Dressage is a developing sport in the UAE and promises to grow in
following. The Emirates Riding Centre in Dubai hosts regular
competitions at national level and last season hosted two competitions
that included Prix St. George, the first FEI level. The Emirates Riding
Centre has been open for over 23 years and dressage competition has
started to flourish in the last 10 years.
"We are the only centre in the UAE at this time that holds
national dressage competitions, between 12 and 15 a year and they range
from preliminary classes to advanced medium," said Diane Crabtree, one
of ERC's seven full-time instructors. "We also had the PSI/FEI World
Dressage Challenge last year and we went up to Prix St. Georges level.
"We run from October to May and dressage is getting more and
more popular. We have 20 riders in the junior classes and 30 in the
other classes."
Overseas judges frequently visit the UAE to conduct clinics
and the Maktoum Show Jumping Challenge held in January at ERC since
1999 features demonstrations by leading European dressage experts.
"We now have the chance to send riders to the Asian Games in
Qatar next year," said Neil Abrahams, an official with the UAE
Equestrian & Racing Federation, adding. "The Federation backs
dressage and wants it to do well."
