were represented. Dressage stars like Michael Eilberg, Fiona Bigwood, Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin (with Valegro) attended.

The show was amazing ….. you have to be extremely organised if you have 5 independent shows running almost at the same time. The organizing committee was very gracious and gave us, the officials, accommodation in the student rooms and meals for our entire stay. I want to give special thanks to my Chief Stewards: in the CPEDI Juliet Whatley and in the CDI Jennie Loritson Clarke. And to my fellow Stewards: Mandy, Geoff, Jill, Sarah, Bronwen, Linda and Gaby it’s was a pleasure working with you guys.

Soooo, let’s begin the journey!

Day 0 – July 7th

I arrived one day earlier to take the Refresher Seminar for Para-Dressage Stewards. The Course Director was Chris Porterfield, and as expected the seminar was excellent. It was very good to see friends that I haven’t seen in a while and made some new ones :). It also helped my brain function the ”Para Steward way” again . This is the course I talked about in my July’s goals.

Stewarding at the Hartpury Dressage Festival | The Equestrian Stop

The steward gang

Goodies from the course

Day 1 – July 8th

The CPEDI Para-Dressage Team Test and Premier League.

In the morning I stewarded the warmup and then was assigned to the Hartputy Arena with the tack check and the 10 minute arena. And in the afternoon helping with the prize giving.

The calm before the caos

CPEDI Grade lll warmup

Natasha Baker and Sookie St James after their performance

Lee Pearson riding his new mare Styletta

The rosettes for the Team Award Ceremony

Day 2 – July 9th

The CPEDI Para-Dressage Individual Test, PSG Dressage Young Horse and The Trot up for the CDI.

In the morning I stewarded the warmup for the CPEDI and free training for the CDI, in the afternoon tack check and prize giving for the CPEDI. And in the early evening I went to the arena familiarisation for the CDI. In muy lunch break I went to watch a little bit of the Young Horse PSG.

Gaby and Sarah very busy

Michael Eilberg with Woodlander Farouche after their test

Charlotte on Barolo discussing her test with Carl in the Young Dressage Horses PSG

The winners: Team GBR

Arena Familiarisation for the CDI

Day 3 -July 10th

The CPEDI Para-Dressge Freestyle, CDI PSG and GP.

I was in tack check, the 10 min Arena and accompanying commanders for the CPEDI. Then I went to help out in the International Arena for the GP and the prize giving ceremony.

From left to right: Me, Sarah, Juliet and Gaby

Nip Tuck’s tack check

Valegro’s tack check

GP prize giving ceremony

Happy Charlotte

Day 4 – July 11th

4, 5 and 6 yrs Olds, CDI Intermediate. In the Gala: Finals of the Dressage Young Horse and CDI GP Freestyle.

This day a pretty long one. In the morning I was in the Premier League warmup, then help out a little bit with the Intermediate warmup. In my lunch break I caved and went shopping (very successful trip I must say). In the Gala we alternate between the 10 min arena and the tack checks and at the end the prize giving.

Smily Geoff

GP Freestyle prize giving ceremony

After a long day: Gaby, Brom and me

CDI stables

Ahhhhh …….. shopping 🙂

Day 5 – July 12th

National Premier League, Children/Junior/YR, CDI Intermediate Freestyle and GPS.

This day was pretty laid back for me. I spent all day in the Hartpury Arena with the Children/Junior/YR and the Premier League. In one of my breaks I was able to see a bit of the GPS the warmup.

5yr old Class

Busy CDI warmup

I want to go home!

Lorries almost ready to go home

c’est fini

Bonus: July 13th

Because the show ended quite late I stayed the night and cached a morning train. The Hartpury team was king enough to give me a ride to Gloucester and I visited the Cathedral. It is sooooo beautiful! I you are ever in the area you need to visit it, it is worth it I promise.