ONLY ONE GROTON HOUSE HORSE TRIALS EVENT in 2009
Organizing Committee's Decision Explained

After running two events every June since almost forever, Groton House will this year offer only one weekend of competition, June 26-28, 2009.

A number of events this spring have been canceled or run at a loss because of insufficient entries, but the economic downturn is not the main reason for our decision.

The fact is, our upper level entries have been declining steadily since the USEF decreed that FEI divisions (CICs) be required for CCI qualification. This has meant that upper level riders who used to come to GHF from all over the East Coast and Canada, and from as far away as Kentucky, Texas and Oklahoma, have largely abandoned long-running national horse trials like us for events which offer CICs, or for local events which they can use for schooling purposes. (CICs differ from traditional events only in their increased cost to organizers: they require FEI approval and registration, FEI officials, sponsorship, and prize money).

The USEF schedule, which has been built around the FEI events and includes a long winter/spring circuit culminating in Rolex and Jersey Fresh, has also had an impact. And, let's face it, Area I is just not the eventing mecca it once was. The sport has gravitated south to Area II, and Surefire running in Middleburg on the GHF-II dates sealed our fate.

While it is sad to realize that the days of Olympic and Pan-American trials are history and there will be no more Advanced or Intermediate competition at Groton House, we have decided it's better to face reality than swim against the ebbing tide, so we are this year going back to where we started so long ago. GHF '09 will offer Novice, Training and Preliminary, as well as the in-between divisions (T/N, P/T, and I/P) if there is sufficient demand. The courses will be slightly more challenging than typical for a "GHF I", so possibly not as suitable for moving up, but less so than GHF II traditionally was.
We may not have the hotshots any more and we are sorry to have to make the change, but the GHF Organizing Committee is as committed as ever to putting on a good, safe and fun event.

OPENING DAY: MAY 12 !!!!!
 

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