Tag Archives: Summer in the Rockies

Liza Dennehy Fights Back after Cardiac Arrest to Claim 3’3″ Amateur Owner Hunter Championship

Liza Dennehy and Now You Know, Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3″ Champions at the Colorado Horse Park’s Summer in the Rockies II.

Parker, CO – June 16, 2013 – Liza Dennehy demonstrated that life-threatening medical conditions and a resulting hiatus from riding could not stop her from shining in the show ring as Summer in the Rockies II came to a close at the Colorado Horse Park. Dennehy rode Now You Know to the 3’3″ Amateur Owner Hunter championship and also piloted Sir Topham Hat to a win, a second and a third in the 3’6″ A/O division.

Dennehy, who suffered cardiac arrest while schooling Sir Topham Hat at the Capital Challenge in September 2012 and also incurred a head injury as she fell from the horse, fought back after doctors gave her a one percent chance of survival. She used the same fighting spirit to get back in the saddle and continue doing what she loves most: riding, competing, and being around horses.

“It changes your life when you have sliding glass doors like that – what would my son’s life have been like if I hadn’t been around anymore?” she reflected. “He’s six years old. I’m just really thankful I’m still here. I’m thankful to everyone I had on my side that day. I would have missed this, if I weren’t still here. I would have missed this, for sure.”

Dennehy was happy to be back in the show ring at the Colorado Horse Park, a venue that is particularly special to her because of the involvement of her father, Wilson Dennehy, in the Horse Park’s earliest years. “My father was one of the original partners in starting this place and these horse shows,” she said. “We were involved from the very beginning.”

Dennehy, who is an “R” judge and a licensed course designer, appreciated the questions asked by Sunday’s Amateur Owner Hunter courses. “I thought the hardest thing was the single oxer on the outside because of the placement of the vertical with the barns,” she said. “If you went around it, you kind of went beyond the oxer, so I wanted to turn inside. That was easy in the first class, but much harder in the second class after the in-and-out, because it was a very quick turn.”

She said she was very happy with her horses, who are both owned by The Cottonwoods Ltd. “They were good today,” she said, noting that she was especially pleased with her final round on Sir Topham Hat after miscommunications resulted in a fall the week before. “I was a little nervous, but I think we were all back together by that last class. I was very happy with the one I won. We’re back on the same track.”

Liza Dennehy and Sir Topham Hat
Liza Dennehy and Sir Topham Hat

“I call Sir Topham Hat my magic carpet, because that’s usually what he’s like to ride,” Dennehy added. “He’s very easy to ride and he’s got a lot of scope.”

She rarely rides big horses since her two brothers, professional trainers Michael and Charlie Dennehy, usually end up with the rides on them. The 17.2-hand Sir Topham Hat is the exception to the rule.

“I love him just because he’s big,” she laughed. “It’s like driving a big car. There’s something safe about it. It’s a little more luxury. You gain in stride, you gain in scope, you gain in view!”

Dennehy also enjoys the ride on the more diminutive Now You Know. “She’s a fancy horse,” she said. “I’ve been showing her since she was a Pre-Green horse. Here in the state, I believe she was Pre-Green Champion, First-Year Champion, maybe Second-Year Reserve that year.”

Like Dennehy, Now You Know had to take some time off for medical reasons. She injured a leg by kicking at a fly, forcing a yearlong hiatus. “She was hurt last year, so this is her first year back,” Dennehy explained. “It’s a pretty good start! I’m very happy.”

Dennehy and Now You Know scored two wins under saddle and over fences in the 3’3″ Amateur Owner Hunters after picking up a second place over the first course of the day. Their standout performance earned them the championship over Madeleine Stover and Concierge, who took the reserve.

Dennehy also made a run with Sir Topham Hat to challenge the leaders in the 3’6″ division but couldn’t quite crack the top two spots overall. Nicole Lyvere and Promo came into Sunday with a first and a second in the 3’6″ Amateur Owner Hunter classes, and they notched a win, a second and a fourth in the remaining classes to secure the championship. Despite not feeling well herself, Lyvere summoned her energy to encourage her horse through solid performances.

