Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and Wychanger Saddlery

Riders from around the UK will be taking part in first ever RDA Dressage Challenge class this Friday (25 September) as part of the Virtual Windsor Autumn Series. The class, for which competitors have filmed their dressage tests at home and submitted them online, gives riders the opportunity to get back to competition while remaining socially distanced.

The class includes tests for classified, ID and non-classified riders and will be broadcast as the highlight of the Virtual Windsor livestream on Friday 25th September, during which the finalists’ rounds will be played and the winners announced. The livestream, which will be available on Facebook, YouTube and the Virtual Windsor website, is free to watch and will stay live to enjoy after the event.

Ed Bracher, Chief Executive of RDA UK said, “I am delighted that the Virtual Windsor RDA Dressage Challenge will be part of Virtual Windsor’s Autumn Series. With so many competitions having been cancelled, this is a great chance for riders – whether they are part of RDA or not – to compete nationally. We are grateful to the organisers for including an RDA Class and look forward to this becoming a regular fixture in the Virtual Windsor series.”

Royal Windsor’s Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward said, “We are delighted to announce that RDA Dressage will be one of the four disciplines we host as part of the Virtual Windsor Autumn Series, alongside Online Showing, Equitation Jumping and the Pony Club Home International Dressage. While 2020 has been a challenging year, with the Virtual Windsor Series we have embraced the opportunity to provide accessible, high-level competition in a format available to all. The standard of competition at the inaugural Virtual Windsor was extremely high, so we are expecting great things from the Autumn and Winter Series.”

£1,000 in prize vouchers has been donated to RDA by Wychanger Saddlery. Caroline Ward, Head of Communications for the RDA, said, “We are grateful to Wychanger for their generous support of the RDA Challenge class at Virtual Windsor. With so many riders having missed out on opportunities to compete during lockdown, this competition is an important milestone for many. Wychanger’s generous prize fund is the icing on the cake of what is set to be a fantastic competition – and we wish all riders the very best of luck.”

The Virtual Windsor Autumn Series 2020 will run from 25 – 27 September 2020, with a free-to-view livestream available on Facebook, YouTube and the Virtual Windsor website across the Show Weekend.