United States Eventing Association

The Event At Woodside Reclaims Its International Flavor

Woodside, Calif., Aug. 23, 2011 — Nine years have passed since the Horse Park at Woodside last hosted an international horse trial, but on Oct. 7-9 internationally sanctioned eventing competition will return to the San Francisco Bay area. The Event at Woodside will offer CIC divisions at the three-star, two-star and one-star levels.

Organizer Robert Kellerhouse decided to offer the international divisions when the organizers of the Twin River Horse Trials (held two weeks before this Woodside event) chose not to continue with the international divisions that they’d offered for most of the last decade.

Because the Federation Equestre Internationale requires horses and riders to achieve qualifying scores in international horse trials (CICs) in order to compete in international three-day events (CCIs), Kellerhouse understood the significance of the Twin Rivers decision. He also organizes the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event in Temecula, Calif., on Nov. 4-7, and he knew that the loss of the region’s only fall qualifying event could have a serious impact on that event’s entries.

“This Woodside event is either a vitally important qualifying competition for horses that need it or it’s an important final test for horses who are already qualified for the three-day event,” said Kellerhouse. “Either way, it means that almost all of the strongest horses, and most of the best riders, in our part of the world will be here. Woodside is the perfect place and the perfect time for this event.”

Point Two Air Jackets, Professional’s Choice and Equine Insurance of California are the presenting sponsors of The Event At Woodside.

Kellerhouse anticipates that 50 to 60 horses will start in the three international divisions. Another 300-plus horses will start in the national divisions he also offers at Woodside.

The international horses will make their first appearance at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday evening, with the first inspection for soundness by the head veterinarian and the ground jury of Marilyn Payne and Loris Henry. Dressage will initiate the competition on Friday at 8:00 a.m. in the Bay Arena, which is where the horses will show jump on Friday afternoon. The CIC3* horses will start jumping at about 5:00 p.m., after the rest of the day’s competition has ended. Spectators can cheer for their favorites during a cocktail party in the sprawling ringside tent.

“All the riders in the other divisions will get a chance to see and celebrate what’s gong on in the CIC3*,” said Kellerhouse.

Then, on Saturday afternoon, the international horses will face the challenges of Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course in reverse order of their two-phase standing. The international awards presentation will follow cross-country’s completion, again in the ringside tent.

“This really means so much to us West Coast riders,” said Hawley Bennett-Awad, who won the CIC2* and claimed second in the CIC3* at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials in April. “Having this chance to qualify our horses for three-day events in the fall is so vitally important to us—and it’s at Woodside, which is a fantastic event!”

Additional generous sponsors of The Event At Woodside include: CWD Saddlery, Voltaire Design, Advanced Protection Formula, Smartpak Equine, JRD Saddles, Equine Comfort Products and Western Saddlery.

To learn more about the Horse Park at Woodside or The Event At Woodside, go to www.horsepark.org. To learn more about eventing, visit the U.S. Eventing Association’s website (www.useventing.com).