“He’s lazy so the second day is always hardest,” she said. “I had to work really hard to make sure he kept going. He didn’t want to jog either! I had to rejog in the first round.”

Lyvere plans to do the 3′ hunter derbies as well as some A/O or Open divisions during the summer shows, though she hasn’t finalized her plans. “We’ll see how much energy he has,” she said.

Susan Winston and Quite Nice also collected top ribbons in the 3’6″ division, striving to challenge Lyvere for the championship but eventually settling for the reserve. They won the first over fences class and were second in the other. Winston, who purchased Quite Nice four years ago, competed with him in Junior Hunters for two years and then moved to the Amateur Owner Hunters last year.

“He’s really adjustable, which is nice, and he jumps pretty well from anywhere,” Winston said. “You can get him right to the base and he’ll still snap his knees up. He’s pretty clever.”

“The courses were a lot of fun,” she added. “The lines were right on.”

Caitlin Burns rode On the Money to the top prize in the $1,000 Amateur Owner Hunter Classic on a combined score of 157.5. Madeleine Stover and Concierge finished just a notch behind them with 156. Burns purchased On the Money this winter, and the pair looks to be at the beginning of a promising partnership. Burns said she is learning more about the mare every time they compete.

“She’s a newer horse for me, so I’m just trying to figure out how to ride each course each time to get the best out of the both of us,” she said. “Each time you’re learning, making mistakes, fixing mistakes and trying to better each other.”

When asked what she is finding out about On the Money, Burns replied, “That she’s so fun!”

“She tries really hard and wants to be good,” Burns continued. “It’s just figuring out how to get that out of her consistently.”

Burns also competes in the Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers with her other horse, and she said she enjoys the challenges inherent to both disciplines. “They’re both equally challenging, rewarding, frustrating – all of it,” she said. “It’s fun to do both. You get different ends of the spectrum.”

She lives in Longmont, CO, about an hour away from the Horse Park. “It’s a really nice place to have in your backyard, for sure,” she said. “I love the new footing – my horses seem to really like it. All the improvements are great.”

Dennehy, who grew up in Colorado, also emphasized the importance of the Horse Park to equestrians in the region. “It’s like a dream come true to have these horse shows in Colorado,” she said. “We always knew we had some of the best summer weather. We only had three A-rated horse shows here when I was a kid. We had to actually relocate to base out of the Midwest – where my dad’s originally from, in Chicago – to qualify. It could not be done by staying home. So having these shows is truly a dream come true for anyone in Colorado who shows horses.”

Sunday marked the end of Summer in the Rockies II. The Colorado Horse Park will next host Summer in the Rockies III, which begins on Wednesday, June 19, and runs through Sunday, June 23. Highlights include a $15,000 Welcome Stake, a $30,000 Grand Prix, a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, and a $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby alongside a full array of hunter/jumper competition.

The Colorado Horse Park Summer in the Rockies Fast Facts

What: Summer in the Rockies AA-Rated Hunter Jumper Show Series

Event Dates:

Summer in the Rockies I June 5-9, 2013
Summer in the Rockies II June 12-16, 2013
Summer in the Rockies III June 19-23, 2013
Summer in the Rockies IV July 3-7, 2013
Summer in the Rockies V July 10-14, 2013
Summer in the Rockies VI July 17-21, 2013

Prize List:

Click here for an online version of the prize list. For a hard copy of the prize list, please e-mail prizelist@cohorsepark.com with your name, address and phone number and specify which prize list you would like (spring/fall or summer).

Entries:

Mail to The Colorado Horse Park, 7522 South Pinery Drive, Parker, CO 80134 or fax to (303) 841-7879. Opening date for Stall Reservations: April 1, 2013. Closing date May 20, 2013.

