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You won't want to leave this one off the calendar.
Partially inspired by the dressage “series” concept offered in Florida, USA, and partially driven by necessity of maintaining dates at an in-demand venue like SIEC, the Hawkesbury Dressage Festival was born.
Hawkesbury Dressage Club is proud to offer one of the most unique events on the NSW Calendar:
A 9 day Festival featuring back-to-back weekends, and offering the perfect opportunity for a showcation with your nearest and dearest horsey friends.
HAWKESBURY DRESSAGE FESTIVAL
15-23 | 06 | 2023
the Hawkesbury Dressage Festival.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
competitor info
You won't want to leave this one off the calendar.
Hawkesbury Dressage Club is proud to offer one of the most unique events on the NSW Calendar: the inaugural Hawkesbury Dressage Festival.
Partially inspired by the dressage “series” concept offered in Florida, USA, and partially driven by necessity of maintaining dates at an in-demand venue like SIEC, the Hawkesbury Dressage Festival was born:
A 9 day Festival featuring back-to-back weekends, and offering the perfect opportunity for a showcation with your nearest and dearest horsey friends.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
what makes the hawkesbury dressage festival so unique?
We cater to riders of all levels. Whether you're competing at Preparatory or Grand Prix, have the opportunity to experience a high calibre and large-scale Championships - and with no qualifiers required.
Practice makes progress. A unique opportunity to ride at back-to-back competitions and improve on scores throughout the week.
Same same but different. A perfect test-run in the lead up to large competitions such as State and National Championships.
One for the sand dancers. One of the few opportunities in NSW, particularly in the metro area, to ride freestyles from Preliminary and upwards.
A quality venue. Access to a premium facility, including the high quality surface of the SIEC Indoor arena for FEI riders
A huge offering of education and social opportunities, making this more than just another competition!
ENTER HERe
The 2024 Festival is proud to include a CPEDI - in other words, the last opportunity for Australian equestrian qualifications for the Paris 2024 Paralympics!
Our sponsors have allowed us to produce some gorgeous rugs, ribbons and rosettes. With such tempting prizes, what choice do you have? You've gotta be in it to win it! Note that not all classes are Championship classes - please refer to the schedule.
CHAMPION RUGS AND ROSETTES
Sydney International Equestrian Centre is full of superb arenas, but its pride and joy is the glorious Indoor Arena. It offers a world-class Otto-ArenaTex surface. Not to mention a huge grand stand for all your adoring fans! This year, HDC is proud to offer a full day of indoor arena familiarisation with booked time slots.
Every rider that has entered in our Dressage Festival can get an awesome goodie bag filled with gifts and special treats and offers from all of our wonderful, generous sponsors. We only have a limited number though, so don't forget to drop by the Event Office to pick up yours before they all disappear!
RIDER BAGS AND LUCKY DOOR PRIZES
What's on offer:
see previous winners
register on nominate
see our sponsors
INDOOR ARENA USE + FAMILIARISATION
Note - not all links may yet be active.
Freestyle Friday is BACK! We're incredibly excited to be hosting a Freestyle event on the Friday night. So come and have fun with Freestyles of all levels. Not only that, there'll be entertainment, trade stalls, and even some delicious treats about! It's TGIFF (Thank God it's Freestyle Friday) and we can't wait! Not sure how to create one? Check out our freestyle writing tips here.
FREESTYLE FRIDAY
This festival isn't just about the championship competitions. There's going to be plenty to do through the week with fascinating seminars and events. Why not pick up some cool new tips and tricks for your next competition while you're here?
all week education
What better way to end the day than kicking up your heels, letting down your hair and having fun with a great bunch of people! From our rider's party to our NEW trivia night, what's not to love?
SOCIAL
EVENTS
how to make a freestyle
education schedule
rsvp
(Coming soon!)
(Coming soon!)
We all love a little celebratory spending spree! There's nothing like coming home with a whole swag of new toys after a great week of competitions. (Don't worry, we can give you a fake 'Congratulations, you won...' certificate to show your significant other if you need it!)
TRADESTANDS
apply to trade
Coming soon!
Need your height certificate for pony dressage, or just curious to find out if your horse is actually as tall as they feel? Register for our measuring days with an official EA measurer.
measuring
enter via nominate
Coming soon!
What's on offer:
Our sponsors have allowed us to produce some gorgeous rugs, ribbons and rosettes. With such tempting prizes, what choice do you have?
