The World Games 2010 Foundation today announced the University of Kentucky’s Coldstream Research Campus as a satellite parking location for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
Shuttle transportation services will be provided to spectators at official 2010 Games satellite parking lots directly to the Kentucky Horse Park. Coldstream Research Campus is located five miles from the Kentucky Horse Park, and can hold 8,400 vehicles, providing a safe and efficient shuttle transport system to and from the grounds of the Games.
“We are very excited to be a part of the World Equestrian Games and work with the foundation staff to provide a major park and ride site for all of the visitors who will attend the Games,” said Tina Carpenter, UK Coldstream Research Campus executive director.
“The Coldstream Research Campus site provides an ideal location for satellite parking during the 2010 Games,” said Jamie Link, Foundation CEO. “The site will allow spectators to park as closely as possible to the Kentucky Horse Park, with easy and friendly transportation services to the Games.”
In addition to the primary parking location at Coldstream Research Campus, the World Games 2010 Foundation will be offering a limited number of premium spaces on the Kentucky Horse Park grounds for purchase online. More information about purchasing on-site parking will be available when tickets go on sale September 25, 2009.
More detailed information on parking and transportation systems for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will be available in the spring of 2010.
About the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are the world championships of eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). Her Royal Highness Princess Haya is the current president of the FEI. The Games are held every four years and this will be the first occurrence in the United States.
The Games will be broadcast on NBC Sports, which has marked the largest commitment to network coverage of equestrian sport in U.S. television history. The 2010 Games are expected to have a statewide economic impact of $150 million, and current sponsors include Alltech, Rolex, John Deere, Ariat International, Inc. and Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. For more information on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, please visit www.alltechfeigames.com.
About the University of Kentucky Coldstream Research Campus
Business and research connect at the University of Kentucky Coldstream Research Campus, a premier location at the intersection of I-75/I-64 and just minutes from the University of Kentucky. Partnerships with UK feature strong R&D programs in ag biotech, equine research, biofuels and pharmaceutical development. Once a prominent Bluegrass horse farm, Coldstream is now the business home for more than 1,000 employees and 55 biotech, pharmaceutical and equine companies, IBM, HP, Embassy Suites Hotel and others. Contact: Coldstream@uky.edu, www.UKColdstream.com, 859.231.TECH (8324).
It has been made official, Danville, Kentucky and Carrickfergus, Nothern Ireland are now twins. What this means simply is that the two(2) cities will work hard to build connections between the two in all possible ways. These kind of relationships will benefit from the Games and create another channel for people in Europe to learn about our Wonderful Commonwealth and we look forward to hosting people from Carrickfergus during the Games.
Lexington, KY – February 23, 2009- The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, part of the HSBC FEI ClassicsTM Series and one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions, is set to return to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 23-26.
The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event features the world’s best horses and riders vying for their share of $250,000 in prize money and a chance at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. The winning owner will be awarded $80,000 and the winning rider will receive a classic Rolex timepiece.
The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event will run a CCI****, the 12th championship for the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Pinnacle Cup, signifying the zenith in Eventing competition in the United States. The event draws over 100,000 spectators and is seen by millions more on worldwide telecasts including a one-hour special on NBC in the United States.
“This year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event promises to be the biggest and most exciting ever,” said Jane Atkinson, Executive Vice President of Equestrian Events, Inc.(EEI), producer of the event. “With a brand new stadium and other improvements to the Kentucky Horse Park, spectators can expect an unprecedented experience. As anticipation continues to build for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the level of competition at Rolex should be at an all-time high!”
The only Four Star Event in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is the premier competition for the top horses and riders in Eventing. Past winners include United States Olympic Medalists David and Karen O’Connor, Kim Severson, Phillip Dutton, New Zealand’s Blyth Tait and Nick Larkin, Pippa Funnell of Great Britain and Andrew Hoy and Clayton Fredericks of Australia.