Contact Information:

Pat Boyle, Show Manager                          (847) 274-6834
Brian Curry, Show Manager                        (303) 918-2908
Show Office                                                 (303) 841-7461
Show Office Fax                                          (303) 841-1419
Colorado Horse Park Main Office                (303) 841-5550
Colorado Horse Park Main Office Fax         (303) 841-7879

Tentative Schedule:
Wed – Sun: Show starts daily at 8 a.m. unless otherwise noted

Directions:

Address: 7375 E Bayou Gulch Rd, Parker, CO 80134

From North: I-25S exit Ridgegate Parkway – go east under the freeway.  Ridgegate Parkway to S. Chambers Road, approx 3 miles (Traffic light) – turn right/south onto Chambers Road. At end of Chambers Road turn left/east onto Hess Road.  Hess Road to Parker Road/Hwy 83 – turn right/south onto Hwy 83 approx 4 miles to Bayou Gulch Road. (Traffic light). Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

From South: I-25N, exit Founder’s Parkway.  Founder’s Parkway to Highway 86, approx 4 miles (traffic light). Turn east/left onto Hwy. 86 to Franktown/Hwy 83. At Franktown go north on 83 approx. 7 mi. to Bayou Gulch Rd. (Traffic light), turn right/east onto Bayou Gulch Rd. Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

About the Colorado Horse Park

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Colorado Horse Park was founded by visionary Helen Krieble who acknowledged the need for a high-volume horse show and horse boarding facility to serve Colorado.  The Colorado Horse Park welcomes more than 75,000 visitors per year and hosts over 40 competitions annually.  CHP features a derby arena designed by Olympic-designer Linda Allen and a cross-country course designed by Olympic Gold Medalist David O’Connor and eventing super-star James Atkinson. There are 300 permanent stalls with capacity for more than 1,000 stalls.

The picturesque property, located only minutes from the town of Parker, hosts international equestrian events in multiple disciplines. Visitors enjoy the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountain surroundings and access to miles of trails and open space.  The Colorado Horse Park is committed to supporting equestrian education and amateur athletics, preserving open space, fundraising for local charities and supporting the community.

Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

VanderVeen Delivers Best Father’s Day Gift Winning Summer in the Rockies II $30,000 Grand Prix

Last week’s Grand Prix winners, John Pearce and Chianto. Photo by Carrie Wirth.

Parker, CO – June 15, 2013 – Summer in the Rockies II Grand Prix, presented by Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance, was well attended and spectators lined the grass bleachers and VIP area on a mild summer day. Much needed rain could be seen far in the distance but Mother Nature held off the showers with perfect timing, letting go in a brief downpour as the victory gallop ended. Brian Curry, Vice President and General Manager of the Colorado Horse Park announced that the Black Forest area wildfire is now 45 percent contained. He led the audience in a moment of silence for the couple who tragically lost their lives in the blaze.

During the late afternoon event, 20 horse and rider pairs tried their hand at Danny Foster’s grand prix course in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena at the Colorado Horse Park.

“I try to make the course difficult for the riders,” said Foster, a Gold Medalist at the 1991 Pan Am Games for Canada, a former chef d’équipe of the Canadian show Jumping Team and an international course designer.  “These horses jump every week on a circuit like this.  The main thing as a course designer, I feel it is really important to be sensitive to the horses. They could go for six weeks twice a week.”

Foster was pleased with the outcome of the Grand Prix and the course he designed.

“I thought the poles came all over the place – there wasn’t a bogey. You had to make some good answers to some pretty tough questions. The young riders that participated looked like they got pretty positive mileage from it.”

John Pearce had clear first rounds on all three of his entries: Son of a Gun, Johnny B Good and last week’s Summer in the Rockies I Grand Prix winner, and veteran grand prix winner, Chianto, all owned by Forest View Farms. Armando Hassey and Taggert Enterprises LLC’s Eminem also went clear to return. Bjorn Ikast had two fault-free rounds, first with his own Royal Flush and another with Bovee Limited Liability’s Colorado, winner of this week’s Welcome Stake.  Bull Run’s Eternal with Kristen VanderVeen in irons, also progressed to the short track, skillfully executing the course while leaving all the poles in their cups.

