For Immediate Release: Monday, October 30, 2000

MORVEN PARK TO HOST
US EQUESTRIAN TEAM
AND SPRING HORSE TRIALS

Buck Davidson
 

Members of United States Equestrian Team (USET) will arrive at the Morven Park International Equestrian Center in Leesburg on Sunday, March 25, for the team's winter training session (March 25-28, 2001). The training sessions are expected to run from 8AM - 3PM each day. Olympians David and Karen O'Connor, Bruce and Buck Davidson, Mara dePuy and Nina Fout will attend the session. "This is a great opportunity to see up close what goes into the making of an Olympic competitor" said Marcia Keene, Morven Park's Director of Equestrian Events. Members of the media, horse enthusiasts and the general public are invited to attend. Admission is free, however auditors and spectators are invited to support the team by becoming a member of the USET.

The excitement mounts later in the week as Olympians and other top riders from around the country square off for the 2001 Morven Park Spring CIC ** and Advanced Horse Trials, (Friday, March 30 - Sunday, April 1). Also known as eventing, horse trials are the ultimate challenge for horse and rider testing their partnership and athleticism in three diverse disciplines - dressage, cross country jumping and stadium jumping. Penalty points are recorded resulting in a combined score for the whole trial. The lowest score wins.

270 horses are entered in the Morven Park event. The dressage phase of the competition will be held on Friday and Saturday. Stadium jumping is scheduled on Saturday in the Grand Prix Arena, and competitors will tackle the Cross Country course on Sunday. There is no charge for the Morven Park Spring Horse Trials.

Located in Leesburg, VA, Morven Park is the historic home of Virginia Governor Westmoreland Davis. Today, Morven Park is not only an historical site, but is also home to the Morven Park International Equestrian Center. One of Virginia's premier equestrian event facilities, the Center hosts competitions in many disciplines including dressage, pony club, eventing, hunter/jumpers, steeplechasing, breeding and carriage driving. Morven Park is operated in the public interest by the Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization founded to protect, preserve and promote the historic and cultural resources of Morven Park.

 

For More Information Contact:

Pamela Woolley 703-777-2890
Morven Park International Equestrian Center

Paul Draisey 540/687-3772
KBK Communications, Inc.