2009 Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival Offers Increased Prize Money
RELEASE: February 18, 2009
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Jennifer Wood
Despite the economic downturn, Traverse City, Michigan's Horse Shows by the Bay will be awarding more prize money than ever during this year's upcoming 2009 summer festival. All told, management will be divvying out $385,000, which is an increase of more than $25,000 from last season and will be seen mostly in the awards for each week's grand prix, Low Junior/Amateur Jumper Classics, and the Hunter Derby Classic.
Event owners and organizers, Dean and Alexandra Rheinheimer, chose to raise the total money following feedback from participants in the survey conducted last fall. "There's no doubt that the number one request from our participants was more money," said Dean Rheinheimer. "We're able to honor this demand, because so far all of our major sponsors are returning again this year. We're very fortunate to have such a great group of supporters, especially in this economy."
Spy Coast Farm and D-BRAIDER have both renewed their commitment to sponsor two of the three $30,000 grand prix events.
Spy Coast Farm is owned and operated by Lisa and Robert Lourie. Their farms, located in Setuaket, NY; Wellington, FL; and Lexington, KY, specialize in breeding quality performance horses that have great minds and talent. The Louries own several grand prix jumpers who show under the guidance of professional rider Shane Sweetnam. Daughter Julia also participates at the junior level and rides in the jumper and equitation divisions. This year Spy Coast Farm is the title sponsor of the $30,000 Grand Prix of Traverse City.
D-BRAIDER is owned by Harbor Springs, MI, and Wellington, FL, resident Karin Flint and is a tool used to take out the braids that are plaited into a horse's mane when showing. D-BRAIDER was created because routinely Flint would find that her horse's grooms would be using unsafe seam rippers often with sharp and jagged edges. The D-BRAIDER tool offers a safe round tip yet provides a continuous sharp edge suitable for cutting the yarn used to keep the braids tight. D-BRAIDER is sponsoring the $30,000 Cherry Capital Classic Grand Prix.
Other events that are seeing a prize money boost include the weekly hunter classics, pre-green hunters, young jumpers, and Dressage by the Bay Series I and II. Juniors and amateur owners will also have their own money classic in the third week.
Additional sponsors that have renewed their contracts or that have signed on as new partners are AIS Construction Equipment, Artisan Farms, Bowers Harbor Vineyard, CH Farm LLC, Coldwell Banker Schmidt Real Estate, Eastfield Laundry, English Riding Supply, Equestrian Endeavors LLC, Equisport Insurance Agency, Garden Goods, Hampton Green Farm, the Intelligence Agency, Johnson/Clark Printers, Kodiak Equipment Company, Lisa A.H. Cudahy, Meijer, PhelpsSports.com, PJP Farm, Posh Pet Boutique, Positive Step Farm, Schreiber Corporation, Traverse City Business News, and Voelker Implement Sales.
The annual Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival is a prestigious, multi-week summer event staged at Flintfields Horse Park, which is located three miles east of scenic Traverse City, Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay. The United States Equestrian Federation-sanctioned competition features thousands of the nation's best horses and riders competing in the international Olympic disciplines of show jumping and dressage and also hosts nationally ranked events for the show hunter and equitation rider. It is also recognized by the United States Dressage Federation, World Champion Hunter Rider Awards Program, International Hunter Derby Program, and Young Jumper Championships Program as a member event.
The hunter/jumper series will take place from July 8-July 26. Feature events include the weekly show jumping grand prix, hunter classics, the hunter derby, and the HJAM Equitation Finals. Dressage and polo events are scheduled for July 29-August 2.
Current hunter/jumper