The Windsor International Horse Show has decided to drop dressage from its 2025 edition due to financial reasons, making it the second CDI in Great Britain to do so after Hickstead. The costs of running the grand prix class on Wednesday before the main opening of the show on Thursday, combined with the overall expenses of the event, have led to this decision.
Windsor had previously hosted a CDI competition from 2014 to 2018, with a break in 2020, 2021, and 2022 due to COVID. The show became a renowned dressage venue after hosting the 2009 European Championships where Totilas made his international breakthrough. Despite the popularity of the event, the financial challenges have forced organizers to discontinue the CDI4* dressage competition.
British Grand Prix rider Louise Bell expressed disappointment on Facebook over the decision, stating that the loss of Windsor as a top show for dressage is disheartening. She highlighted the lack of communication with riders and the sudden closure of the event without giving them a chance to seek potential sponsors. The news comes as a blow to the dressage community, which now needs to come together to address the issue and find solutions to keep top shows like Windsor alive.
