United States Eventing Association

Ocala Horse Properties Florida International Three-Day Event a Huge Success

"The Ocala Horse Properties Florida International 3-Day Event was a tremendous success,” says organizer Peter Gray of Equiventures, LLC, the producer of the event held at the Florida Horse Park the weekend of April 15 through 18. “We’d like to extend a grateful thanks to our many sponsors and donors who supported the show, either by donating cross country jump sponsorships, prize money for various competition divisions, or contributing to the Saturday evening Cajun Fais Do Do Party to benefit the USEA’s Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Research Fund for At Risk Equines. Without the extreme generosity of Rob and Chris Desino and their Ocala Horse Properties, who were the title sponsors for the event, we would not have been able to produce such a high-caliber international competition.

Additional thanks go to Carl and Cassie Segal, who donated $3,000 in CCI* prize money, and Kristina Watkins and Firefly Farm, who donated $3,500 for the Amateur Division Awards, as well as the anonymous donor who provided the $20,000 in CCI** prize money at the eleventh hour. Equiventures is extremely humbled by the outpouring of support from the Eventing community for our efforts to keep the sport of Eventing alive and well in Florida. This vote of confidence has allowed us to make plans for the upcoming 2010-2011 competition season, and guarantee our competitors that we will continue to produce high-quality events at the Florida Horse Park with a variety of new and challenging cross country jumps and wonderful prize money.”

Additional kudos go to Douce France Bakery of Winter Park, Florida, who supplied pastries and cakes for the Friday afternoon Dressage Day Tea Party, and Greg and Susan Miller, John Marinovich, and Sharon Will, who worked tirelessly to create an authentic Cajun “low country boil” Saturday night. This party, which raised donations to benefit the USEA’s Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Research Fund for At Risk Equines, featured an authentic Zydeco band, Cajun-style shrimp, crab, and crawfish for all party guests. Guest speaker, Dr. Carol Clarke from Peterson & Smith Equine Hospital, spoke about the advances in equine cardio-pulmonary research and demonstrated the latest technology being used to assist their studies. The evening was completed by raffles and prizes from SuppleKrunch, The RV Zone, and EnVe Salon. The party was a huge success and raised over $4,500 for the USEA.

Congratulations to all competitors and to the winner of the CCI2* division, Tiffani Loudon-Meetze aboard Kim Lampert's Lo Fino and to the CCI1* division winner, Hannah Burnett, on Jacqueline Mars' Harbour Pilot.

Complete results of the weekend are listed here.