Foster’s jump-off course included some really exciting long gallops that kept the crowd of spectators on the edge of their seats.

Bjorn Ikast and Royal Flush. Photo by Carrie Wirth
Bjorn Ikast and Royal Flush. Photo by Carrie Wirth

First back was Ikast aboard Royal Flush. The pair went clear and set the time to beat, 47.920. Next, Pearce and Johnny B Good accomplished another clean round in the time of 43.728. Then, VanderVeen returned on Bull Run’s Eternal and sped through the course deftly and faultlessly beating Pearce’s first round with a time of 42.084.

Then it was Hassey’s turn aboard Eminem. The pair had a rail, and then opted to take it easy finishing the short course in 49.555. Colorado and Ikast followed suit, becoming the second four-faulter with a time of 48.382.

It was up to Pearce to best VanderVeen’s time if he was to take the prize. He still had two rounds to go, one with the very fast Son of a Gun and one with his long-time partner Chianto. With Son of a Gun, Pearce was clean and fast with a time of 42.100, but not fast enough to beat VanderVeen.

It now came down to his round with Chianto but it was not in the cards. Chianto had a rail at the first fence and had a time of 43.601. VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Eternal maintained the lead and earned the win.

“I thought it went great,” said Foster. “Those guys were trying against each other, back to back. It was good sport today. I thought the best had the opportunity to rise to the top. Kristen was superb to win and rode with a lot of skill. She rides beautifully. The horse is fantastic and she’s a hard worker. The good ones always find a way to win in the end, don’t they?”

“I loved it from the second I walked it,” said VanderVeen about Foster’s course. “For me the Welcome was a little bit difficult. So I was worried about how the Prix would be built today. But it was smooth; everything rode nice; the lines were nice. We were fast in the jump off! It was a quick enough jump off and it was across the whole ring a few times and the footing was great. I didn’t slip once and I was going as fast as I could. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Eternal. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge
Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Eternal. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge

“He’s been money for me,” she said of Bull Run’s Eternal. “We imported him this winter and right away he was second in a class at WEF in Wellington. He jumped the night classes. I’ve never really gotten to do that before. He’s only 10 years old. I have high hopes for him.

“She had to beat three great horses with John Pearce and he is a super rider,” said Keith VanderVeen who flew in to watch and be with his daughter for Father’s Day. “This is the best Father’s Day present!”

“Kristen was really good,” Pearce said. “Her horse has a huge stride. That was definitely what got me. It was a great day. It was a lot of fun. The horses all finished sound and happy and that is what is important. In any sport you just never know what’s going to happen. That’s why you can never get too big an ego.”

“It was a beautiful day. It is a beautiful horse show,” said Foster. “I think that people should know they have a good thing going here and they’re growing. Of all the years I’ve been involved with the show, it seems to be on the uptick. The level of the sport here is getting better and better all the time. The footing is great and it supports it. They stage very good sport and that is what people want.”

The Colorado Horse Park Summer in the Rockies Fast Facts

What: Summer in the Rockies AA-Rated Hunter Jumper Show Series

Event Dates:

Summer in the Rockies I June 5-9, 2013
Summer in the Rockies II June 12-16, 2013
Summer in the Rockies III June 19-23, 2013
Summer in the Rockies IV July 3-7, 2013
Summer in the Rockies V July 10-14, 2013
Summer in the Rockies VI July 17-21, 2013

Prize List:

Click here for an online version of the prize list. For a hard copy of the prize list, please e-mail prizelist@cohorsepark.com with your name, address and phone number and specify which prize list you would like (spring/fall or summer).

Entries:

Mail to The Colorado Horse Park, 7522 South Pinery Drive, Parker, CO 80134 or fax to (303) 841-7879. Opening date for Stall Reservations: April 1, 2013. Closing date May 20, 2013.

