Dirt work at the new water box. Photo via IEA website.
As event riders we tend to find venues we enjoy competing at and make a point to place events at those venues within our schedule every year. While this is a wonderful thing, we find ourselves jumping the same course with the same jumps over and over again. What most competitors do not understand when they begin to ask for new jumps is the cost involved. This cost can be very great depending on how many fences are being constructed.
One type of fence that we all enjoy, as it is a staple of running cross country, is the water jump. Almost every competitor looks forward to the question at the water, and usually the photographer stands there as well. A good water box can make or break a course, and the presence of more than one, or one that offers many options, is a welcome component for course designers and competitors.
The Indiana Eventing Association holds a wonderful event every year at the Hoosier Horse Park. IEA is an organization that has members from all over the state of Indiana and offers year-end awards, clinics and other shows along with the recognized horse trials. The IEA Horse Trials hosts Beginner Novice through Intermediate/Preliminary levels and is also one of the few events in the country to offer the Novice and Training Classic Three-Day.
Concept drawing of new water box. Drawing by Tim Foley.
Beginning in 2014, IEA began to raise money in order to construct a new water complex at the Hoosier Horse Park, which is home to the IEA Horse Trials as well as Penny Oaks Horse Trials. This new water jump, designed and constructed by course builder Jon Wells, will become a part of the course in addition to the already existing water box and will offer many more options for questions throughout the levels.
With two peninsulas, offering two- and three-stride options, as well as straightforward up/down banks and trot ins and outs, this new complex will be a very exciting addition to the courses for these two horse trials.
Unfortunately due to where the water complex is being placed, the cost for the jump ended up being greater than originally anticipated. Lee Ann Zobbe said that the area had to be excavated multiple times in order to keep vegetation from sprouting back up into the designated area for the box itself.
Between this unexpected cost and the harsh winter that affected the Hoosier Horse Park, the dirt work itself became more expensive than anticipated. IEA estimates that an additional $25,000 needs to be raised to fund the completion of this new complex.
This complex will be located near the warm-up and big Pan Am bank complex, which always offers good questions and will make it an exciting area for spectators, as they can see the start/finish along with two influential questions on the course while standing in one location. The thick trees which used to separate the warm-up from the bank complex have also been cleared to allow unobstructed viewing from the warm-up.
Concept drawing of the new water complex. Completed by Tim Foley.
Monica Foley, head of fundraising for IEA, is hopeful about finding donors and funds for this jump. She said that IEA has several exciting opportunities coming up to help with raising the remaining funds.
There will be a 50/50 raffle held during the IEA Horse Trials (May 28-31) which is still accepting entries for both the Classic Three-Day divisions and Horse Trial divisions through May 12. This horse trial will also be a wonderful opportunity for competitors to see what has been done thus far with construction and where the jump will be located.
IEA is also hosting an Event Derby at the Hoosier Horse Park on July 26 with all proceeds going towards the funding for this complex. The derby will be held by the current water box and will incorporate both cross country and show jumping obstacles.
There are also sponsorship opportunities available for those interested in making a donation. There are four packages available at different sponsorship levels; all donations are tax-deductible. With the prime location of the new water complex, this is an excellent advertising opportunity. Information about the specific packages and how to donate can be found here on the official IEA website.
Current Picture of the New Complex. Photo via IEA Website.
Course builder Jon Wells said he hopes to make it back to Hoosier in June to continue constructing the new complex. If the fundraising is successful, Monica said they hope to finish the box in time for fall schooling opportunities. IEA would like for the new complex to make its official debut at the 2016 IEA Horse Trials and Classic Three-Day Event. This event will also showcase the businesses and individuals who have helped make this new complex possible.
The Hoosier Horse Park is a fantastic eventing venue in the midwest, and this addition would continue to improve the quality of courses throughout this part of the country. The Indiana Eventing Association has gone through great lengths to continue to improve the education of riders through their clinics, events and seminars at the classic series event; now let’s help them improve their courses. Click here to donate via PayPal.
Go Eventing.
IEA Links: Website, Horse Trials, Water Complex Donations