The $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing is awarded to any rider who wins theRolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events in succession. In 2003, Pippa Funnell of Great Britain, became the first, and to date only, rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.
In addition to the heart pounding equestrian action, one of the most popular attractions at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is the Kentucky Three-Day Event Shop. The Shop offers all manner of clothing, accessories and gift items sporting the EEI logo with the competition title, “Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event,” curved around the top of the logo.
“We are looking forward to having everyone come out to enjoy the Kentucky Horse Park to watch one of the world’s most exciting events,” said Atkinson. “In addition to watching the world-class equestrian competition and strolling through the more than 150 shops and boutiques, equine enthusiasts can tour the world-renowned Kentucky Horse Park, stroll the beautiful grounds and catch a glimpse of magnificent horses all around!”
For more information, or to purchase tickets to the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, please visit the Rolex Kentucky website at www.rk3de.org, complete the ticket order form and return via mail or fax (859-254-5116) to Equestrian Events, Inc., call (859) 254-8123 or order online.
Lexington, KY-February 16, 2009 – As a result of construction projects at the Kentucky Horse Park, Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) is announcing some major changes for the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the only annual Four Star Three-Day Event in the Americas. Scheduled for April 23-26, the event draws over 100,000 spectators and is seen by millions more on worldwide telecasts, including a one-hour special on NBC in the United States.
Honored with the 2008 Best of Lexington Award in the Special Events category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA), Equestrian Events continues to move forward and adapt to the changes at the Horse Park that will be fully completed by the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Even before it is the Test Event in 2010 for the Eventing World Championships, Rolex Kentucky 2009 will be the first time some of the Park changes come into play. Some of the changes in 2009: The Stadium The arena where the Dressage and Jumping Tests for Rolex Kentucky were previously held is being totally rebuilt to create a new Stadium. This new facility, in the same location as the previous arena, will be a whole new experience for spectators, as well as horses and riders, and is leading to some sweeping changes for 2009 and beyond.
Prior to the start of construction, the Lake Grandstand-constructed from funds donated by Equestrian Events, Inc., the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and legions of supporters of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event-was carefully and painstakingly dismantled. Located on the south side of the arena with the Park’s picturesque lake behind it, each piece of the Lake Grandstand was numbered and coded and is being stored for re-assembly at a later date at one of the Park’s other outdoor arenas. The Lake Grandstand has 2,325 bench seats, 1,883 of them covered and 24 spaces for disabled seating. New Permanent Grandstand
A new permanent grandstand structure, with 7,289 chair seats, 4,630 of which will be covered, plus 102 spaces for disabled seating, is being constructed on the north side of the stadium where the Patron Club and Equestrian Club tents and their temporary grandstand seating were located. The Park Grandstand also houses restrooms and concession areas underneath the second tier of seating. There will be three entrances to the grandstand. The entry level goes directly to the uppermost row of the first tier of seating and disabled seating is on that level. Stairs at the entry level go up to the first row of the second tier of seating. Temporary Uncovered Grandstand Seating Rolex Kentucky organizer Equestrian Events, Inc. is renting uncovered grandstands to provide a total of 15,000 seats in the new Stadium. These stands will be located on the south side of the arena by the Park’s lake and on the west side of the arena.
