By Chris Kulchak

By hosting more than 200 entries and awarding over $10,000 in prize money, Bill and Robin Weiss exceeded their goals of a bigger, better event this year at the 26th annual Jackson Hole Horse Trials in Jackson, Wyo., August 23 -25.

Most impressive among the increased entries was the advanced field. "The first year we offered advanced," said Weiss, "we had three starters. This year we have 19," he said. From advanced through novice divisions, starters increased by 40, thanks to Weiss' work at securing more temporary stabling. The increase is impressive given that the 2002 event did not feature regional championships or the Western DeBroke championship as it has in years past.

Despite the absence of championships, the event drew a high caliber of horse and rider teams, including Olympic, Badminton and Rolex veterans. The quality of construction and design of Captain Mark Phillips' cross country course did not disappoint, either, even for those who compete here year after year. "We changed 25 to 30 percent of the jumps on the course," Bill added.

In the advanced division, Jessica Heidemann of Bellingham, Wash., and her 11-year-old gelding French Twist led wire to wire. The 22-year-old recent Young Rider piloted her Belgium warmblood/Thoroughbred cross through all three phases to finish on their dressage score, a scant 36.74 penalties. The pair were the only ones to make the time cross country and joined second-placed Canadian Hawley Bennet and Livingstone as the only two clean rounds in show jumping.

The nearly 30 point spread that Heidemann enjoyed narrowed considerably in the intermediate group. Winners Barbara Crabo, of Scottsdale, Ariz., and her Thoroughbred gelding Oregon Ruffy were hounded within less than a point throughout the weekend by second-place finishers Gillian Slayter and Simply Larry. Both pairs were a little over the time on cross country and both had a couple of rails in the arena, but it was Crabo and her seven-year-old former track horse that led the victory gallop.

Thirty-six preliminary starters were divided into two groups. Crabo's second mount, Groovy, a six-year-old, chestnut Thoroughbred gelding, won division A. Kiira Troth, a high school senior from Bozeman, Mont., and her Connemara cross, Leprechaun's Rowdy Boy, finished with just 38 dressage penalties to win division B.

The Weiss' plan to sell the 447 acre site of the event, Spring Creek Equestrian Center, in the fall. The couple will continue to remain active in the horse world, keeping their horses in training in Jackson and Germany. Eventers will be glad to learn that Bill, Robin and event organizer Donna Viehman plan to run the horse trials at Spring Creek for three more years. After that, Bill assures the event, "if anything, ...will get bigger."

The center's future owner, Gary Roubin, M.D., is a renown cardiac surgeon with a "big passion for horses," said David Viehman, owner of Hoffman and Associates, L.L.C., and project planner for "The Ranches." Once purchased, the property will be developed using a unique concept that preserves wildlife habitat, land owner privacy and a host of equestrian activities including acreage-dependent disciplines such as eventing and polo.

Described as "memberships," five residential building sites will be available on the property, which includes joint ownership of the 70,000 square foot equestrian center and 270 additional acres. Access to more than 850 acres of bridle and nature trails, full amenities of Spring Creek Resort, employee housing and the opportunity to live within a wildlife preserve, make this a truly unique real estate concept. Prices for these exclusive memberships range from $7.5 to $8.9 million.

Related Link
2001 Jackson Hole Horse Trials Coverage