United States Eventing Association

Less than two months into 2015, it is proving to be a good year for the Ocala Horse Properties Horse Trials. Aside from having two successful events already under their belts for the year, a record 531 starters showed up for the Ocala Winter II event last weekend, February 6-8.

That number ranks very high for number of starters at any current horse trials; Rebecca Farm (Area VII) posted 573 starters in 2014, and Millbrook Horse Trials (Area I) had 487.

EquiVentures, LLC., is the team behind the event, and Managing Director Richard Trayford said that while growth has happened organically, he tries to keep his courses fresh and dynamic to keep competitors coming back.

“I like to surprise people,” he said. “I keep it close to my chest; they don’t know what FEI events will look like until they get there, and people like that. Otherwise it gets stale. I politely pressure my course designers [Jay Hambly for cross-country and Marc Donovan for show jumping] to really go for it and be creative.”

But beyond the success of the event, high starter numbers are indicative of the strength of the sport.

“It’s certainly a record for us. It’s great for our shows and for Ocala, but more importantly, it’s good for eventing in the States and North America because we’re seeing that there’s real growth. We're out of the recession and people are showing up with more horses.”

As of the second week of February, Areas III and VI have hosted recognized horse trials in 2015. With only a handful of events completed six weeks into the year, over 2200 rides are in the books.

Rob Burk, USEA COO, concurs that eventing in the U.S. is alive and well.

“Nationwide, our starter numbers are up from this time last year," said Burk. "The success of the Ocala event this early in the season gives us confidence that this trend will continue. The entire team with EquiVentures has put together a top-class event that now ranks among the largest events in the country.”

“Any equestrian sport is a pretty strong economic indicator. Eventing is strong in North America and there’s a really healthy future for the sport,” Trayford said. “It’s not just about Ocala and EquiVentures but if riders can come down in the winter and compete, it’s a good sign for the sport. If you’re not going forwards, you’re going backwards.”