Texas Rose Horse Park hosted its first horse trials of the 2021 season this past Saturday and Sunday. It was a welcomed relief to all the Area V competitors and spectators after a grueling February that brought a polar vortex through the region causing cancellations and postponements for several events. The brutal storm shut down much of the region due to subzero temperatures that froze roads, broke water pipes, and even caused the shutdown of the electrical grid, which left many residents without heat and power.
So, it has been a bit of a month for Texans. Now they finally get a chance to get out, dust off the saddle, get that dually hummin’ down the road, and kick back and watch that famous Texas Rose Horse Park sunset.
For many of the riders, it was just an opportunity to knock the rust off after a grueling winter storm, but for others like Lauren Lambert, it was a chance to work on some refinement before heading to the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event next month to compete in the CCI4*-S. It was a smooth ride for Lambert and her own 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Fantastique (Toulan x Nikitona) cruising through the dressage portion of the event and demonstrating their fantastique (sorry, could not help myself) skills on the show jumping course.
Brooks Searcy and Chloe Johnson were also seen participating at Texas Rose this weekend. Several weeks ago the two were competing in the first-ever USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) team challenge conducted in Ocala, Fla. The team, Team Garth coached by Rebecca Brown, would go on to win the inaugural event with their other team members Camdyn Rahe and Kenna Jensen.
Although it was a rough start to the season for the folks in Area V everyone is excited to finally get the season underway. They will keep that momentum going with the Holly Hills HT event coming up in several weeks. So, stay cool Texas, or eh, warm, well you know what I mean.
Find the full results from the event here.
About Texas Rose Horse Park. Texas Rose Horse Park is a family-owned and operated premier event facility located in the beautiful rolling hills of Tyler, Texas. The 1700-acre expanse features a full size lighted indoor arena, six all-weather footing outdoor show arenas including one Grand Prix Jumper Ring, three show barns housing over 350 12x12 stalls, a tent pad to accommodate an additional 350 horses, a Beginner Novice through Advanced level Cross Country Course, a 61-slot RV Park and a concession court.
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.