The U.S. Equestrian Federation announced the cancelation of this year’s U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions USEF Grand Prix and Intermediaire I National Championships on Sept. 9. The competition was slated to run Oct. 12-16, in Paso Robles, Calif.

“The USEF High Performance Dressage Committee made the difficult decision to cancel the event following a series of challenges and logistical hurdles,” stated the organization in a release on its website. 

“In 2016, U.S. dressage marked numerous international successes including winning the team bronze medal at the Rio Olympic Games and clinching the inaugural FEI Nations Cup Dressage series title. Athlete-and-horse combinations involved in these achievements will be enjoying some much deserved down time this fall.

“As a result, there would not be an adequate number of qualified combinations to make a championship level competition at the Festival of Champions. Additionally, a change in venue earlier this summer resulted in a significant increase in financial obligations for the USEF that had not originally been budget for,” it continued.

The championships were originally scheduled to take place at Epona Farms in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in November, and then decision to move to Paso Robles was announced in July. 

Bids are currently being accepted through Sept. 15 for the 2017-2019 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, which will encompass the USEF Grand Prix, Intermediaire I, and Brentina Cup Dressage National Championships.