By Chelsey Burris
Every fall, each of the nine USDF Regions hosts a Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championship, presented by SmartPak. These championships are a yearly goal for many competitors. From beautiful, premier farms across the US to showgrounds so large they once hosted the Olympics, take a virtual tour of the venues for the upcoming 2022 regional championships.
Region 1 – Virginia Horse Center; Lexington, VA – October 6 – 9, 2022
Situated on a large, beautiful plot of land in Lexington, VA, the Virginia Horse Center (VHC) kicks off our list of regional championship venues for 2022. With 600 acres holding nine show rings, eight schooling rings, a 4,000-seat coliseum, eight barns, a cross country course, a tractor pull area, campgrounds, special event spaces, and full café services, the VHC offers a safe, diverse, and exciting facility for all types of events throughout the year.
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Prize List
Region 2 – Waterloo Hunt Club; Grass Lake, MI – September 14 – 18, 2022
Waterloo Hunt Club is a family-oriented, traditional hunt club. Waterloo Hounds hunt twice a week from September through April. The Club has hosted horse shows from its beginning, sponsoring those of the Jackson Riding Club in the 1940s. The club also sponsors two National rated hunter/jumper shows, several dressage shows, and hunter trials. Sitting on 60 acres in Grass Lake, MI, the Club was formed in 1941 and was moved to its present site in 1946.
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Prize List
Region 3 – Georgia International Horse Park; Conyers, GA – October 7 – 9, 2022
In the early 1990s, Rockdale County purchased a 1,400-acre tract of land in the city of Conyers, GA. While originally purchased to reduce wastewater runoff, city officials wanted to find additional use for the property. They found that there was a need for a state-of-the-art equestrian facility for local, regional, national, and international competitions. Then, as Atlanta won the bid for the 1996 Centennial Olympics, it became urgent to complete the facility so that it could host the equestrian sports at the 1996 Olympics. The facility now hosts a variety of events throughout the year including dog shows, fairs, concerts, and more.
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Prize List
Region 4 – The National Equestrian Center; Lake St. Louis, MO – September 8 – 11, 2022
Located in Lake St. Louis, MO, the National Equestrian Center (NEC) has the moniker of the Midwest’s Premier Event Facility. Offering many luxury amenities and world class customer service, the NEC rests on 56 acres in the prestigious western suburbs of St. Louis. The facility offers over 207,000 square feet of continuous under-roof arenas and stabling, as well as 42,000 square feet of additional stabling in close proximity to all arenas and activity centers.
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Prize List
Region 5 – HIPICO; Santa Fe, NM – September 22 – 25, 2022
HIPICO Santa Fe is a world-class equestrian facility located in one of the most enchanting destinations in the United States: Santa Fe, New Mexico. HIPICO Santa Fe is available to host local, national, and international equestrian competitions year-round. It’s also the home of many educational events and clinics.
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Prize List
Region 6 – Donida Farm; Auburn, WA – September 15 – 18, 2022
The Pacific Northwest’s Donida Farm boasts an international size outdoor permanent dressage ring, 130 acres of land with 40 acres of trails, several outdoor and indoor arenas, a cross country schooling course, and a five-furlong racetrack. In addition to a packed calendar of shows, they also offer educational events and clinics throughout the year.
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Prize List
Region 7 – Los Angeles Equestrian Center; Burbank, CA – September 22 – 25, 2022
The Los Angeles Equestrian Center is a unique 75-acre venue in California. In addition to horse shows, the Los Angeles Equestrian Center is home to conferences, conventions, and even a cricket field. Being located so close to Hollywood, the venue is frequently used for professional video shoots each year by television and movie studios.
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Prize List
Region 8 – HITS on the Hudson; Saugerties, NY – September 22 – 25, 2022
HITS on the Hudson is located in the heart of the Hudson Valley in Saugerties, NY, just two hours north of New York City. It boasts 14 permanent barns with 1,100 stalls and 19 rings. This facility is most known for its hunter/jumper shows, and produces three of the richest grand prix show jumping competitions. In addition to horse shows, HITS Entertainment is responsible for other sporting events, concerts, consumer shows, and community events throughout the year on its 375-acre complex.
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Prize List
Region 9 – Great Southwest Equestrian Center; Katy, TX – October 6 – 9, 2022
With over 70,000 class entries per year, this busy facility is located in Katy, TX. In addition to their dressage shows, the Great Southwest Equestrian Center has many breed shows, jumper shows, and other equestrian events. The venue, which was founded in 1986, sits on 65 acres and boasts 650 permanent stalls and 500 temporary ones.
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Facebook page
Prize List
We hope to see you at a regional championship competition this year! Thanks to our sponsors, Great American Insurance Group, SmartPak, and Platinum Performance, who help make these competitions possible.
*As a note, locations for the 2022 regional championships are subject to change. Check the USDF website for the latest information.