New Arena Surface
A new arena surface will greet horses and riders at Rolex Kentucky 2009, but the surface isn’t new to the Horse Park or to the horses and riders that competed in the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. The German company OTTO Sport-und Reitplatz GMBH is installing its state-of-the-art riding surface on the Stadium arena and the attached warm-up area and will have its inaugural use at the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. However, the same surface was installed in 2008 in the Park’s Walnut Ring and used extensively last year, to wide acclaim, for Jumper classes at various A and AA-rated hunter/jumper shows at the Park. Patron Club and Equestrian Club Tents Moved Due to its size, the Park Grandstand utilizes all the ground from the edge of the original arena back to Nina Bonnie Boulevard, ground where the Patron Club and Equestrian Club tents and uncovered grandstand seating were previously located. The Patron Club and Equestrian Club tents are being relocated across Nina Bonnie Boulevard to the fence line surrounding the High Hope Steeplechase Course. The tents will overlook the infield of the course, where several major obstacles on the Rolex Kentucky Cross-Country course are located. Grandstand seating for Patron Club and Equestrian Club subscribers will be an additional charge, allowing these Event attendees to choose which grandstand seating they prefer and to sit with friends who are not subscribers to these two ticket options. Video screens will be located in each tent to provide almost larger-than-life viewing of each day’s competition. East Side of Stadium
The East side of the Stadium, where temporary grandstands have previously been located, will now be used for the Patron Plus tent, a private hospitality tent, along with the grandstand for Riders, Owners, Grooms and Competitor Guests. South Side of Stadium
The configuration of the lake side of the arena is changed, and two grandstands with increased seating will be located here along with the Doggery, the grandstand targeted especially for dogs and their human companions. West Side of Stadium The permanent Sponsor Hospitality Pavilion, previously located on the north side of the arena, has made way for the new Park Grandstand, requiring the creation of a new Sponsor Pavilion on the west side of the arena. The West Grandstand that was located near the lake remains in the same relative position, but increased in height by one row (36 rows) and in width by 6′.
Most visitors to the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Website have already been introduced to the newest ticket purchasing option from Equestrian Events, Inc., online ticket sales. While the Ticket Order Form may still be downloaded and mailed or faxed to the EEI Office, and orders may still be placed via telephone, those who like the ease and speed of placing orders online now have that option.
“We are proud of our longstanding commitment to providing outstanding entertainment as well as world-class equestrian competition,” said Event Director, Jane Atkinson. “The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event has always been produced by Equestrian Events, Inc. with a strong commitment to giving spectators an exciting and comfortable experience and we believe that these changes will go a long way in accomplishing that goal.
The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event features this country’s best horses and riders and international stars vying for their share of $250,000 in prize money and a chance at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. The winning owner is awarded $65,000 and the winning rider receives a Rolex timepiece. The classic Kentucky Julep Cup is presented by Equestrian Events, Inc. to the winning owner and winning rider as a reminder of their accomplishment.
For more information on the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, please visit the Rolex Kentucky website at www.rk3de.org. To receive the ticket brochure for the 2009 Event, send your name and address to Equestrian Events, Inc., P.O. Box 12110, Lexington, KY 40580-2110, (859) 254-8123 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm, M-F), (859) 254-5116 (fax), or rktickets@alltel.net.
Harrodsburg, KY, January 12, 2009 – A local team of oxen, owned by Fort Harrod Back Country Horsemen (Ft. Harrod BCH) member Brian Rogers, will work with trail enthusiasts on February 7-8, 2009 to clean out an old dump site at Eagle’s Nest Equestrian Trails in Harrodsburg. The site primarily contains old tires which work crews will dislodge and load onto a sled pulled by the trained steers.
Rogers’ oxen currently are used for light farm work including pulling a chain drag, pulling logs, moving stones and feed, and more. The two-and-a-half year old pair has been working in yoke for the past two years and travel annually to participate in the Midwest Ox Drover’s Gathering in Scotts Michigan.
“By using oxen to remove the debris we hope to limit the impact on the environment and minimize damage to the vegetation. This is also a great way for us to incorporate the use of draft stock in our trail maintenance efforts,” stated Emily Dennis, President of the Ft. Harrod BCH.
The tires will be removed from the Cornishville Road area of Eagle’s Nest to a proper disposal location. Eagle’s Nest Trail Boss, Dennis Blackburn, is currently working with other Ft. Harrod BCH members and the local community to identify a low cost or no cost recycling or disposal alternative for the tires.
Eagle’s Nest Equestrian Trails is closed for both January and February to reduce impact and erosion to the trails. The scheduled work days are to be conducted on foot and without horses.
