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DEL MAR, CA — In its 67th year, the 2012 Del Mar National Horse Show will run Thursday, April 19, through Sunday, May 6, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Arena.
The Del Mar National Horse Show continues to be among the most respected, distinguished and popular equestrian events on the West Coast. Consisting of three distinctly different equestrian disciplines — Western, Dressage, and Hunter/Jumper — the Del Mar National represents the best in competitive opportunities for serious and world-class equestrians and is unrivaled in its entertainment appeal for everyone.
Western Week runs April 19-22, Dressage Week is April 26-29, and Hunter/Jumper Week concludes the show May 1-6.
Each week of competition features its own signature Saturday night event: During Western Week, the "Night of the Horse" on Saturday, April 21, promises an evening full of
action, celebrities, color and top-notch entertainment. A variety of equestrian disciplines will demonstrate the theme of the evening, "Why We Love Horses." Our Mistress of Ceremonies, Bo Derek, actress and talented horsewoman, will bring dazzle and glamour to an already star-studded evening.
Also featured during the "Night of the Horse" will be Ramon Becerra’s dramatic liberty act magnificently illustrating the history of man and horse through a graceful performance, including elegant and difficult maneuvers.
Dressage Week, April 26-29, includes qualifying competitions for the USEF National Grand Prix Championships/Olympic Selection Trials; the FEI North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships; Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Pony Rider, Junior, Young Rider and Brentina Cup Championships; Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program and USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship - Prix St Georges Division (Sponsored By the Dutta Corp. and PSI) and Grand Prix Division.
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You needn’t be an expert in the sport to be astonished and awed by the "Evening of Musical Freestyles" dressage competition on Saturday night, April 28. Olympic and World Champion pairs demonstrate the artistry, athleticism and awe-inspiring collaboration between horse and rider to the delight of your eyes and ears!
Local resident, Olympian and World Cup Champion, Steffen Peters, will bring his nearly flawless horsemanship to the arena once again, riding Akiko Yamazaki’s magnificent horse, Ravel, along with other stellar mounts such as Weltino’s Magic. Among other notables attending this year’s show are World Class competitor, local resident, and former Olympian, the legendary Guenter Seidel.
Hunter/ Jumper Week, May 1-6, features the $100,000 Grand Prix of Del Mar, which caps off the three weeks during an evening filled with exciting speed, agility and nail-biting competition on Saturday, May 5. Some of the best riders and horses in the nation will have you on the edge of your seat as
they negotiate a difficult course of jumps exceeding five feet in height and width.
Among the equestrian glitterati, Rich Fellers, who has won both the $25,000 Surfside Grand Prix of Del Mar and the $100,000 Grand Prix of Del Mar (a mind-boggling four times), will compete here again on his wonder horse, Flexible. A real power couple, Olympic champion Will Simpson, and his wife, Nicole Shahinian-Simpson, a six-time World Cup competitor, will bring their best horses in an effort to keep Fellers and Flexible in check this time. Olympic Trials may be a part of this year’s Hunter/Jumper Week. That will be determined at a later date.
As has become a Del Mar National tradition, riders will be available after the class to sign autographs, meet, greet, and pose for photos with fans.
Dates for all three events are: "Night of the Horse," April 21; "Evening of Musical Freestyles," April 28; and the $100,000 Grand Prix of Del Mar, May 5.
Grandstand tickets are $18 for each Saturday
evening highlight event, and will be available through www.ticketmaster.com, or the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office by phone at 858-792-4252, or at the Fairgrounds, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information about the 67th Annual Del Mar National Horse Show, check out the event website, www.delmarnational.com, or the show's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/delmarnational.
Horses, Riders and Entertainment are all subject to change.
The 22nd District Agricultural Association is a State of California agency that owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Surfside Race Place, Horsepark Equestrian Center and the Del Mar Golf Center. The 22nd DAA produces five events each year: The San Diego County Fair, the Del Mar National Horse Show, Professional Bull Riding (PBR), The Scream Zone and Holiday of Lights. The Fairgrounds hosts more than 350 events annually, the largest of
which is the live horse racing meet each summer, which is operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for the 22nd DAA and the State of California.
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