In it’s 6th consecutive year, the Ocala Horse Properties’ Eventing Prix Invitational promises an exciting level of show jumping competition and increased prize money to international level event riders.  The event, held March 4th & 5th, has become one of the most anticipated events in the Marion County community.

The Eventing Prix Invitational was created by incoming USEA President, Max Corcoran, and international show jumper, Scott Keach, in 2013.  This event, held at their Southern Cross Equestrian, showcases top level event riders show jumping against the clock, in an effort to win team and individual prize money.  Since Ocala is a mecca for international level event riders, the ability to offer this type of show jumping experience to those equestrians has become wildly popular.  Throw in the increased sponsorship prize money reaching the $20K mark, and it’s guaranteed to be a day of nail biting competition!

Last year the top individual prize went to Will Coleman, aboard Gideon, and the top team prize went to Team Unstable for the second year in a row (Sara K. Murphy, Sharon White, Bobby Meyerhoff and Joe Meyer). The competition was a great success, showcasing the region’s great equestrian talent to a large crowd of spectators, sponsors and fellow equestrians.  

Monday March 4th is the 1.15m Welcome Class sponsored by Doug Hannum Equine Therapy, followed by the 1.30m Ocala Horse Properties’ Eventing Prix on Tuesday the 5th.  This year promises to be entertaining, with an early list of world class entries assuring that the competition will be fierce!  

This year’s 8 captains who are in the process of finalizing their 4 person teams are: Sara Murphy (USA) Tammy Smith (USA), Lauren Kieffer  (USA), Jenny Brannigan  (USA), Selena O’Hanlon (Canada), Hallie Coon (U25), Justine Dutton (UK), Shannon Baker (Wild Card).

Chris Barnard will take over from Marc Donovan this year as course designer.  Chris, a well known Richard Jeffery protege, has designed the AEC’s at Tryon, NAYC, Rebecca Farm, Plantation Field International, Red Hills, The Fork, Fair Hill International, Jersey Fresh and many others!

Sidelines Magazine has come on board to support the event, and EQTV will be producing the Livestream on the day of the Ocala Horse Properties’ Eventing Prix.

VIP Tables are available and that access includes wonderful ringside tables, open bar, catering by Celebrations Catering in Gainesville, and the infamous after party! This is a great opportunity to rub elbows with the who’s who of the eventing world.

General admission and parking is free to all spectators and food for purchase will be available from Humble Pie Wood Oven Pizza.  There will be FREE BEER courtesy of Brewster Walker Horse Transport, who is also sponsoring $500.00 Grooms Award for the best turned out horse. 

Sponsorship thus far has been remarkable with Ocala Horse Properties coming back on board as Title Sponsor; Light Speed Equestrian signing on as Presenting Sponsor; Wordley Martin Equestrian, Peak Performance (Furlong & Associates) and Stellos Electric as Prix Sponsors; Equijet, Stubben NA, Guardian Bedding, HorseFirst and Buckeye Horse Feed as Jump Sponsors.

This event is dependent upon the generosity of it’s sponsors, and the organizers are still seeking supporters in able to offset event costs and to increase the prize purse to $20K.  Please spread the word, gather up your friends and mark your calendars for one of the best community events in Marion County! Please contact:

Sponsorship & PR Inquiries
Lisa Thomas
Lisa@MidAtlanticEqServicesLisa@MidAtlanticEqServices
484-888-9626

Event/Competition Inquiries
Max Corcoran
MaxCorcoran@MSN.comMaxCorcoran@MSN.com
540-295-4326

VIP Table Reservations (SOLD OUT)!!
Denise Goyea
denisescarlethill@yahoo.com denisescarlethill@yahoo.com
617.225.6325

For more information on the event, please visit @eventingprix FB Page https://www.facebook.com/eventingprix/

The Ocala Horse Properties’ Eventing Prix is located at: Southern Cross Equestrian 13440 NW HWY 225 | REDDICK, FLORIDA

The last weekend in October was a true celebration of the horse in Tryon, North Carolina.  Volunteers from varying segments the horse world came together to raise awareness of equine welfare, and the result was a celebration of horses, film and community.

Before traveling to the Tryon region for this event, I had previously worked with Edge Brewing Equestrian promoting their last philanthropic efforts for Horses N Heroes of Marion County (Ocala, Fl).  I had the opportunity to get to know Kim and Christian Oliver, who have been a driving force in equine related 501C’s which have positive impact on the greater community. 

Once again, the Olivers became the nucleus of a larger effort to improve horse welfare by ‘Saving Horses One Beer at a Time’ for HERD Rescue, located in Tryon.  This year I met an army of other like-minded horse lovers in step with the Olivers, and it is their combined efforts which made my adventures in Tryon so memorable.