You've gotta be in it to win it! Note that not all classes are Championship classes - please refer to the schedule.
Sydney International Equestrian Centre is full of superb arenas, but it's pride and joy is the glorious Indoor Arena. It offers a world-class Otto-ArenaTex surface. Not to mention a huge grand stand for all your adoring fans! This year, HDC is proud to offer a arena familiarisation with booked time slots. Competitors can book in with their entry, or non-competitors can book via the week below.
Every rider that has entered in our Dressage Festival can get an awesome goodie bag filled with gifts and special treats and offers from all of our wonderful, generous sponsors. We only have a limited number though, so don't forget to drop by the Event Office to pick up yours before they all disappear!
CHAMPION RUGS AND ROSETTES
indoor arena familiarisation
rider bags & lucky door prizes
see previous winners
register on Equestrian Hub
see our sponsors
Freestyle Friday is BACK! We're incredibly excited to be hosting a Freestyle event on the Friday night. So come and have fun with Freestyles of all levels. Not only that, there'll be entertainment, trade stalls, and even some delicious treats about! It's TGIFF (Thank God it's Freestyle Friday) and we can't wait!
Not sure how to create one?
This festival isn't just about the championship competitions. There's going to be plenty to do through the week with fascinating seminars and social events. Why not pick up some cool new tips and tricks for your next competition while you're here? And what better way to end the day than kicking up your heels, letting down your hair and having fun with a great bunch of people!
We all love a little celebratory spending spree! There's nothing like coming home with a whole swag of new toys after a great week of competitions.
(Don't worry, we can give you a fake 'Congratulations, you won...' certificate to show your significant other if you need it!)
FREESTYLE FRIDAY
ALL WEEK SEMINARS AND SOCIAL EVENTS
tradestands
HOW TO MAKE A FREESTYLE
keep up to date on facebook
apply to trade
2024 Festival Schedule:
2024 Festival Schedule:
entry information
Keep your eyes peeled - entries to be announced!
TBD
TBD
TBD
Entries open
Entries close
Late entries close
What are the different entry fees and what do they mean?
Your entry fee is charged per test ($65ea). Members enjoy $10 off of every test entry ($55ea). Your entry fee contributes towards venue hire, payment of officials such as Judges, Stewards, and paying of volunteers. Note, freestyle tests are $10 more due to needing additional paid volunteers to coordinate music and announcements.
This supports in payment of costs not covered by your entry fee, including First Aid, venue cleaning fees, and event scoring and administration costs. This fee is not refundable. This fee is $50 per horse.
SIEC charges HDC per horse attending. Your day stay fee is $20 per horse, and is not charged on days where stables are booked.
If stables are booked, this is charged instead of your horse’s day stay. Your $35/day stabling covers the hire of the stables only and payment of our stable manager, not shavings. Note that one night of stabling requires two days of stabling booked. Each stable booked comes with 2 bags of shavings for the first day ($32 charge). I.e. your first night of stabling will include two days of stabling ($70) + $32 to cover your shavings. If you are going home and coming back, you can arrange with the stable manager to have your stable locked on days you are not utilising your stable to avoid a charge for that day,
Shavings are priced at $16 per bag prior to close of entries. Each stable comes with a compulsory 2 bags of shavings ($32). Unopened bags of shavings left in your stable are refunded, so we recommend booking more than you require. Shavings booked after the close of entries are $20 per bag, as this is after stabling information is sent to SIEC and requires additional administration and a second delivery.
The stabling bond of $50 is returned following the Festival provided that stables booked are left clean.
The late fee of $50 applies after the initial close of entry date, per horse being entered late, not per test or per rider. Late entries do not guarantee a ride, but some accommodations may be made where there is capacity with arenas or judges, or scratchings occur. If you do not get a ride as a late entry, your entries will be refunded.
The Equestrian Hub fee represents an additional approximately 1% of the total of the above fees. This is charged by Equestrian Hub and pays for their team's administration in hosting the entries.
From 2025, 10% GST is applied at the conclusion of your purchase and charged on the above fees.
2025 competitor information
Coming soon
COMPETITOR INFORMATION
Competitors can find all current Festival information on our One Stop Shop webpage, with thanks to Snafflebytes.
Coming soon!
Sponsor us today!
HDC offers various sponsorship opportunities, including Championship Divisions, Freestyle Day Naming Rights, Rider's Party, Education Presentations, and more!
HDC offers considerable promotion opportunities - whether equestrians are your target market or not, you'll be sure to get your money's worth!