With a small field of eight riders after two of its top invited combinations dropped out, the U.S. Open Dressage is set to take place at the the second Central Park Horse Show in New York city on 25 - 26 September 2015. Dujardin withdrew Valegro and a few days ago Laura Graves scratched Verdades for the U.S. Dressage Open, which was previously known as the Central Park Dressage Challenge at its inauguration in 2014.
The 2015 edition in Central Park is the U.S. Open Dressage with a Grand Prix on 25 September 2015 and the U.S. Open $75,000 Dressage Freestyle on Saturday 26 September 2015. The U.S. Open Dressage is not an FEI recognized competition and not an official show counting for FEI Ranking points.
The 2015 U.S. Open Dressage riders, representing six nations, include Catherine Haddad Staller (USA), Charlotte Jorst (USA), Karen Pavicic (CAN), Lauren Sammis (USA), Isabell Werth (GER), Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven (SWE), Juan Matute Jr. (ESP), and Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) who will only ride the Freestyle on a loaner horse.
Isabell Werth will look to defend her title, while first-time competitor and six-time Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén will ride in New York City for the first time on her assistant trainer Caroline Darcourt's Paridon Magi, owned by Tinne's sponsor Antonia Ax:son Johnson.
"I looked on at the show from a distance last year and I think it's very exciting to be able to be a part of this competition," said Vilhelmson Silfvén. "It is important for equestrian sport to have a show like this that promotes and engages an incredible audience with the versatility of horses. The atmosphere will be a challenge, but as all of the bigger shows have grown in size and scale, many of the horses competing at this level are used to it. They have to learn to cope with it and it will be exciting and quite the challenge."
Charlotte Dujardin will present a Dressage Master's Class on Sunday 27 September.
Related Links
Valegro Withdrawn from 2015 Central Park Horse Show
Werth and El Santo Win 2014 Central Park Dressage Challenge
Twelve Riders Accepted Invitation to Ride in 2014 Central Park Dressage Challenge