Contact Information:

Pat Boyle, Show Manager                          (847) 274-6834
Brian Curry, Show Manager                        (303) 918-2908
Show Office                                                 (303) 841-7461
Show Office Fax                                          (303) 841-1419
Colorado Horse Park Main Office                (303) 841-5550
Colorado Horse Park Main Office Fax         (303) 841-7879

Tentative Schedule:
Wed – Sun: Show starts daily at 8 a.m. unless otherwise noted

Directions:

Address: 7375 E Bayou Gulch Rd, Parker, CO 80134

From North: I-25S exit Ridgegate Parkway – go east under the freeway.  Ridgegate Parkway to S. Chambers Road, approx 3 miles (Traffic light) – turn right/south onto Chambers Road. At end of Chambers Road turn left/east onto Hess Road.  Hess Road to Parker Road/Hwy 83 – turn right/south onto Hwy 83 approx 4 miles to Bayou Gulch Road. (Traffic light). Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

From South: I-25N, exit Founder’s Parkway.  Founder’s Parkway to Highway 86, approx 4 miles (traffic light). Turn east/left onto Hwy. 86 to Franktown/Hwy 83. At Franktown go north on 83 approx. 7 mi. to Bayou Gulch Rd. (Traffic light), turn right/east onto Bayou Gulch Rd. Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

About the Colorado Horse Park

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Colorado Horse Park was founded by visionary Helen Krieble who acknowledged the need for a high-volume horse show and horse boarding facility to serve Colorado.  The Colorado Horse Park welcomes more than 75,000 visitors per year and hosts over 40 competitions annually.  CHP features a derby arena designed by Olympic-designer Linda Allen and a cross-country course designed by Olympic Gold Medalist David O’Connor and eventing super-star James Atkinson. There are 300 permanent stalls with capacity for more than 1,000 stalls.

The picturesque property, located only minutes from the town of Parker, hosts international equestrian events in multiple disciplines. Visitors enjoy the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountain surroundings and access to miles of trails and open space.  The Colorado Horse Park is committed to supporting equestrian education and amateur athletics, preserving open space, fundraising for local charities and supporting the community.

Carrie Wirth for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Revive on a Roll in the Young Jumpers

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Revive’s winning style.

Parker, CO – June 14, 2013 – The third day of the Summer in the Rockies II was filled with exciting show jumping competition in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena. In the $1,000 7/8 Year Old Young Jumpers, Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Revive repeated their victory from Week I by nabbing the championship once again. The duo executed Danny Foster’s course in great form, proving the talent of these rising stars.

“I thought the course rode really nice; it was smooth, very nice for the young horses,” VanderVeen said. “There was nothing to surprise them.”

VanderVeen imported Revive as an approved Holsteiner stallion and later gelded him.

“We got him in the winter. He’s been progressing,” she said. “My brother did him in some amateur stuff. I’m excited; I think he’s going to be my up-and-coming grand prix horse. He’s got great technique and he’s very rideable and conventional.”

VanderVeen said that her other two entries in the class are much greener than Revive. VanderVeen and Bull Run’s TMac were second in the class. She named the horse after a Christian band.

“He’s green but has so much talent,” VanderVeen said. “He’s a little hot at the moment so we’re working on bridles and things like that. He’s my Dad’s favorite horse, and the flashiest horse I’ve ever seen, with that kicking out behind. It is only his third time doing the division. It is a nice place to step them up. The footing here-they jump well off it. The course was built nicely. You could just ride the track on it.”

Mercy Me, also imported by VanderVeen when the mare was 5, is another talented mount she has high hopes for a stellar career.

“She’s my baby and my long-time project,” she said. “This is only the second time she’s done a Young Jumper class. I have her on the slow track. I stepped her up to see and I made a small mistake but she handled it well.”

VanderVeen will compete aboard two mounts in the Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon.

Kelsey Ackeren and Vernon G won the High Junior/AOs
Kelsey Ackeren and Vernon G won the High Junior/AOs

Kelsey Van Ackeren from Austin, TX, won the $500 High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Class aboard the gray gelding, Vernon G. Van Ackeren racked in the ribbons today earning a second place prize in the Modified Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers with Hey Joe and a third in the Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers with Indian Creek’s Mighty Magic.

