Red Hills Rolling Out Course Changes for 20th Anniversary Event

Red Hills co-organizers Jane Barron and Marvin Mayer with CIC3* course designer Mike-Etherington Smith. Photo by Shems Hamilton/Red Hills.

The countdown is on to Red Hills International Horse Trials, the first CIC3* of the U.S. season set to kick off March 9-11 in Tallahassee, Florida. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary year, Red Hills has grown to become a destination event. Red Hills draws about 15,000 spectators to Elinor Klapp Phipps Park each year and boasts a $5 million economic impact on the local community.

In 2018 spectators and competitors alike will be treated to a revamped cross country course running in reverse from previous years. CIC3* course designer Mike Etherington-Smith and CIC2*/CIC1* course designer David O’Connor have also re-routed portions of the track to mix things up.

Course builder Tyson Rementer and his team have added a beautiful new coffin to the course, which will be used for the CIC3*, CIC2* and CIC1* tracks. Zoysia sod was rolled on top of the raw dirt during the coffin’s construction process to provide optimum footing for take-off and landing.

The new coffin. Photo courtesy of Red Hills.

A total of 39 combinations are entered to contest the CIC3*, which will serve as the first major competition on the 2018 calendar for U.S. and Canadian combinations as we look ahead to the World Equestrian Games at Tryon. Click here to view the entry list.

The action starts Friday, March 9 with dressage for all divisions. Both show jumping and cross country will take place for the CIC3* on Saturday, March 10, along with cross country for all other divisions. Sunday, March 11 will feature show jumping for all remaining divisions. Click here for the full schedule.

Tickets for spectators can be purchased on the Red Hills website. Scroll down for a bonus photo gallery of preparations on the cross country course courtesy of photographer extraordinaire Shems Hamilton. Go Eventing.