United States Eventing Association

Piedmont Equine is Partnering with the 2021MARSGMI to Provide Prize Money to U25 Riders

Five Rings Eventing, LLC is pleased to announce a partnership with Piedmont Equine to provide prize money for U25 riders in this year’s event.

The MARS Great Meadow International (MARSGMI) takes place in The Plains, Virginia on August 19-22, 2021 and offers CCI4*-S, CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S, and Preliminary divisions.

Piedmont Equine has been a supporter of MARSGMI for years. This year, with COVID inflation increasing all expenses associated with putting on this top-level event, the organizers have struggled to provide prize money in addition to maintaining the quality of competition. Piedmont Equine stepped in to help.

Thanks to Piedmont Equine, there will now be prize money for the best three scores amongst the U25 riders in the two-star and the lowest scores amongst the U25 riders in the combined three and four-star divisions. The prize money will be $400, $300, $150 for the best three U25 of each.

“Piedmont Equine is a perfect long term partner, committed to the future success of MARSGMI, as we have been in and out of tricky times with the pandemic. We are so grateful to once again have their support, and look forward with hope to a safe, exciting event in August.” said David O’Connor of Five Rings Eventing.

“Piedmont Equine is excited to partner with this great local competition again,” said Juliet Graham of Piedmont Equine. “We understand how difficult and expensive these events are to run and are happy to help and acknowledge the accomplishments of our up and coming athletes.”

Last year, MARSGMI successfully implemented the “Great Meadow Model” to run a safe event during the pandemic. This year will be no different as MARSGMI will return to the same model to allow spectators to enjoy the competition in a safe environment.

Returning for 2021, MARSGMI will offer general admission weekend passes as well as fabulous tailgate options for spectators. Limited vendors, a wine vendor, and food trucks have been invited to enhance the spectator experience.

“Great Meadow is truly a special place in the heart of Northern Virginia horse country,” said O’Connor. “We are especially excited to broaden the reach of this event to be more inclusive of our community members, businesses, and organizations who share our love of open space, animal well-being, and the Piedmont.”

MARSGMI will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and maintain communication with the Great Meadow Foundation, state and local health officials, and the USEF and FEI.

About Great Meadow International

Established in 2015, the Great Meadow International is a three-day eventing competition held annually at the Great Meadow Foundation in The Plains, Virginia. In addition to the international equestrian competition, the event features VIP hospitality, a trade fair, beer garden, and entertainment for the whole family. The 2019 Great Meadow International will take place on August 22nd to August 25th.

For information at Great Meadow International, please visit https://www.greatmeadowinternational.com/about

About Five Rings Eventing

Five Rings Eventing is a high-performance event organizer and management company founded by Darrin Mollett and David O’Connor to enhance the sport of eventing in Northern Virginia and beyond. FRE’s mission is to provide exceptional competition opportunities for athletes and their equine partners to help them reach their individual goals, whether they are at the entry level to international competition or the highest level of team competition.

About Piedmont Equine Practice

The Piedmont Equine Practice provides comprehensive care for equine athletes at all

levels – from performance horses to trail horses, companions, and retirees through ambulatory farm calls or in their state-of-the-art hospital. Coverage for emergencies is available 24/7.

Veterinarians in the practice have special interests in sports medicine and reproduction. Piedmont has two boarded surgeons who are critical care specialists, as well as staff doctors who have obtained national certification to provide alternative modalities such as acupuncture and chiropractic. They have top referral specialists available in many fields including internal medicine and ophthalmology. It is the goal of The Piedmont Equine Practice to make cutting-edge medical care available to every horse owner.

For more information on Piedmont Equine, please visit piedmont.vet. or call them at 540-364-4950.

About Piedmont Small Animal Clinic

The Small Animal Clinic at Piedmont Equine provides thoughtful care for dogs and cats from pediatrics to geriatrics, with an emphasis on preventative care with a goal of supporting a long, happy life! They perform routine wellness and physical exams, vaccinations and assist with behavioral and nutrition issues. Piedmont has state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, as well as providing routine surgeries and dentals.

Their goal is to offer caring, individualized service from their educated, experienced team of veterinary health professionals for the comfort of your pets and your family. For more info see their website www.piedmontsmallanimal.com or call 540-364-4954.

About Mars, Incorporated

For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL™, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield™ Pet Hospitals, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, and VCA™.

We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive. For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About MARS EQUESTRIAN™

MARS EQUESTRIAN™ Sponsorship, funded by Mars, Incorporated is the link between our iconic brands and the equestrian community. For generations, Mars has celebrated a rich equestrian heritage, and through purposeful partnerships, MARS EQUESTRIAN is committed to the sport and building an enduring legacy. From world-class competitions across all equestrian disciplines, to stewarding the power of horses on society and sustainability, the MARS EQUESTRIAN Brand is dedicated to our purpose to improve the lives of horses, pets, and the people who love them. For more information please visit www.marsequestrian.com and join us @marsequestrian.