Advanced-level eventer and trainer Katie Wherley will be joining other area professionals in guiding competitors throughout the Full Moon Farm ¼ Star Three-Day Event. Scheduled for June 21 – 25 in Finksburg, Maryland, this special competition offers a learning opportunity in a safe and instructional environment for those interested in experiencing a three-day event with detailed instruction for every phase.

Wherley will give a lecture and demonstration on the care of the horse after endurance day. She will break things down in a systematic way that will allow riders to feel prepared for their first three-day event. For many riders, this will be their first experience with the older three-day event format, including Roads & Tracks, Steeplechase and Cross-Country.

“I grew up doing Pony Club, and my first three-day events were all in the long format. The lessons learned throughout the process of getting your horse fit are invaluable. I’m thrilled to pass along my knowledge to the next generation,” says Wherley.

While the long format has all but disappeared from the upper levels, there are a handful of organizers that have held onto it and all it represents. As Full Moon Farm owner Karen Fulton states, “Our feeling is that the three-day format is so important because it teaches so much about horsemanship. It is completely different from your typical one-day horse trials.”

Professional riders like Wherley have stepped up to the plate to volunteer their time at these educational long-format three-day events. The ¼ Star provides the opportunity for riders at the beginning levels of the sport to have the experience of a three-day event without having to wait until they’re competing at the upper levels. Fulton continues, “The skills are important no matter what the level! We’re thankful to the professionals like Katie for volunteering their time and knowledge.”