Wednesday March 26, 2003

The Heidelberg Cup

by Amber Heintzberger

Since 1995 the Heidelberg Cup in Orlando, FL has been a tradition on the dressage circuit. Scores are considered out of the Young Riders, Open Prix St. George/Intermediaire I, USET PSG/I-1, Grand Prix Special and USET Grand Prix Special. The rider with the average of two best scores wins the Heidelberg Cup.

The trophy started with show manager Klaus Fraessdorf and wife Maria, originally from the city of Heidelberg, Germany. Klaus has managed 163 shows in the United States in the past 27 years. In cooperation with the Heidelberg Tourist Board, the trophy was begun to promote the historical University city and create an awareness and opportunity for winning dressage riders. Originally the trophy came with a ten-day paid vacation to Germany including hotel, car, airfare, meals and sightseeing, but Klaus Fraessdorf said that several winners created so many problems by trying to change the agenda, hotel, and so on once they were there that the tourist board withdrew from the deal. Now winners receive a large trophy, beautiful blankets donated by the Dutta Corporation, and prize money donated by an anonymous sponsor known as “A Friend of Dressage”.