Individuals wishing to join the trail clean up efforts will be shuttled from the pavilion at Eagle’s Nest to the clean up site. Clean up efforts begin at 10 a.m. with a midday lunch break featuring potluck chili. Participants are asked to bring prepared chili to mix and heat at the work site or an appropriate side dish and their own non-alcoholic beverages. RSVP to confirm attendance by contacting Dennis Blackburn at 859-613-2665 or hardrockfarm@gmail.com.
For more information or to join the Fort Harrod Back Country Horsemen contact Emily Dennis at edennis@fewpb.net or 502-330-8798 or Dennis Blackburn at hardrockfarm@gmail.com or 859-613-2665.
The Kentucky Horse Park hosted the 3rd Annual Kentucky Horse Park and National Horse Center Media Day. For anyone in the media this is a great learning experience on all that is the Kentucky Horse Park no matter if you are in Equine media or not and I highly recommend it. The day started out with a number of breed and discipline demonstrations in the covered arena.
Patricia (PJ) Cooksey discussed (from horseback) the many aspects of the Kentucky Racing Commission and the changes that have been implemented this year. She was well received and answered a number of good questions. Dr. Nathan Slovis gave an in-depth demonstration of the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Equine Ambulance with audience participation.
It was then on to the Club Lounge for lunch with John Nicholson in which he presented his vision of unity throughout the horse industry that the Kentucky Horse Park is facilitating by currently being the headquarters of 33 Equine Organizations both big and small. He pointed out that for every employee the Horse Park employees the private organizations there employ 3. He also pointed out that the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will be viewed by some 500 Million people around the world and that for many of them this will be their first discovery of Kentucky.
John’s passion for the Kentucky Horse Park is always palpable and he summed up the role of the Kentucky Horse Park by saying he expects people to come to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010 and fall in love with Kentucky and that some of those people will then move their business’ to Kentucky. There is no question that I agree with that sentiment and that these Games are the most significant thing to happen to Kentucky since the birth of Abraham Lincoln.
After lunch we received very nice Gift bags provided by the United States Dressage Foundation that had all kinds of cool stuff in them. We then loaded onto a motorcoach sponsored by Kentucky Horse Council for a tour of the park and the ongoing construction of the new park facilities. Currently the Horse Park is booked for 3 years into the futures and there is an event going on at the Horse Park every weekend but 2. Nina Bonnie Blvd, the main East-Main thoroughfair through the Horse Park is going to be widened and will be the main pedestrian thoroughfair for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010.
We saw the new indoor arena which is well underway and scheduled to be in use by June 2009 with shows allready booked for it next summer. The arena will have seating for 7,000 with 40,000 sq ft of exhibitor space and will host the Reining and Vaulting for the Games. We then moved on to the TRF-Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center which works to re-school racehorses and find them new homes. Susanna M. Thomas is the Director of the Center and is a wonderful great advocate for this wonderful endeavor. As she put it, “Every Horse has a Story”. Our next stop was the new facilitiy under construction for the Central Kentucky Riding for Hope. Pat Cline provided us with all the good work the CKRH does and that part of the reason for their great success was the 280 active volunteers they had last year. As always I will say, here is another great cause for those of you looking to volunteer.
To finish up the day we headed over to the Combined Driving Event that is going on at the Horse Park through the weekend. On our way we past the location for the new Outdoor Stadium which is starting to take shape and is on schedule to be completed next year. It will have permanent seating for 7,500 and be expandable to hold 27,500 for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
I want to give a special thanks to Lisa Jackson who was a gracious host and provided a number of us rides to different area’s of the park at the end of the day. I also want to thank the sponsors which allow the Kentucky Horse Park to put on this event for no charge to the Media, I for one am greatly appreciate for this opportunity. I look forward to seeing everyone out there again next year.
