2024 Virtus Regional Open Para Dressage Declared Open At Sparsholt, UK
The 2024 Virtus Open Regional Para Dressage Championships was declared open today at Sparsholt Equine Centre. A total of nineteen athletes from five countries – France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain including Australia will be competing at the championship. Many GG2023 champions and medallist like Suit-Watts (AUS), Laurie Descouture (FRA), Alejandro Lanzas (ESP), Georgina Maton (GBR) and Andrew Driffield (AUS) have made their way to Sparsholt to try their luck at winning the championship titles.
Vice-Principal of Sparsholt College – Mark Treagust, Asst. Principal of Sparsholt College – Richard Rex and Virtus Eligibility head- Jan Burns MBE along with the Virtus Para-Dressage Committee members attended the opening ceremony.
Addressing the attendees including the athletes and the delegates at the opening ceremony, Mark Treagust said,
“We are nestled in the heart of the Hampshire Countryside, we a leading Equine Centre and Sparsholt College is a British Horse Society Centre of excellence.”
“With stabling facilities for up to 66 horses, Olympic standard indoor and outdoor arenas, cutting-edge technology and a team of dedicated experts in the field, the Centre regularly hosts affiliated and unaffiliated competitions across all disciplines. We are thrilled to now be ale to also say we host international dressage competitions as well.”
He also reminded the crowd about the amazing horses and that it is their ‘generous spirit that gives us the enjoyment of Dressage’.
“Virtus is a truly special organisation and we are so impressed with all of you as riders, we thank you very much for making the journey here and we wish you all the very best of luck over the next two days,” he further added.
Andrew Driffield (L) and Jan Burns (R) taking athlete’s and official’s oath at Sparsholt 2024. Photo Credit: Virtus Sport
Australian champion, Andrew Driffield took the Oath on behalf of the athletes while Jan Burns MBE, Head of Eligibility took the oath for the officials.
“This is the second live Virtus Para Dressage competition, the first one being the 2023 Virtus Global Games in Vichy. Virtus wants to provide as many competitions as we can for riders with intellectual impairment and this championship marks another avenue we have achieved. We hope the regional championships encourage more riders to take up para dressage and compete,” said Uta Rindfleisch-Wu, Virtus Para Dressage director.
The competition will commence tomorrow officially until the day after tomorrow. The competition For results and updates, keep following Virtus Sport.
