The FEI levels originally scheduled at the Morven Park Fall Horse Trials from October 2-4, 2020 have been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. This would have been the first time a CCI4*-L was offered at Morven Park. Park staff were anticipating a record number of competitors, volunteers, and officials to attend from around the United States and other countries. Additionally, inaugural CCI2*YH-S and CCI3*YH-S levels had been planned to showcase up-and-coming horses.
Morven Park will continue to offer Novice through Advanced levels of competition and registration via EventEntries.com will open on August 18. Morven Park has proudly featured annual horse trials since 1974 and looks forward to welcoming equestrians to compete in dressage, show jumping, and cross-country.
Morven Park has been working for months to prepare for the FEI levels of competition. Ultimately, the increased risk of hosting an international horse trials amid rising COVID-19 cases, compounded with the additional cost of safety measures, proved to be too great.
“This decision was about safety,” according to the Park’s Executive Director, Sheryl Williams. “Running an event of this scale is difficult, but to try to host FEI levels during a global pandemic proved to be too taxing on our resources and too risky for everyone’s health. This adjusted format allows us to move forward with competition and provide a great weekend of eventing.”
While spectators will not be allowed to attend the Morven Park Fall Horse Trials due to COVID-19 restrictions, Morven Park’s Media Sponsor, Eventing Nation, will be streaming the competition live on their website. Streaming details will be released closer to the event date and will be available on MorvenPark.org/HorseTrials and EventingNation.com.
In addition to the Morven Park Fall Horse Trials, the 2020 calendar has been expanded to include the Morven Park Winter Horse Trials, scheduled for November 14–15, 2020. Beginner Novice through Preliminary competition will be offered. Registration will open on September 29. Visit MorvenPark.org/Equestrian for event details.
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)/US Equestrian has announced the appointment of former USEF Eventing Development Coach Leslie Law to the position of Chef d’Equipe and High Performance Manager for the Defender U.S. Eventing Team, and Karyn Shuter, who will take on the newly developed role of U.S. Eventing High Performance Advisor. Both Law and Shuter will begin in their respective roles immediately.
Last year was a big one for USEA Young Event Horse program graduate Arden Augustus. He made a successful move-up to Modified with Sharon White in the tack, followed by a smooth transition to Preliminary, then went on to win two CCI2*-S divisions and ended the year with a CCI2*-L win.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered!
Start your young horse’s career out on the right path by joining the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program! Since it became a USEA program in 2005, YEH strives to identify talented young horses with the potential to excel at the highest levels of eventing in the years to come. The primary goal is to highlight future 4- and 5-star contenders, setting them up on a pathway to success.