DEL MAR — Saddle up for the 68th annual Del Mar National Horse Show April 18 through May 5 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Arena.The show offers three equestrian disciplines —Western, Dressage, and Hunter/Jumper.
Western Week is April 18 through April 21. Four AQHA and PCQHA shows, and a NRHA show are the hallmarks of Western Week. The Del Mar National is one of the few remaining shows offering perpetual trophies which still travel with the winners, as well as individual class trophies and keepsake ribbons. Admission is free on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reserved seats for week-night and weekend daytime performances are $10 for grandstand seating and $15 for box seats (subject to availability). Grandstand tickets are $19 for each Saturday evening highlight event, and are on sale now through ticketmaster.com.
The highlight of Western Week is the Night of the Horse show, April 20, beginning at 7 p.m. This year’s theme is a Buffalo Bill-style show highlighting, “The Wild West” with returning favorites Tommie Turvey and the One-Arm Bandit. New this year will be Gary Sanstead’s, chuck wagon races, the Escondido Mounted Posse comedy routines, The Golden West Cowgirls drill team, the Wells Fargo Stagecoach, and The Roy Rogers Mounted Sharpshooters.
Dressage Week is April 25 through April 28 includes qualifying competitions for the USEF National Grand Prix and Intermediaire Championships, Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships, USEF National Pony Rider Championships, Massey Ferguson/USEF National Junior and Young Rider Championships, USEF Brentina Cup Championships, Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships, USEF National Developing Horse, Prix St. Georges Championships, and the USEF National Developing Grand Prix Championships.
Special preparations are underway during Dressage Week, April 25 through April 29, for the official retirement of Akiko Yamazaki’s, Ravel. The magnificent gelding was named the USEF 2009 Horse of Year, won the World Cup Championship, and was a two time-Olympic partner to Steffen Peters of San Diego, California.
Ravel, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood, was inducted into the U.S. Dressage Federation Hall of Fame in 2012 following his participation as part of Team USA in two Olympics, a World Cup victory, Bronze Medals in the 2010 World Equestrian Games, and more than 40 Grand Prix victories during his career. The retirement ceremony will at be at 7 p.m. April 27.
Hunter-Jumper Week is April 30 through May 5 featuring the $100,000 Grand Prix of Del Mar, beginning
at 6:45 p.m.. May 4. Oregonian Rich Fellers, last year’s Grand Prix winner, rode his 16-year-old super stallion, Flexible, to become the first American in 25 years to take the coveted 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup™ Jumping title.
This year, during Hunter/Jumper Week of the Del Mar National Horse Show, top riders will compete for more than $200,000 in prize money. The $25,000 Surfside Grand Prix presented by iJump Sports is at 7 p.m. May 2. For more information, go to delmarnational.com.
Friends of the Del Mar National can now follow the show on Facebook for up-to-date news, photos, and other information at facebook.com/delmarnational.
