Ocala, FL - EquiVentures founders and developers, Peter Gray and Jon Holling, officially announced Richard Trayford as Managing Director. Richard, originally from the United Kingdom, home of Eventing has put together a dynamic team to continue to grow the excellence of the competitions EquiVentures is known for. Peter Gray will remain as chairman.
EquiVentures, founded five years ago, has grown into a nationally recognized official organizer of USEA competitions. They produce a progressive series of four high quality shows at the Florida Park Horse “Richard is the right man. He has the perfect balance of business and equine experience to take EquiVentures to the next level with the excellence the community has come to expect,” said Peter Gray.
Richard brings with him extensive experience in the eventing world, producing and selling horses in the United Kingdom and more recently in the United States. He has worked the last four years to raise awareness of this Olympic sport.
Trayford has successful business experience as well. His company was listed in the Inc. 500 top “500 Fastest Growing Private Companies” List.
“When Peter contacted me, I was thrilled, “I am keen to put all my energy into the organizational end of this great sport, “says Richard.
Trayford has added Ocala native Tobitha Bryant Yeomans onto his team. Her responsibilities will include marketing and public relations. “Tobitha brings and enthusiasm and passion that is contagious and we are pleased to have her as part of our team,” Trayford said.
EquiVentures has completed a move into leased office space in downtown Ocala, Florida.
“We are committed to making Ocala a global center of excellence for the sport of eventing,” said Trayford.
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.