Virginia Horse Trials (VHT) has been approved to run at the Virginia Horse Center on July 21-24, 2020. This is the rescheduled date for the Memorial Day horse trials, which was forced to postpone as a result of COVID-19.
The plan is to run the same levels expected from the May event during the July edition, which includes Starter through Intermediate horse trials plus CCI*-L, CCI2*-S, CCI2*-L, and CCI3*-S. VHT in July will run on Tuesday through Friday, with national classes running as either a one-day or two-day competition.
“One of our main goals for rescheduling is to make sure competitors requiring qualifications will have the opportunity to obtain them. We have also opted to run midweek in order to reduce the impact on other weekend events,” said VHT Organizer Andy Bowles.
“We are trying to make the most of a frustrating situation for competitors and organizers around the country. Many events are attempting to reschedule, and competitors are very anxious to get back on course. I would like to thank the Virginia Horse Center for working us into their very busy schedule.”
VHT is working closely with the Virginia Horse Center to ensure compliance with all USEF, USEA, state, and local health and safety requirements. Bowles said, “We feel very confident, given the size of the Horse Center and our facilities, that we are in a good place to offer a safe competition.”
Some of the changes that will be implemented in order to ensure the safety and welfare of all participants include online entries and low density stabling. International horse inspections will be held in an open space, maintaining social distancing protocol. With much regret, the popular competitor party will not be offered, and there will be no award ceremonies. However, VHT is pleased to offer discount vouchers to future events to the top placing competitors in every division.
“Some things will be different, but what has not changed is our dedication to running a quality event. The high standards competitors have come to expect from VHT will be upheld,” Bowles said. “We hope to see many familiar faces at VHT in July and hope all our friends have been safe during this uncertain time. Hopefully our announcement today gives them something to look forward to.”
Please note, this change of date is for 2020 only. The November Virginia Horse Trials remains scheduled for October 29-November 1, 2020, and VHT’s standard Memorial Day date will resume in 2021.
Additional announcements and full details of the COVID-19 safety plan will be available on the VHT website prior to the event.
Earlier this week, Kent Horse Trials announced its cancellation after 44 years, and as a result, Larkin Hill Horse Trials, which will be held June 29-30 in North Chatham, New York, has stepped up to offer more divisions to help competitors.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
Stuart Landrum and Laurie Garner have been helping direct riders to the dressage ring at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event for nearly 30 years, maintaining a calm and collected atmosphere for each pair in the final warmup ring before they head down the chute to the Rolex Stadium.
Still riding high on the excitement of the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event? So are we! One of the most exciting parts about the event is getting to watch, and sometimes meet, your eventing idols up close and in person. This year, the Kentucky team put together a group of really fun "behind the barn" videos with both four- and five-star competitors to help you get to know them a little bit better.