Returning Favorites and Exciting Additions For The Wayne DuPage Horse Trials

Updated: August 4, 2009

Final preparations are underway for the Wayne DuPage Horse Trials, Wayne, IL August 13-16. Many crowd favorites will be in place again this year while the horse trials welcomes several new additions to the show.  To add to the fun and excitement, due to the generosity of many people there are several awards and festivities that will be taking place during the weekend.

The show is delighted to welcome back English Riding Supply as a key sponsor.  English Riding Supply has been partnering with Wayne DuPage Horse Trials for many years and supplies beautiful coolers for lucky winners of each division.  Competitors will have a chance to jump over special fences placed in the show jumping arena also provided by English Riding Supply.   Another returning favorite is Prize Money for the top five placings at every level (see Omnibus listing for details) as well as ribbons and prizes for the top eight placings in every division.

The Wayne DuPage Horse Trials is proud to welcome SHANNON BRINKMAN as this year’s show photographer.  Many of you are undoubtedly familiar with Shannon’s work. Her photos have been featured in various publications including: US Eventing, Equestrian (USEF), Hunter & Sport Horse, Practical Horseman and Warmbloods Today to name just a few.  Her devotion to horses has led her all over the world including the Olympics, World Cup, Pan American Games and World Championships.  Shannon plans to be photographing horses for a long time as she expresses with this comment, ''My goal is to be photographing sport horses when I am 100 years old!"  WDHT feels extremely fortunate to have her talent and expertise available to them for the August show.  You can view Shannon’s work at www.shannonbrinkman.net  

Also returning as sponsors are Drs. Jonathan Ketzler and Mary McSweeney who are again donating a pair of custom made DEHNER BOOTS for a raffle!  The boots are being donated in memory of Jon’s mother, Bette Ketzler. Bette was a charter member of the “Equstranons”.  The club for people who attend, support and organize equestrian events but never ride themselves.  She was secretary for innumerable horse shows, organized national pony club rallies and as the wife of the Master of Fox Hounds of the North Hills Hunt held the hunt together for many years.  She will be sorely missed.  Tickets for the custom boots can be purchased throughout the weekend in the show office.   The lucky winner will be measured for their new boots by a member of the Dehner Family on Sunday, August 16 on the show grounds. Be on the lookout for last year’s winner, Jayme Faletti who will be riding in her new Dehner boots!  

Jonathan Holling will be lending his expertise to anyone walking the Training level cross country course on Friday.   Check in the show office for the exact time of the course walk and meet Jon at the start box for some pointers on how to have a great ride around the course on Saturday!

If you work up an appetite while walking any of the cross county courses Friday afternoon, stop by the start box between 3:00-5:00 PM and grab some refreshments.  Feather Creek Equestrian, located in Elgin, IL will again be this year’s sponsor of the cross county course walk refreshments.  

Other exciting happenings at WDHT this year include the addition of the YEH/FEH competition.  The competition management was specifically asked to include this level of competition and it is being sponsored by Hi-Tech Horse Jumps, Inc., the sole distributor of Jump 4 Joy durable equestrian show jumps.  Hi- Tech Horse Jumps, Inc. is also the sponsor of the Novice and Beginner Novice Show Jumping divisions.  This opportunity to showcase future as well as young event horses will take place Thursday afternoon August 13, 2009.  

Another first for Wayne DuPage HT is its new online entry system management, a California based company called Equestrian Entries who is partnering with StartBox.  Riders had the choice of entering on line at www.equestrianentries.com and then paying for the entry with a credit card on line or with a check.  Competitors can view their entry status on line with StartBox Scoring, at www.startboxscoring.com then clicking on the word DRAW OR on the USEA site, home page, lower right hand corner, under UPCOMING LIVE SCORE EVENTS.  Looking for someone entered in the event, searches can be done by the rider’s or the horse’s name and by division.

Need a hotel room for the show?   Holiday Inn Express in St. Charles, IL is offering a rate of $79.00 per night!   You must call the hotel directly and ask for the USEA Area IV block. 630-584-5300.

“It’s on!”…… Wayne DuPage Horse Trials, August 14-16.

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