February 7, 2007

Mrs. Parker J. Collier Donates Entry Level Cross Country Course to the Florida Horse Park

Ocala, FL – Parker Collier, long time supporter of 3-Day Eventing and owner of The Equestrian Center at Horse Creek, Naples, Florida has offered to build an entry level cross country course at the Florida Horse Park. Construction of the course will begin in early February by Jay Hambly, FEI Course Designer and Builder.

Mrs. Collier, after finishing her first ever Horse Trials at the Florida Horse Park in November, wanted to give other beginning eventers the opportunity to compete at the Park. “The Florida Horse Park is a beautiful, developing venue,” states Mrs. Collier, “I see it as an ideal place to support riders of any age who wish to enter the sport. The course is being designed to enable these riders along with their equine partners- be they young, inexperienced or growing older- to enjoy a lovely and educational opportunity.”

The new course will be designed and built by Jay Hambly of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Hambly has helped build some of the most prestigious courses in the world including Richland Park, Michigan, Blarney Castle, Ireland, Blenheim, Great Britain, and Galway Downs, California. The course at the Park will consist of 12 portable obstacles which can be combined with some of the Park’s permanent features, like the water jump, to provide an exciting introductory experience to the sport.

The Horse Creek Course will be used for the first time in competition at the Ocala Fall Horse Trials, November 16-18, 2007. “Personally, I am very excited about Jay’s plans and look forward to jumping the course when it’s complete,” says Collier. The course will also be available for schooling on designated schooling days this summer.

Shelley Lambert, Director of Events for the Florida Horse Park, looks forward to the addition, “From the Park’s perspective, this cross country course means that we can accommodate a new demographic of riders and introduce new competitors to the sport. It’s going to generate interest in those that have always thought they’d like to compete, but were not ready for the national level. This is great for the sport and great for the Park. I anticipate that entries for the Ocala Fall Horse Trials will increase significantly this year because of Mrs. Collier’s generosity.”