Pending Usef Approval Revised August 14, 2021
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PENDING USEF APPROVAL REVISED AUGUST 14, 2021 Where did the summer go? We hope everyone has had a successful summer season showing all around the country! We can’t wait to welcome you back to the desert for an incredible fall season this year. No doubt it is our most ambitious undertaking yet. We have been hard at work on improving every aspect of our horse show – the physical facility, the competition, and our hospitality. The good news is we think you and your horses will enjoy the desert even more! The challenge is that many things will, once again, be new and different this season. So, here goes my attempt to summarize the exciting changes that you will see and benefit from this fall and winter. WHAT’S NEW AT THE DESERT INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK 1. EXPANDED BRIDLE PATH – We have continued the bridle path along the Southern boundary of the property, nearly tripling the length of the pathway. The path is typically 20 feet wide and now consists of sand footing the entire length. 2. ADDITIONAL SCHOOLING RING – We have built another new schooling ring, measuring 250’x250’ past the paddocks. This should be available for use this fall and will have new footing in it. 3. UPGRADED PADDOCKS – We have re-graded the paddocks and installed a new irrigation system. We hope you’ll see a fair bit of new grass when you arrive this fall. 4. NEW GRASS ARENA – It is hard to miss! We are incredibly proud of this new arena and can’t wait to see horses ride on it. The new grass arena has a state-of-the-art irrigation system and is 250’x500’ in size. It has a very welcoming bank and devil’s dyke. 5. IMPROVED HUNTER RINGS – We have done extensive work to the hunter rings. New footing has been installed in Hunter 2, 3, and 4, as well as the main hunter schooling area. New landscaping has been completed in all seven hunter rings. A new viewing area and shade structure has been added between Hunter 3 and 2 | REVISED AUGUST 14, 2021 4. A new berm has been added on the north side of Hunter 7 along with viewing cabanas. This ring will now host the Pony competitions each weekend. We have also added a new sound system for the Main Hunter ring. 6. INTRODUCTION OF GRAND EQUITATION ARENA – Equitation is a huge priority at DIHP. In an effort to ensure the primary ring (originally Jumper 3) for equitation events is distinctive, we have made a number of improvements, including a new bank, fencing, and new footing. 7. IMPROVED JUMPER RINGS – We are beginning work on replacing the footing in Jumper 1 and Jumper 1 Schooling in advance of the upcoming season. We have also closed the berm on the northwest side of Jumper 1, and added a video scoreboard board for Jumper 1. We have also added a new berm on the north side of Jumper 4 and 5 to create a better experience in those rings. 8. NEW GRAND PRIX ARENA – We have completed an upgrade to the footing in the GP arena and GP Schooling, which includes a new ebb and flow watering system, the installation of OTTO mats which add considerable cushioning, and a new sand/footing material combination. We believe this investment will give DIHP one of the premier equestrian arenas in North America. We have also added a new, expanded shade structure, new entranceway, and new landscaping around the entire arena. We have also replaced the sound system for the GP Arena and Schooling area. 9. IMPROVED VIP EXPERIENCE – We have added new tents, furniture, food service areas, and other amenities to greatly improve the VIP experience. We think it will be the best spot to cheer on the events in the GP and Main Hunter arenas. 10. REDESIGNED VENDOR ROW – We have lengthened vendor row and integrated the food trucks in the midst of the stores. We have also added new seating for viewing Jumper 2. 11. ADDITIONAL PARKING – We have expanded the parking lot on the South side of the property and moved the golf cart vendor to a different area. This greatly expands the number of parking spaces close to the barns and tents. 12. NEW FEI STABLE AREA – We have moved the FEI stabling area next to the FEI Schooling ring. The new area will have four new clear span tents with 12x12 stalls. We have reduced the number of stalls in each tent and changed the layout to allow for more room in the aisleways. Locating the tents next to the schooling ring will make the jog more convenient and easier for athletes to school their horses. 