The Internationally Renowned Jumper Classic Relocates to New England’s Premier Equestrian Center
RELEASE: January 10, 2008
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: Joanie Morris
Gloucester, Massachusetts —The Jumper Classic, now in its 19th year, announced that the renowned equestrian show jumping event will move to the Silver Oak Equestrian Center in Hampton Falls, NH. With 75 acres of show grounds, Silver Oak Equestrian Center more than doubles the South Hamilton, MA, facility at the Myopia Schooling Fields.
The Jumper Classic has leased the show grounds in South Hamilton, Massachusetts for the past three years from the Myopia Hunt Club. Since its inception, the Jumper Classic has grown exponentially, reaching crowds of 12,000 and attracting Olympic medalists, European, South American and Canadian riders. In 2007, the show housed more than 500 horses over the course of the entire week-long event.
Following the September 2007 Jumper Classic, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism estimated more than $14.4 million in spending impact on the Boston and North Shore economies. Based on ticket sales and rider participation, more than 10% of The Jumper Classic’s show enthusiasts are international visitors from countries including England, Germany, Belgium, France, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, to name of few. And, according to The Jumper Classic’s General Admission and VIP ticket sales, an estimated 40% of attendees come from outside of New England.
The Jumper Classic is one of only 33 AGA (American Grand Prix Association) Grand Prix’s held in the United States. 2008 marks the eighth year that Fidelity Investments has been involved as their Title Sponsor.
“We’ve simply outgrown our existing location,” said Jeff Papows, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Jumper Classic and CEO of Maptuit Corporation. “Following our most recent meeting with Myopia executives, we started to think ‘outside the box.’ There have been many people who put their heart and soul into making the Jumper Classic a premier, Olympic Caliber event, and we want to continue with that momentum. We have found the ideal solution with the huge benefit of keeping us local to the Boston and New England community.”
Papows, as a competitor himself and a close associate with other competitors, said the new location offers The Jumper Classic an internationally renowned equestrian venue. There are many reasons that brought the Jumper Classic’s Board of Directors to this decision and the timing is excellent allowing us to offer more to our competitors and sponsors.
The new location is 23 miles north of the South Hamilton facility yet offers easier access off the main Interstates and according to “mapquest.com” is only an additional is just an additional 6 minutes in travel time from Boston, Massachusetts. The Silver Oak Equestrian Center is designed for competitive equestrian events featuring 6 all weather rings and one of the few derby fields for Grand Prix competitions in New England. Dave Birdsall and his family are the new owners of Silver Oak Equestrian Center and long-time acquaintances of The Jumper Classic.
“My family and I are thrilled to partner with the Jumper Classic,” Birdsall said. “Our vision for this property when we purchased it three years ago was to continue to develop it into the premier show facility in New England, and hosting The Jumper Classic will certainly help expedite that vision. Hampton Falls is a great community and we’re proud to be a part of it,” said Dave Birdsall.
The philosophy for the show has been two-fold, one, to build a European style, International caliber event and two, to ensure that the Rider’s have a central voice that is heard especially with regard to any needed improvements for the show. According to President, Melissa Lovasco, this is a Rider’s horse show, by design, and it affects every decision that is made by The Jumper Classic management. With the event's popularity and increase in entrants, Riders recently commented on the size of Myopia facility