Deeda Randle, the organizer of the Colorado Horse Park CCI**/* and Horse Trials, announced May 27 that as a precautionary measure, the event’s horse trials divisions would be cancelled due to the outbreak of the equine herpesvirus-1 in the western United States. The CCI** and CCI* divisions, which are scheduled to run during the event’s original dates, June 3-5 in Parker, Colo., will still go on as planned, as riders competing are hoping placings there will assist in their attempts to qualify for international championships this summer.
“We just decided to run the CCI horses,” confirmed Randle. “The number will be quite small, and we feel like we can effectively manage the 20 or so horses [entered]. The barns will have been empty for 10 days before they get here, and we’re confident that the barn is clean and ready. With all the protocols, we feel like they can come here and be just as safe as they are at home.”
The CHP has also cancelled June High Prairie Dressage, which was scheduled to take place the same weekend. Organizing committees of other events, like Spring Gulch Horse Trials, Littleton, Colo., have made similar decisions for the same reason.
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“We wanted riders and owners to be absolutely confident that their horses were safe at The Colorado Horse Park,” explained Helen Krieble, founder and president of The Colorado Horse Park.
Riders who have already entered these events will receive full refunds.