The Kentucky Horse Park put on a Soiree for the players and staff of the 2008 Ryder Cup at Churchill Downs last Friday night. The Soiree consisted of 16 horses, numerous Horse Park staff and volunteers and was met with great weather and a wonderful crowd. As for me personally I had a great time, these are the kind of events that are like iceing on the cake of volunteering.
The Ryder Cup of course was great fanfare for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and provided a glimpse of the attention the Commonwealth will receive in two years with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. I can’t say enough good things about the efforts the Horse Park does to promote the State and to show why we are the “Horse Capital of the World”. As always I will say if you have some time on your hands and would like to get involved in a great cause volunteer out at the Horse Park, whether you are a horse person or not you will find it a great experience.
Wanted to post some quick information about another organization that I am a founding member of called the Fort Harrod Back Country Horsemen. This is a group of horse trail enthusiasts in Central Kentucky that recently formed this non-profit organization as a 501(c)3 corporation. The founding of this organization is largely the brain child of Emily Dennis of Big Red Stables, who is also now our President by unanimous vote. We held our first trail ride/maintenance out at Eagles Nest in Mercer county this past Saturday and had some two dozen members turn out for it. Members of this group have also been involved in GPS mapping of trail areas in Central Kentucky which most likely be part of the trail system across that State that hopefully will be useable in time for the Games. Emily actually testified before the State Legislature on SB 196 (Kentucky Adventure Toruism Initiative) which was the bill that provided the mechanism for the State to negotiate with land owners to create this trail system.
I will provide more information here soon on joining this group, if you want information quicker then that jut drop me an email, thomas at kentuckyworldequestriangames dot org (spam bot shielding).
More then 100,000 people attended the 4 days of the 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. This of course is a great sign for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Kentucky 2010 which will be 8 disciplines over 16 days. With the expectation that the economy will be back on the upswing by the 2010 Games it all suggests that the Games have the possibility of being more successful then most people are expecting. I still believe the success of the Games is going to be more then just economic, I believe these Games will forge a bond between the people of Kentucky and people from all over the world that will influence the future of Kentucky for Generations to come.
Bill Keightley who was affectionately known as Mr. Wildcat as many now know passed last night at the age of 81. I never had the honor of meeting Mr. Keightley in person but of course knew who he was and had met people over the years who had met him. Certainly with all that is being remembered of him today and what I had heard of him over the years I have to think ultimately he is much more then just Mr. Wildcat he may be our greatest ambassador since Henry Clay. My meaning is that where ever he went he seems to have made an impact and it was always good for Kentucky because he had such an open and warm personality. He is the kind of Kentuckian we all should strive to be even though I know it may not be possible for any of us to ever achieve that pure level of friendship that he possessed but it is a noble goal. My deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends but my sympathies also go out to those of us who didn’t have a chance to meet him for the loss of a friend we will never get to know.
Kentucky Senate Bill 196 (Kentucky Recreational Trails Authority) passed both houses of the Kentucky Legislature and is headed to Governor Beshear’s desk where he has said he would sign it. This bill was referred to as the “Adventure Tourism Bill” was sponsored by Sen. Brandon Smith (R-Hazard). In simple terms this bill is going to allow the State to enter into agreements with public land owners to provide trails and access points to connect public lands while protecting private land owners from undo liability risk. First Lady Jane Beshear’s idea is to connect all 12o Kentucky counties with horse trails so that you could ride from one end of the state to the other. We of course think this is a great idea and are in total support.
On a side-note, I had the honor of meeting Emily Dennis at my CTA class and getting to ride out at her family’s Big Red Stables today. Emily testified in both the House and Senate on behalf of this bill and had significant input in the crafting of the liability portion of this bill. So I give thanks to Emily for her involvement in this bill and for the wonderful ride I had at her place today which I know I will feel in the morning, but that’s a good thing.