“I thought the course rode really well,” she said. “I did the Highs, the Lows and the Modified so I did three times on all my horses. I really enjoyed it. I love the footing. My horse really stomps the ground when he goes. Here it is so soft. You feel like you can turn really well and you don’t slip. I really like it.”

Van Ackeren has had Vernon G for about a year and a half and it took a full year for her to find him. She finally hit the jackpot in Thousand Oaks, CA, where Kirsten Coe had been riding him.

“He’s little – only 16 hands,” she said. “He’s wild and he’s really, really hot but he knows his job and does it really well. He has hidden springs in his back legs because he jumps really big. He’s a ton of fun to ride. He’s put together really well so he doesn’t look small but he wears pony-sized everything. He’s a blast.”

Van Ackeren, who rides with Matt Cyphert at the shows, will return for her sophomore year at University of Texas this fall. She plans to stay for the entire Summer in the Rockies circuit and will celebrate her birthday on July 9 at the Colorado Horse Park.

Earlier in the day, Tony Font from Magnolia, TX piloted Deana Blackburn’s Kissimmee to the 1.30m Open Jumpers in the Kathy and Brad Coors Grand Prix Arena.

“It was a good course,” said Font about Foster’s track. “There weren’t so many clears and I was quite pleased with the way the horse jumped. I got Kissimmee last year. She’s sensitive; I’ve been building her up. I think she’s ready for the next step. I think the footing is wonderful. We love it here. We enjoy the summers here. They’ve done a great job over the years and we’re really happy to be here.”

Bjorn Ikast and Iz's Viva La Vida
Bjorn Ikast and Iz’s Viva La Vida

In the 1.40 Open Jumpers, Bjorn Ikast and his own Iz’s Viva La Vida delivered an electrifying performance earned the pair the win just edging out Font and Calotta, owned by Ashton Galo Paley.

Saturday show jumping action begins Saturday at 8 a.m. The not-to-be-missed highlight of the day is the $30,000 Summer in the Rockies Grand Prix Presented by Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance held in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena at 4 p.m.

The Colorado Horse Park Summer in the Rockies Fast Facts

What: Summer in the Rockies AA-Rated Hunter Jumper Show Series

Event Dates:

Summer in the Rockies I June 5-9, 2013
Summer in the Rockies II June 12-16, 2013
Summer in the Rockies III June 19-23, 2013
Summer in the Rockies IV July 3-7, 2013
Summer in the Rockies V July 10-14, 2013
Summer in the Rockies VI July 17-21, 2013

Prize List:

Click here for an online version of the prize list. For a hard copy of the prize list, please e-mail prizelist@cohorsepark.com with your name, address and phone number and specify which prize list you would like (spring/fall or summer).

Entries:

Mail to The Colorado Horse Park, 7522 South Pinery Drive, Parker, CO 80134 or fax to (303) 841-7879. Opening date for Stall Reservations: April 1, 2013. Closing date May 20, 2013.

Contact Information:

Pat Boyle, Show Manager                          (847) 274-6834
Brian Curry, Show Manager                        (303) 918-2908
Show Office                                                 (303) 841-7461
Show Office Fax                                          (303) 841-1419
Colorado Horse Park Main Office                (303) 841-5550
Colorado Horse Park Main Office Fax         (303) 841-7879

Tentative Schedule:
Wed – Sun: Show starts daily at 8 a.m. unless otherwise noted

Directions:

Address: 7375 E Bayou Gulch Rd, Parker, CO 80134

From North: I-25S exit Ridgegate Parkway – go east under the freeway.  Ridgegate Parkway to S. Chambers Road, approx 3 miles (Traffic light) – turn right/south onto Chambers Road. At end of Chambers Road turn left/east onto Hess Road.  Hess Road to Parker Road/Hwy 83 – turn right/south onto Hwy 83 approx 4 miles to Bayou Gulch Road. (Traffic light). Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

