Live from Lexington: It's the US Dressage Finals!

The USEF Network is live-streaming some of the most highly anticipated championship classes at the 2013 US Dressage Finals Presented by Adequan. The live feed is under way this afternoon with the Intermediate I adult amateur and the Fourth Level adult amateur championships.

These classes, like the others that are being live-streamed this weekend, are being held in the gorgeous indoor Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Some Finals competitors have observed that the beautiful decorations and the electric atmosphere are reminiscent of some of the most prestigious European indoor dressage competitions. (What great experience for our horses and riders!)

Tonight we crank up the excitement with the official US Dressage Finals opening ceremonies, which kick off at 6:20 p.m EST. These festivities, which will be included in the live stream, will feature:

• Mounted Police
• Dignitaries in carriage
• National Anthem by William Clay Thompson
• Welcome by USDF executive director Stephan Hienzsch
• My Old Kentucky Home by William Clay Thompson
• Welcome by USDF president George Williams, with presentation to Janine Malone, US Dressage Finals Organizing Committee Chair.

Then: Grand Prix! The Grand Prix adult amateur championship class begins at 6:45 p.m., followed at 8:10 p.m. by the Grand Prix open championship. For complete class lists and orders of go for today's competition, click here. 

Saturday Is Freestyle Day!

Spend your Saturday afternoon and evening soaking up some of the nation's best horses and riders in their US Dressage Finals freestyle championship classes. The following will all be streamed live on the USEF Network:

• First Level Freestyle, begins at 1:00 p.m. EST
• Third Level Freestyle, 2:30 p.m.
• Grand Prix Freestyle, 4:10 p.m.
• Intermediate Freestyle, 7:00 p.m.

Wrap up your weekend of live-streaming Sunday with the Prix St. Georges adult amateur championship, which starts at 9:00 a.m. It's followed by the final live-streamed class of the US Dressage Finals, the Second Level open championship, which begins at 12:40 p.m.

Expert Commentary

What could be better than watching great dressage competition? Watching it along with expert commentary from one of the world's most respected international trainers, coaches, and judges.

US Dressage Finals commentator Kathy Connelly. Photo by Brigitte Voelk.

USEF "S" judge Kathy Connelly will be providing commentary with the live-streamed classes. Connelly represented Team USA in the World Cup in Sweden and has trained and coached numerous horses and riders to national and international titles. She is currently the vice-chair of the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee. 

An experienced commentator, Connelly has provided commentary for such events as the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the 2011 and 2012 International Masters Classic in Wellington, FL.

Happy viewing, and good luck to all competitors!