I completed my Bluegrass Tourism Ambassador Program on Thursday and am waiting the results of my test to see if I have earned the designation of Certified Tourism Ambassador™ (CTA). Lexington is among 5 cities so far to participate in the program and classes here in Lexington just started at the end of last year. This program is designed; “To increase regional tourism by inspiring-front-line hospitality employees and volunteers to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience”.
The class is 4 hours long but there is reading material and exercises to be completed before the class that took me about 10 hours over a weeks time to complete. The reading material is provided in a well put together manual that goes into great depth on everything one would need to know to provide a better experience for tourists to our area.
There are keeping the class size to 20 or so and it was an incredible learning experience and I came away with much. The cost of the total program was only $20 and that is certainly very inexpensive for all that I got out of it. I would certainly recommend it to pretty much everybody who has some interaction with the tourism public or simply wants to get a greater appreciation of all the wonderful things that our area has to offer.
Charlie Pearl had a good article in the Frankfort State Journal last week talking about how Frankfort was gearing up for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. He pointed out that Joe Jeffries, executive director of the Frankfort/Franklin County Tourist Commission said, “I am not sure Kentucky fully realizes yet that the world is coming here,” and “We are all going to look really or we’re going to blow it, and Frankfort is not going to blow it.” These are of course key statements that I couldn’t agree with more, and another statement that he made was that this was a regional effort and that Lexington couldn’t shoulder the effort on its own.
Now of course I have been saying this for more then 2 years but of course I don’t yet have the stage from which to get that message out the way politicians and those in City Governments and Tourism do, mine is still a grass roots effort. So when I see someone getting the importance of the Games and putting it out there for everyone to read I am going to let everyone know.
Now of course everyone at the World Games Foundation gets it and they are beating the drums to get the word out but many people in the state do not feel a connection to the Foundation the way they do with their City governments and organizations. So I keep working to get the word out to people to talk to their elected leaders and City/County management to see let them know how important this is.
The 1000 day countdown has begun to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. A pair of clocks were started today in downtown Lexington that will countdown to September 25, 2010, the start of the equestrian championships. One of the clocks can be seen from eastbound Vine Street, the other from westbound Main Street.
So with a 1000 days to go now the pace starts to pick up and with a new Governor and the 60 day regular legislative session to begin everyone is getting busy.
Its been two(2) years since the announcement that Lexington, Kentucky would be hosting the 2010 World Equestrian Games. A lot has happened in that two(2) span and with only some thirty-three(33) months to go there is still much to be accomplished. However to borrow a football metaphor, you have to establish the run before you can start passing the ball effectively. That is to say that all the parties involved in one form or another have to work out the fundamentals of what is needed before they could successfully start working towards the goal of a highly successful event the size of the World Equestrian Games. With that said I think it is safe to say that for the most part the run has been established and the ball is being moved down the field.
One of the key accomplishments for the World Games 2010 Foundation so far was having Alltech step up as the title sponsor early on as this provides the business leadership for this kind of event. This leadership helps to get other major corporate interest involved which is necessary in bringing in the capital and logistical investment needed. Now in the last two(2) months the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital has also stepped up as a major sponsor and you can expect to continue to see these kind of business leaders come on board as sponsors.
Another key area that the Foundation has succeeded in would be in filling the major personnel needs for the Games. Ultimately this may be the most important thing in the success of the Games is having GREAT people lead the way and for an event of this size and complexity you need quite a few.
Many other organizations and businesses including our own have also made great strides over the last two(2) years in coming up to speed to see that these Games are a Great Success for the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
In this next year I expect that things will really start to come together and everyone who hasn’t been talking about the Games will start to see the vision that many of us have for these Games start to become reality and they to will become excited and believers in what we Kentuckians can accomplish.
In a news conference today Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry discussed plans to improve streets and sidewalks in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Mayor Newberry said this was something that needed to be done and the World Equestrian Games provided the motivation to see that it was done.
Plans are to be completed by next summer and the next step is to find the ways to pay for these improvements both from State and Federal Funds as well as public-private partnerships.
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