3 Day Event at Archer Farms to Replace Windy Wyoming in Area IX

Current site of Windy Wyoming HT. Photo courtesy of event organizers.

Current site of Windy Wyoming HT. Photo courtesy of event organizers.

Area IX has been steadily building a portfolio of events that can rival any event in the country, and the most recent attempt to do so is The 3 Day Event at Archer. Rather than develop an entirely new event, The organizers of the Event at Archer are planning to move the current recognized event, Windy Wyoming, to a better site and build upon an existing course and reputation to make something even better.

“It began as a dream to move the Windy Wyoming cross country course from Laramie to Cheyenne where the weather is better and the season a bit longer,” Says lead organizer Allison Murphy. But the goal has since shifted and grown into developing a more mature and ambitious course for Area IX which is increasingly building in entries, events, and talent. “The Event at Archer will be a very high class, forward thinking cross country course for our area.”

While Laramie and Cheyenne are only 50 miles apart, the topography is different and there is more than a 1,000 foot elevation change between the two sites, making Cheyenne a more hospitable site for events in the future. Moreover, the proposed site is part of the larger Archer Complex, the new fairgrounds for Laramie County. This will allow the event to benefit from county funds, shared use of 100+ stalls of covered and uncovered stabling, RV hookups, and two large outdoor arenas with pristine footing, among other benefits.

The proposed site of the Three Day Event at Archer. Photo courtesy of the organizers.

The proposed site of the 3 Day Event at Archer. Photo courtesy of the organizers.

The event at Archer has recruited the services of certified course designer James Atkinson of Revisionist Equestrian to bring the event up to date and add new challenges for the riders in Area IX. Atkinson has made a splash in the western United States, designing courses for Spokane Horse Trials, Skyline Eventing, the Colorado Horse Park, and more.

While some of the fences from Windy Wyoming will be making the trek to the new site, many more will be sold to raise money for all-new obstacles. “The jumps are still in decent, usable condition, but do not quite fit with our new cross country tracks,” according to Windy Wyoming’s website. An online auction will be held in the coming weeks to those interested in purchasing a jump. 

The intention is to host Intro through Training levels in 2017 and add a preliminary course in 2018. Also of great benefit to Area IX, because the course is part of a public complex, it will be much easier for barns and trainers to access the course for schooling purposes than the previous venue.

The organizers of the 3 Day Event at Archer are seeking funds to the tune of $50,000 to make their dream a reality, with the intention of hosting their first recognized event on August 26-27th, 2017.

If you’d like to donate to the cause, you can check out their GoFundMe Site. For more information, visit the Windy Wyoming website and like their brand new 3 Day Event at Archer Facebook Page.

Go Area IX, and Go Eventing!