HERD (Helping Equines Regain Dignity) is a fairly new equine rescue, founded in 2016 by Heather Freeman, a Tryon area horse lover who discovered that horses at the area auction were being sourced by a kill buyer.  In the time since HERD began their mission, over 200 horses have been saved, retrained and placed in many loving homes.  Below is their mission and purpose:

• Save horses from the slaughter pipeline to Mexico and Canada
  
• Restore rescued horses to their best possible physical and mental health
• Carefully evaluate and professionally train each horse to maximize their potential
• Based on capabilities - match every rescue to an appropriate, loving, forever home
• Provide ongoing support and monitoring to horses and owners post placement
  

Upon arriving in Tryon, I quickly became acquainted with many of the players in the HERD effort. This enthusiastic group of do-gooders was lead by the gracious and spunky Stuart Evans, a retired banker, who clearly still utilizes her corporate relationship management skills to get positive results!  

Through Stuarts’ unrelenting charm and optimism, she lead a group of 13 HERD volunteers in orchestrating a weekend fundraising clinic at Traycee and Eric Dierk’s Renovation Farm in Tryon.  The Dierks generously opened up their farm to host the Barteau Family from KYB Dressage, who volunteered their time to lead both ground work and dressage clinics throughout the weekend.  Of the 57 clinic attendees who took part in the weekend clinic, many of the horses were actual HERD rescues and/or graduates! 

-Upon conclusion of the day’s horse clinics, the communal efforts to raise awareness for HERD spilled over into Friday night, as festivities continued at the Tryon International Film Festival opening night gala.   Held in downtown Tryon, TRIFF worked in conjunction with Kim Oliver to feature the documentary film produced by KYB Dressage, ‘Into the Spotlight: The Journey of an Equine Theater Horse’ which was featured at TRIFF to draw awareness to the plight of abandoned horses.

The party continued throughout the weekend as KYB Dressage performed their musical freestyle of The Lion King at the Tryon International Equestrian Center on Saturday night, prior to the final Grand Prix show jumping competition.  To further help the goal of raising awareness of HERD, TRIFF presented a shorter film about HERD which was shown on TIEC’s Jumbotron during the exhibition.

The Olivers and Edge Brewing Equestrian were this year’s charity sponsors for HERD, underwriting the travel (from Chicago) of the KYB Dressage trainers, performers and horses to the 2017 Tryon International Film Festival.   They were the connectors who brought together TRIFF, KYB Dressage and all of the HERD volunteers who shared in the raising awareness about the plight of unwanted horses through rescue, retraining and re-purposing efforts.

The weekend was a great success, not only through fund raising efforts, but by putting HERD on the map as an organization making a real and positive change in the lives of 200+ horses (and their new humans).   HERD’s mission was presented to an international crowd of horse and movie lovers at TIEC and TRIFF, and by featuring them in this way, HERD made new contacts all over the country and even the world.
 
Kim Oliver said it best in my introductory article about this event,  “To affect real change in an industry that benefits from animals which bring us so much joy, you have to inspire more and more groups of people to take up the charge – movie makers, film festivals, horse trainers, performers, business owners, writers, neighbors and anyone else who can help.  If we can keep doing that, while having fun drinking beer, making new friends and saving some horses, we have achieved our goals!”

The weekend was an inspiration for all the kindness that exists within our equestrian community.  I was honored to be involved, and thankful to the Olivers for the introduction to HERD, KYB Dressage, the crew at TRIFF and the countless volunteers!  

Please consider learning more about HERD and becoming involved, either through a direct donation, or by getting to know the key players within these organizations.  Take action by contacting them, interviewing them, and spreading the love on social media.

Horse welfare and safety will only improve through our collective passion and effort!  Please take the time to learn more about HERD:
http://www.herdrescue.org/
Stuart Evans - President
ssbevans@windstream.net

A heartfelt thanks to the following participants:
Edge Brewing Equestrian
The Barteau Family and KYB Dressage
Eric and Traycee Dierks Renovatio Farm
The Tryon International Film Festival
The Tryon International Equestrian Center
The Tryon Hounds

One of the greatest aspects of the equestrian industry is the connections, relationships and experiences that form through our collective love of horses.  For me, one of those relationships was born several years ago through my clients at Ocala Horse Properties and Wellington Equestrian Realty, when I was introduced to Kim and Christian Oliver. 

The Olivers are owners of Edge Brewing Barcelona, and through the success of that company, they have donated profits to horse related charities in need of community support.  Most importantly, they have given their time, hearts and passion to horses and people in need. 

I am honored to have made this connection and thrilled to visit them in Tryon next week, where a large group of like-minded people will be donating their time at the Tryon International Film Festival to raise awareness for HERD (Helping Equines Regain Dignity)!  Please read below..............

For Immediate Release
Press Inquiries:
Lisa Thomas
Lisa@MidAtlanticEquestrianServices.com
484-888-9626

Edge Brewing Equestrian Continues To Save Horses One Beer At A Time!