From South: I-25N, exit Founder’s Parkway.  Founder’s Parkway to Highway 86, approx 4 miles (traffic light). Turn east/left onto Hwy. 86 to Franktown/Hwy 83. At Franktown go north on 83 approx. 7 mi. to Bayou Gulch Rd. (Traffic light), turn right/east onto Bayou Gulch Rd. Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

About the Colorado Horse Park

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Colorado Horse Park was founded by visionary Helen Krieble who acknowledged the need for a high-volume horse show and horse boarding facility to serve Colorado.  The Colorado Horse Park welcomes more than 75,000 visitors per year and hosts over 40 competitions annually.  CHP features a derby arena designed by Olympic-designer Linda Allen and a cross-country course designed by Olympic Gold Medalist David O’Connor and eventing super-star James Atkinson. There are 300 permanent stalls with capacity for more than 1,000 stalls.

The picturesque property, located only minutes from the town of Parker, hosts international equestrian events in multiple disciplines. Visitors enjoy the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountain surroundings and access to miles of trails and open space.  The Colorado Horse Park is committed to supporting equestrian education and amateur athletics, preserving open space, fundraising for local charities and supporting the community.

Carrie Wirth for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

Step by Step & Colorado Horse Park Foundations Raise Thousands for Families Displaced by Waldo Canyon Fires at Summer in Rockies Series

Children Receive School Supplies Thanks to Step by Step’s “Back to School Backpack” Online Initiative before Fall Classes Begin

Emanuel Andrade champions the charity at the Kentucky Horse Park, by Ingrid Sabater

Parker, CO/Wellington, FL – August 5, 2012 – CEOs Liliane Stransky of Step by Step and Kyle Fenner of The Colorado Horse Park joined forces during the Summer in the Rockies horse show series to raise funds for the victims of the Waldo Canyon fire and charity helping, Colorado Springs Together.  The event, held at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, CO before the final $50,000 Parker Adventist Grand Prix, raised thousands for the displaced families in the community and their animals. In addition Stransky also introduced the Step by Step’s School in Backpack campaign, an online initiative which raised funds to buy supplies for students in the area before they go back to classes in the fall. This online outreach drew donations from around the country and, thanks to the success of both the Facebook and online promo, Stransky was able to purchase hundreds and hundreds of backpacks filled with much needed supplies which she and her staff sent out from the charity’s headquarters in Florida this week.

Continue reading Step by Step & Colorado Horse Park Foundations Raise Thousands for Families Displaced by Waldo Canyon Fires at Summer in Rockies Series

Brave Heart Claims 24th Grand Prix with Win in the $25,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix

Lindsay Gersoff Has Children’s Hunter Classic Hat Trick

Bjorn Ikast and Brave Heart win the $25,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix. Photo credit: Flying Horse Photography

Parker, CO — Bjorn Ikast and Brave Heart, frequent Grand Prix winners, led the victory gallop during the first week of the expanded Colorado Summer Circuit in the $25,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix. This win brought Brave Heart’s career victories to 24. Riders universally praised Hector Loyola’s technical course, saying that he asked all the right questions at the right times.

“I thought this was a fantastic Grand Prix course,” Ikast said. “It has a lovely international flavor; you really had to ride this course.” Ikast was pleased with his elastic, seasoned horse over Loyola’s track that included two combinations away from the in-gate and two back-to-back liverpools. Ikast credited the course and the footing for providing spectators with quality riding throughout the class. He explained, “We saw only good show jumping. This is the best we’ve ever felt this footing. With the rain we got a good spring [from the ground].”

To keep Brave Heart fresh, this was his first and only class during the show. The strategy clearly worked; the 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding bucked and played around the course. Ikast said it may have been one of Brave Heart’s best Grand Prix. “He didn’t even touch one rail; he felt really good,” he said.

Continue reading Brave Heart Claims 24th Grand Prix with Win in the $25,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix