This year’s Dressage Deluxe National Dressage Championships is to move forwards a week from the scheduled date of 16 – 19 September; the competition will now take place 9-12 September 2010. British Dressage has made the
difficult decision to move the show after receiving news that a visit from the
Pope to nearby Coventry would clash with the summer championships.

300,000 people are expected to converge on Coventry Airport, located just three
miles from the show ground, to welcome the Catholic leader on Sunday 19
September. Stoneleigh Park, venue for the dressage competition, has been
allocated as a coach park hub to receive those travelling to the area and many
of the roads in the vicinity will be closed for the duration of the weekend.
Police have advised organisers to either cancel or move the competition.

Following an intensive review of the options British Dressage has decided that the best course of action is to move the event to run a week earlier than planned; the earliest date the competition could be brought forward following
regional finals. To move later would cause the show to be adversely affected by
reducing daylight hours as well as impacting on riders and support staff
leaving for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.