Top UK dressage judge Stephen Clarke will hold a judges' clinic during the New Zealand Dressage Championships, in Taupo next weekend.
Nearly 200 horses and riders will be competing in six arenas at all levels of the sport from Preliminary to Grand Prix.
The FEI-sanctioned judges' clinic will be conducted by Clarke, who is the weekend's official judge. He is one of the world's leading dressage judges, with World Equestrian Games, World Cup and Olympic appointments on his CV. He is also an international trainer and, as a member of the FEI Dressage Committee, is heavily involved with the training of future FEI Candidate and International judges.
Clarke's presence as a judge also offers the competitors at the top level - Grand Prix - who have aspirations to compete at August's World Equestrian Games in Germany, the opportunity to gain a Certificate of Capability. This is the standard from which selectors can decide whether or not to send combinations to international events, although the gaining of the certificate is only the first step to final selection. Consistent performance has to follow.
Competition at Taupo from March 2-5 will include the finals of the season's Challenges, with the qualifiers fighting out the titles on Friday. Saturday is devoted to the national championships.
The large number of entries indicates the growing popularity of dressage, which offers special challenges to participants, even if they are not of the adrenalin variety found in eventing and show jumping.
More:
• Broad spectrum of talent at dressage champs
• Top level reunion at NZ dressage champs
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