First National Championship West of the Mississippi
to be held at the Colorado Horse Park
Parker,
CO— The Colorado Horse Park at High Prairie Farms is pleased
to welcome the 2003 USA Equestrian National Combined Driving Singles
Championship August 22-24. For the first time, this prestigious
event is being held west of the Mississippi. Drivers from around
the country are expected to compete for the National Championship
title as well awards in a selection of other divisions.
“This
is a very big deal for the west in order to build the sport out
here,” said course designer James O’Rourke, of Unionville,
Pennsylvania. “We’ve worked hard to establish a track
that is equivalent to any course they have in the east.”
For the National Championship four new hazards have been to the
cross-country course. “These are similar to what we see in
Europe,” O’Rourke said.
Drivers
will find officials from the highest echelons of the sport at
the Colorado Horse Park. Enno Georg, who previously judged the
World Championships, is President of the Jury. Other members of
the Ground Jury include, Jack Pemberton, Jack Lyndon, Mickie Bowen
and William Long.
Combined
driving is a sport that requires bravery, strength, and agility
as horses are maneuvered through three phases of competition.
The dressage phase requires accuracy and quality of training.
On cross-country, drivers face obstacles, including water hazards,
which require speed and fearlessness. The final day of competition,
the cones, assesses precision. “Combined driving is a fabulously
exciting sport to watch, especially the cross country,” said
Christine DeHerrera, media coordinator for the Colorado Horse
Park at High Prairie Farms. Spectators are welcome for all phases
of the three-day event.
The
National Championship is held in conjunction with Carriages and
Cavalry, A Celebration of the American West. This living history
festival for the whole family features a slate of fun and interactive
entertainment including, the chance to ride in a real stage coach,
ride a bucking bull, play games from the nineteenth century, see
Cavalry reenactments, visit a real Indian village and much more.
And of course, no festival would be complete without food and
shopping.
Tickets
are available from the Parker Chamber of Commerce and are just
$3 prior to the event or $5 at the gate. Carriages and Cavalry
runs from 10:00-5:00 on Saturday August 23 and 11:00-4:00 on Sunday.
For more information on Carriages and Cavalry call the Parker
Chamber of Commerce at 303-841-4286. For more information on the
USA Equestrian National Combined Driving Singles Championship,
call 303-841-5550.
For
a complete schedule of upcoming events check out www.highprairiefarms.com
.
