The new Olympic Mix footing is installed and ready to go in the Equidome at LAEC, and just in time for National Preview and LA National. The prestigious Onondarka and WCE Medal Finals and the $50,000 Grand Prix of Los Angeles (a World Cup Qualifier) are just two weeks away, and competitors will have the opportunity to try out this high-tech, horse friendly footing for themselves.
The new footing will be the same high-tech option used at such prestigious events as the World Cup Finals and the Olympics. “Once we made the decision to get new footing, I wanted only the best. We decided to go with the Olympic mix and not scrimp on anything,” explained Larry Langer, CEO of LEG. “I am very happy that LA Equestrian Center has moved up to make the high performance horses and their riders extremely happy and improve the sport. I really appreciate how hard the guys worked to get the footing mixed and laid down in the Equidome and warm-up ring so quickly. Once it was down, we tested it immediately with horses, and the riders loved it.”
Jenni McAllister’s assistant, Nicolas Rossi, was one of the test riders. “It looks great,” Jenni commented. “This mix is not deep or slippery, so the horses can push out of it better. You have some spring for takeoff and the fibers make it softer for landing. That’s really a bonus when you’re trying to be competitive, jumping the big jumps and running fast. With the difficulty of the courses we have now, this footing is a super improvement. The technicality of show jumping has grown so much in the past 20 or 30 years it’s incredible, so we need good footing and now we have it at LAEC. I think this is a great improvement for the LEG shows, and I’m thankful they took that step to make an investment for the future. I think it’s the best thing for the horses and sport, and I’m very pleased that they showed their commitment to the industry in this way.”
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Internationally recognized course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio will be on staff at LA National to test the mettle of horse, rider, and footing alike. “As comfortable as I always was with the footing and the challenges I have put forward in the past, with the new footing I can do more and expect the horses to have an even greater opportunity to show their abilities,” he shared.
Rudy Leone of Leone Equestrians believes in this footing so strongly that not only does he use it in his annual Sacramento International Horse Show, but he generously donated his time and installed it for cost at LAEC. “In my opinion this is the footing of the future,” he said. “Once you have it, you can’t live without it. For the soundness and safety of horse and rider, it’s better than any other surface.”
Riders in the LAHJA Junior and Senior Medal Finals will have the chance to put the footing to the test at National Preview (Nov 9-13), and this show will also offer the West Coast Pony Finals, the largest gathering of ponies on the West Coast. The following week, LA National (Nov 16-20), hosts the Onondarka and WCE Medal Finals and the $50,000 Grand Prix of Los Angeles, a World Cup Qualifier.
More information about the LEG shows at LAEC can be found online at http://langershows.com/laec/index.php.
