Best Hotels in Lexington, KY

Beyond the competition rings, the Kentucky Horse Park offers a unique educational experience. Visitors can explore museums, breed barns, and daily demonstrations that celebrate the horse’s role in sport and culture.

Dressage at the Kentucky Horse Park

Dressage at the Kentucky Horse Park represents one of the most respected and inspiring traditions in American equestrian sport. Located in Lexington, Kentucky—widely known as the “Horse Capital of the World”—the park offers a world‑class setting where riders and horses demonstrate the precision, harmony, and athleticism that define classical dressage.

Its expansive grounds, exceptional footing, and iconic arenas make it a premier destination for both national and international competitors. Shows are organized by the Kentucky Dressage Association.

Throughout the year, the Kentucky Horse Park hosts a full calendar of Kentucky Dressage Association USDF sanctioned dressage competitions

Dressage Shows at Kentucky Horse Park in 2026

• KDA Spring Warmup Show – May 22–24, 2026
  Rolex Arena, Kentucky Horse Park. Judges: Cristal Carlson (S), Amy McElroy (S), Rita Brown (S). Each year dressage riders converge on the KDA Spring Warm-Up CDI show in May. Springtime in Kentucky is something special with the smell of new grass and the new years' colts frolicking in white boarded pastures.
• MSEDA Dressage at the KHP I & II – June 27–28, 2026
  USEF Level‑2 qualifying competition for USDF Regional Dressage Championships. Judges: Judith Downer (S), Beverly Rogers (S), Jennifer R. Roth (R).
• USPC Festival (Dressage Discipline) – July 13–19, 2026
  Multi‑discipline Pony Club Festival with expanded dressage opportunities at Kentucky Horse Park.
• KDA Summer Classic I & II – July 18–19, 2026
  Rolex Arena, Kentucky Horse Park. Judges: Joan Darnell (S), Cindi Wylie (S), Brian MacMahon (S).
• KDA Fall Classic I & II – September 12–13, 2026
  Kentucky Horse Park. Hosted by Kentucky Dressage Association.

Dressage riders work at local shows towards earning a place at the USDF Region 2 Championships in October.

Home Rentals During Show Week

Many riders and spectators find it more comfortable as well as economical to rent a whole house thru VRBO for the week of the show to be shared with friends or family.