DVD review: FEI World Cup Dressage Final 2008

As a dressage enthusiast I really enjoyed watching the FEI World Cup Dressage Final DVD. I think it would be suitable for viewers who were new to dressage, as well as the enthusiasts like myself.

At the start of the DVD there was a short explanation from one of the judges about what they were looking for. They also related it to other sports for those who may not be experienced with dressage.

The commentary from Richard Davison was very informative and explained why some combinations may score higher than others. He also explained how the grand prix kur differs from the grand prix special.

I particularly liked that the DVD allowed you to select your favourite rider so that you could just watch that particular test. You were also able to watch the tests without the commentary if you wanted to, which I felt was a great option. These options will encourage people to watch the DVD, or parts of it, over and over again.

My only slight criticism was that I found the close up shots on the legs irritating as it didn’t allow you to see the overall picture of horse and rider and seemed to be more for artistic purposes than sporting ones. This is just a personal preference however, and I’m sure other people may enjoy those shots.

Overall I thought this was a great DVD. I am going to use it to give my parents a quick crash course in top level dressage before we fly out to Hong Kong to watch the Olympic dressage competition. I would recommend it anyone with an interest in the sport.