Five years ago, Area IX rallied together to fill their Eventing calendar when the Colorado Horse Park cancelled their horse trials. However, after years without one of the area’s significant facilities, the horse trials at the Colorado Horse Park are back up and running with the new Bayou Gulch Horse Trials, thanks to the new ownership of Singletree Equestrian LLC.
After a few years after the last event at the Colorado Horse Park, Bayou Gulch Horse Trials is bringing eventing back! Photo from the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials Facebook page.
The Area IX community has rallied once again in making massive efforts to reorganize and prepare for their first horse trial back this season, during an original date on the Colorado Horse Park schedule of August 3 and 4th, 2024, which Spring Gulch had filled in the Horse Park’s absence.
Heather McWilliams, registered organizer of the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials, has spearheaded a team of dedicated committee members (including Organizing Committee members Kristi Radosevich, Kristin Hardy, and Autumn Sorensen and Fundraising Committee members Britany Chism, Kayce Douglass, Carleigh Fedorka, Kristin Hardy, Heather McWilliams, and Autumn Sorensen), as well as volunteers, and community members to ensure a successful return that benefits the community as a whole. “We couldn’t do this without the support of our amazing volunteers and supporters,” Heather says. “So many people – nationwide – have memories of being at the Horse Park… so many people have given back to show their appreciation of those memories. From volunteering to revamp the cross country jumps to engaging on our Facebook page while sharing memories, the community has come together and united under having [the horse trials at the Park] back.”
Volunteers help to restore the cross country course prior to the first event back in August. Photo from the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials website.
“Footing can be a challenge out in Colorado, as it tends to be quite hard. However, the Horse Park can handle through Intermediate, which we don’t have many facilities nearby that can,” Heather says. “We plan to continue adding levels every year as we build back. We have plenty of fun terrain, interesting features, and older jumps to play with that can make these courses so exciting.”
Although Heather has only been eventing since 2011, she was addicted from the first go. “I am drawn to the partnership with the horse and the horsemanship that it takes, the perseverance to keep getting better at all of the small and large details, the tenacity it takes to keep showing up in spite of the challenges, and of course the people that Event that all encourage each other whether you know them or not, because we each know how hard it is!” Heather says. “The giving of time, treasure, and talents is an important value to my family, so being a part of this venture is just being a part of supporting the Eventing community as a whole.”
The eventing community has come together to make this a successful project, and are continuing to work to develop the vision further. Photo from the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials website.
“The plan for this season is to see these Starter – Modified courses sprinkled throughout Bayou Gulch. And I hope to see so many people thrilled to be there, making a thing of it to be there, and just enjoying and celebrating being back this year,” Heather says.
Moving forward, the Bayou Gulch Committee plans to see a new course, and a new division added each year. In spirit to what drew her to Eventing in the first place, the hope is to nurture an event space that is community oriented — “These spaces can bring in people not directly involved in equestrian sports to see a piece of our industry. By creating a community oriented event, with jumping castles, food festivals, an opportunity to pet a horse that just came through the finish flags, and more, we can bring people in to promote this sport and our horses in a location that is booming with the development of Parker and Denver.”
While the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials committees, volunteers, and community as a whole have worked hard to create a successful event, support from the larger Eventing community will help them continue to prepare for this year, and years moving forward. The Bucks for Bayou Benefit is coming up on April 13th, and will include an online auction. Donations are being accepted for these efforts, and are tax deductible. Additionally, there are sponsorship slots still available, as presenting and title sponsors – contact the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials for more information.
