Rebecca Farm ready for big show
Kalispell's Rebecca Farm may host the FEI World Cup Finals someday.
Until then, it will have to settle for being home to the top equestrian competition in the Northwest and one of the biggest events of its kind in the United States.
The Event at Rebecca Farm gets rolling today, bringing the Flathead Valley a world class equestrian triathlon for the seventh straight year.
Action began Wednesday with the USEA Young Event Horse Series, but that was just a drop in the oat bucket. More than 400 riders are registered to compete in the ever-growing spectacle, which concludes Sunday.
"We're excited to host it again," event secretary/co-organizer Sarah Kelly said. "We're excited that the competitors enjoy coming here and continue to come here, and we strive to put on the best event possible."
While there always are last-minute details to settle, producing such an immense affair is a massive undertaking requiring seemingly infinite forethought.
"We have to apply for dates and get judges and make calendars work and all that stuff," Kelly said. "Generally, we work about 18 months for every event."
About 150 competitors rode at the 2002 event, which drew 2,500 spectators and five members of the press. Nearly 16,000 onlookers took in last year's action, along with 40 members of the media.
Washington leads the way with 128 riders, followed by California (60), Montana (46), British Columbia (43), Alberta (40), Oregon (34), Wyoming (20), Utah (15) and Idaho (13).
The Event is one of three American qualifiers for the HSBC FEI World Cup Finals, and Rebecca Farm is one of just 13 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series venues in the country.
Bodega, Calif., native Kelly Prather won $10,800 and a host of prizes last year by placing first atop Ballinakill Glory at the CIC*** level - an echelon just below Olympic eventing. Prather returns, but she is riding at the CCI* level, leaving the door open for a new top champion.
Last year's CIC*** runner-up, Sara Mittleider of Kuna, Idaho, is now competing in the Open Intermediate division. Debbie Rosen is back in CIC*** after placing third a year ago.
California's Gina Miles, who was the 2005 and 2006 CIC*** champion, is skipping The Event this year to prepare for the Beijing Olympics.
Miles, who will make her Olympic debut, will be joined on the U.S. eventing team by Amy Tryon of Duvall, Wash., who was The Event's CIC*** winner in 2002 and 2003.
Tryon helped the U.S. claim Bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Hawley Bennett of Langley, British Columbia, also competed at the 2004 Olympics. She is one of The Event's headliners, looking to ride Splendor Of The Sun to a CIC*** crown after finishing third in 2006 and seventh last year.
Chelan Kozak of British Columbia is another potential CIC*** favorite.
Among The Event's elite assemblage are eight CIC*** riders, 12 CCI** competitors, 16 CIC* entrants, and 33 aggregate CCI* riders, 16 of whom will compete in the long format, which includes steeplechase.
The first five editions of The Event lasted three days. A fourth day was added last year and remains to accommodate two days of cross country.
The Event starts at 8 a.m. today with five arenas of dressage, featuring the National Horse Trial levels. Dressage continues Friday, including all FEI levels.
Dressage resembles an equestrian version of figure skating, as riders showcase their horse's obedience and willingness to perform by guiding them through a routine of predetermined maneuvers using subtle, non-verbal commands.
Always a crowd favorite, cross country begins on the stunning course designed by Captain Mark Phillips at 10 a.m. Friday with the National Horse Trials' Novice and Training levels. It continues Saturday, when all FEI levels compete. A Loch Ness Monster is just one whimsical obstacle highlighting this year's course.
The Event is capped Sunday with show jumping at all levels, beginning at 9 a.m.
Riders may compete at multiple levels, but must ride the same horse for each discipline within a level.