 |
Marshall
& Sterling League National Indoor Finals Will Ride Again
at Worcester's Centrum Centre |
SAUGERTIES,
NY (September 25, 2003)—Roller Coaster, a beautiful eight-year-old
dapple grey Holsteiner, owned by Elaine Decanio of Pittstown,
New Jersey, and ridden by Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Florida,
was the last horse to be pinned at the inaugural Marshall &
Sterling League National Indoor Finals, presented by Corona-Lexol.
Minikus and Roller Coaster emerged the victors in the $100,000
King Shavings Grand Prix, the grand finale to the five-day event,
which took place at Worcester's Centrum Centre, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Like
the horse's name, the planning of an indoor horse show can be
quite a roller coaster ride, and is not for the faint of heart.
Over the five days of competition, almost 600 horses were accommodated
at Worcester's Centrum Centre, either stabled inside the 100,300
square ft. exhibit hall adjacent to the arena, or nearby at a
parking lot across the street from the building's entrance. Over
6,000 bags of King Shavings were used to bed down the horses,
and hay and feed were available 24 hours a day.
Preparations
for the ring began four days before the first horse arrived for
schooling. Twenty truckloads of finely ground stone dust and sand
were mixed, watered, and compacted before the installation was
complete. "I knew that the time would be well spent on getting
the footing just right," said Tom Struzzieri, President and
Owner of Horse Shows In The Sun, the producers of the event. "Good
footing is of paramount importance, and the end result was as
close to perfect as I have ever seen. The maintenance on it was
minimal, so we had very little down-time as we moved the classes
through the ring."
The
jumps and the perimeter of the ring were accented by trees and
shrubs from Weston Nurseries of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The
full effect was best appreciated from the stands, as approximately
700 plants created a display of vibrant color that made the whole
event quite special.
Approximately
10,000 spectators came to Worcester's Centrum Centre to see riders
from all over the country compete in top-level Hunter/Jumper competition.
Sunday's Grand Prix saw the largest crowd in the stands. Barn
Night, presented by Stateline Tack, was also well attended by
4-H Horse Clubs and Barns from Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut.
National
champions were crowned throughout the week and a full listing
of show results can be found at http://www.hitsshows.com. The
Charles Owen Children's and Adult Medals, and the HBO Junior Medal
attracted the largest numbers of competitors.
The
Centrum Centre staff, the City of Worcester, and the Convention
and Visitors Bureau worked together to welcome the horse show
to Worcester. City police put in long hours to secure the arena
and outside stabling, and were the perfect good-will ambassadors
as they offered directions and stopped traffic for the exhibitors
and their horses.
"In
a short amount of time, the Marshall & Sterling League National
Indoor Finals has become a signature event for Worcester's Centrum
Centre and the community as a whole," said James Moughan,
Asst. General Manager for Worcester's Centrum Centre. "The
ability to bring such a prestigious event to the area is indicative
of Horse Shows in the Sun's importance in the equestrian industry.
We look forward to a long-lasting relationship."
The
2004 season for the Marshall & Sterling League is already
underway, and the Finals will return next year to Worcester's
Centrum Centre from September 22-26. "The facility and our
city partners are working with us to contribute to the success
of this event," said Tom Struzzieri. "I believe that
the potential is there to create a national indoor finals horse
show that will be the jewel in the crown of the indoor circuit,
and we are fully committed to realizing that goal."
For
more information on the Marshall & Sterling League, please
visit http://www.hitsshows.com/marshallsterling
.
