2020 Online Western Dressage World Championship Show
Congratulations to the breed high-score winners and others who made the 2020 Online Western Dressage World Championship Show a success.
It was the “pandemic pivot.”
No one went into 2020 expecting that the Western Dressage World Championship Show would be anything other than an in-person show, full of camaraderie and great competition. But as the year wore on, it became obvious to the Western Dressage Association of America board of directors and staff that exhibitor safety, travel restrictions and other concerns were paramount. The decision was made to take the championship show online and provide a virtual experience.
WDAA is grateful to the show staff, exhibitors and sponsors who stepped up and made this venture an amazing success. More than 2,200 tests were ridden by 750 horse-and-rider combinations at the 2020 WDAA Western Dressage Online World Championship Show. Fifty-one breeds were represented, along with 44 U.S. states, including Hawaii, and several international countries, including Canada, Sweden and Australia. There were Greenhorns (World Show first-timers), military veterans and exceptional riders (physically challenged or therapeutic riders) who competed for special awards, and the show was accessible to riders who never would have been able to travel to Guthrie, Okla., where the live competition was to have been held.
The breed high-score awards, announced in mid-November, gave WDAA a special opportunity to spotlight the diverse breeds who can all excel in this welcoming discipline. Whether it’s a gaited horse, stock horse, sport horse or anything in between, any mount can enjoy the benefits of western dressage.
For Morgans, the breed high-score award was sponsored by Sally Plumley, and the winner was LW Starlight Express and Jessica Kent.
For more information on WDAA or full Online World Show results, please visit www.westerndressageassociation.org. The 2021 WDAA Western Dressage World Championship Show is slated for Sept. 29-Oct. 3 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla., and another championship-level virtual show will also be held in 2021.