13. IMPROVED WIFI – Finally, fiber comes to the horse park! We are fortunate that Spectrum has installed fiber along Airport Boulevard so that we can replace our microwave system with a dedicated fiber line. We hope to have this work complete by the start of the season, which will improve our video service and speed up your transactions with the office/ ShowGroundsLive. REVISED AUGUST 14, 2021 | 3 the largest amount of competition space in the US, we SAFETY AND HYGEINE AT THE are uniquely positioned to provide a reasonable day for DESERT INTERNATIONAL HORSE riders and trainers. But in addition to our space, we will PARK make sure we have adequate staff, including judges, announcers, in-gate managers, stewards, ring crew, and Safety, security, and health are top of mind at the horse videographers, to add rings as needed to run classes as park every day. The fact is, during a busy week with efficiently as possible. over 2,000 horses, it feels more like I am a mayor of a city. Safety and security are paramount, but ultimately 1. REDUCED STALLS – We have reduced the number the responsibility of everyone on the property. We look of stalls available this season to cap the crowd at the forward to a great partnership with all of you on these horse park. We have no additional space to add important areas of the horse show. tents/stalls as the season progresses. 1. TIGHTER TRAFFIC CONTROL – We have 2. EXPANDED RIDING AREAS – As mentioned added a large number of traffic signs and will above, we have added another large schooling ring be closing certain roads once competition begins and lengthened the bridle path. These efforts, along to reduce the mix of cars and horses. We will with the additional schooling rings added last year, also be enforcing parking restrictions much more allow us to use the entire 239 acres of the property rigorously around the barns. for riders and horses and reduces the congestion in the warm up rings. 2. ADDITIONAL BIOSECURITY – EHV-1 is always a threat. The recent experience in Northern 3. EXTRA RINGS – We have been liberal in California is a great reminder. The USDA/USEF our adding additional rings to the schedule for have recommended hygiene procedures, including this upcoming season. We now have fourteen avoiding sharing tack and feed/water buckets. competition rings and have targeted 4:30 pm as the We appreciate if everyone would familiarize scheduled end of day in designing our schedule. themselves with these guidelines and do their best While we won’t always achieve this, it is a very to implement them. We work very closely with conscious effort to shorten the day for trainers and the CDFA, and should a situation warrant it, we riders. We have made active use of the GP arena will aggressively implement their recommended lights for this coming season, though always with an actions. early start time to any scheduled night class. 3. CURRENT COVID-19 PROTOCOLS – We 4. ACTIVE SHOW DAY MANAGEMENT – are ever so hopeful that COVID-19 continues to During Desert Circuit, the team (Skyler, Pat, and become a smaller and smaller risk to everyone. Phil) worked non-stop to actively reduce conflicts We’ll continue to publish and enforce the protocols and move classes as needed and we’ll continue that are required by relevant authorities of the to work each day to make sure the schedule runs State of California, the County of Riverside, and well. If we go late, you’ll always find us at the FEI and USEF. ring assisting to complete competition as soon as possible. 4. NEW SECURITY/CREDENTIALS – This year we will be installing a new credential and security system. We are fortunate in that most of the traffic NATIONAL SUNSHINE SERIES entering and exiting the facility is at one entrance. SCHEDULE We will be issuing unique photo IDs and will scan every person inbound and outbound. We will also Finally, we continue to evolve the competition program be installing security cameras at the entrance that at NSS to ensure it is unique, rewarding, and fun. This will coordinate with the scanning system. year we are incredibly excited to offer a number of new highlights, including: THE SHOW DAY AT DESERT 1. USHJA INTERNATIONAL HUNTER DERBY INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – We are excited to host the very first USHJA Regional There has been considerable discussion across the Championships. This class will be held in the industry this past year about show days that are too long Grand Prix Arena during the first week of NSS and facilities that are overcrowded. We have a strong with $65,000 in prize money. During the second point of view on this topic and will continue our efforts week, we’ll offer two $7,500 National Hunter to make for reasonable show days for everyone.