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TagsMore than 120 riders from six countries to participate
What has become one of the world’s top equestrian competitions, the 2011 Jersey Fresh CCI, will be held Thursday through Sunday at the Horse Park of New Jersey at Stone Tavern in Allentown, Monmouth County.
More than 120 of the top horse and rider combinations from the U.S., Venezuela, Belgium, Canada, Thailand and Australia will compete in the main events and others will test the skills of the newer, up and coming combinations.
Eventing was originally a military event intended to measure the fitness of military horses. To succeed both rider and horse must be highly trained in dressage, cross-country and show-jumping.
Dressage is a French term, means training. It comprises a set series of complicated movements performed in an enclosed arena. It requires precision, smoothness, suppleness and complete obedience by the horse. The competition will be held Thursday and Friday.
Cross-country is an endurance test, with a galloping trek of three miles and 30 jumps. The event will be held Saturday.
Show-jumping takes place in an arena and horse and rider must negotiate between 12 and 15 jumping obstacles.
The competition will be held Sunday.
The event will include the 2011 Equine Expo, an educational program offering Girl and Boy Scout badge programs related to horses, agriculture and safety. There will be vendors, an FFA plant sale and the Wounded Warrior Project will be showcased.
In addition, at noon on Sunday, a special ceremony will be held to honor the memory of Dr. Stephen P. Dey, who passed away in February and was a founding member and current president of the Horse Park. The Board of Trustees will announce a special dedication to him.
The New Jersey equine industry is valued at $4 billion and generates $1.1 billion annually in impact to the state’s economy, according to a study by the Rutgers Equine Science Center. The study showed there are 7,200 horse facilities on 176,000 acres and 42,500 horses.
The Horse Park of New Jersey is located at 626 Route 524 in Allentown.
— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