Edge Brewing Equestrian, the philanthropic arm of Edge Brewing Barcelona, has been ‘Saving Horses One Beer At a Time’ since 2015.  

Edge Brewing Barcelona was founded in 2013 by co-owners Scott Vanover and Tryon area resident Christian Oliver who wanted to bring American craft beer to the European market.   In 2014, Edge Brewing Barcelona was voted top new brewer in the world, and that success enabled them to start a philanthropic arm of their company named Edge Brewing Equestrian.  Their mission in giving back to the equine community began with the simple ideology of choosing an inspirational horse related charity and allocating a portion of profits from their award winning line of European beers.

In the past, Edge Equestrian has worked with Horses N Heroes, an Ocala Florida 501C dedicated to providing an equine learning and mentoring experience for young girls who come from at-risk families experiencing extreme financial, health or emotional hardship.  Through this relationship, Edge Brewing Equestrian began their foray into documentary film making, producing the film, ‘Reflections’, winner of the People’s Choice Award at the 2015 Equus Film Festival in New York City!

This year, proceeds from Edge Brewing Barcelona’s line of beers will be donated to the local Tryon 501C horse rescue group HERD (Helping Equines Regain Dignity). HERD’s mission is to ‘Save One Horse At A Time’  by rescuing equines from dire conditions and in many cases slaughter.  Primarily using their own funds members have rescued, vetted, fed, trained, and given these equines a second chance at life.

Kim Oliver, wife of EBB’s co-owner, Christian Oliver, has been the driving force behind their philanthropic efforts.  Her involvement with HERD began when she spotted the faces of two small rescue horses on Facebook and realized they were located in the Tryon region.  Upon adopting these two characters and a mini, their fate was sealed and they began their rehabilitation at the Oliver’s farm in Tryon.  

Their extra property and barn were perfect for fostering young horses who needed time and training, so the Olivers decided to donate that space to HERD.  As time has progressed, the Olivers have helped purchase hay and feed as well.  Kim has become an expert in hay production and has doubled the yield of their pastures through fertilizing and seeding so they would have more hay to donate to the rescues.

Fast forward to the 2017 Tryon International Film Festival, and once again Edge Equestrian finds themselves involved in the documentary film industry.  Upon learning that TRIFF’s Opening Night Gala movie would be a documentary film promoting the training and rehabilitation of rescued horses, Kim Oliver leapt into action.  

“EBB is pleased to offer this year’s charity sponsorship to HERD by sponsoring the travel of the KYB Dressage trainers, performers and horses to the 2017 Tryon International Film Festival.  We are proud to support organizations like TRIFF, HERD and KYB Dressage who share in the commitment to raise awareness about the plight of unwanted horses, highlighting rescue, retraining and re-purposing efforts.”

Throughout the weekend of October 27-29, 2017, the documentary film produced by KYB Dressage, ‘Into the Spotlight: The Journey of an Equine Theater Horse’ will be featured at TRIFF to draw awareness to the plight of abandoned horses.  In addition, the human and equine stars of ‘Into The Spotlight’ from KYB dressage have donated their time and expertise to conduct horsemanship clinics, and the fees from the clinic will benefit HERD.   

KYB Dressage will also perform at the Tryon International Equestrian Center on Saturday, October 28th, prior to the final Grand Prix show jumping competition of the season.  This performance is aimed at raising awareness about the plight of unwanted equines in front of a large international audience of horse lovers.  To help towards the goal of aiding this 501C, TRIFF has filmed a shorter video about HERD which will also be shown on TIEC’s Jumbotron during the exhibition.  There are clearly many caring groups involved in the orchestration of all the activities to benefit HERD, and Kim Oliver is thrilled to bring so many like-minded people together. “To affect real change in an industry that benefits from animals which bring us so much joy, you have to inspire more and more groups of people to take up the charge – movie makers, film festivals, horse trainers, performers, business owners, writers, neighbors and anyone else who can help.  If we can keep doing that, while having fun drinking beer, making new friends and saving some horses, we have achieved our goals!”

Please consider learning more about HERD and becoming involved, either through a direct donation, or by attending one of the festivities during the weekend of the Tryon International Film Festival.  Information is below:

1.  Learn more and donate directly to HERD through their website at http://www.herdrescue.org/ and check out their promotional video!

2.  Register for the KYB Horsemanship Clinic in Tryon at www.herdrescue.org

3.  Buy tickets for the Tryon International Film Festival www.tryoninternationalfilmfestival.com

4.  Join Edge Brewing Equestrian at the Tryon International Equestrian Center for Saturday Night Lights, the HERD film short, and witness KYB’s riveting performance.  Admission is Free!   http://tryon.coth.com/

Edge Brewing Equestrian thanks you! To learn more about Edge Brewing Barcelona and Edge Brewing Equestrian please visit,
http://edgebrewing.com/