In ten years, The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana, continues to exceed all expectations. A record 503 competitors will take part in this year's triathlon competition which takes place July 21-24, says Rebecca Farm. On July 19, 2011, Air Horse One touched down at Glacier International Airport with some of the world's finest athletes on board.
Horses and riders fly in
Just before noon yesterday, the 747 based out of Lexington, Ky, safely delivered nineteen of the 28 horses flying in to take part in NW Montana's premier equine event this weekend. The plane, operated by First Class Equine Air Travel and affectionately called Air Horse One, also ferried in top riders including, Olympic Gold Medalist, Phillip Dutton, competing on Ben, and three-time Olympian, Karen O'Connor, who will ride Veronica.
At its inaugural event in 2002, The Event attracted 150 competitors and established the beginnings of a legacy. Two years later, the competition became a USEF and USEA recognized Gold Cup Series and a Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Cup Eventing competition. This year, Rebecca Farm has done it again. The largest equestrian triathlon in the US will host 503 participants and serve as a selection trial for the 2012 London Olympics. And it all stemmed from one woman's dream.
Though the dream was realized, the matriarch of The Event, Rebecca Broussard, lost a courageous battle with cancer in December of last year. In a press release issued by Rebecca Farm on July 18, Event organizer and Rebecca's daughter, Sarah Broussard Kelly, said, "The Event was my mother's passion and dream."
Rebecca Broussard: A Celebration of Life
Rebecca, (Becky to those who knew her), may not be at the helm this year, but her legacy remains intact and duly honored. Today, ahead of the competition, a Celebration of Life for Rebecca will be held at the Farm. "She believed in helping riders at all levels, but especially wanted to see the U.S. at the top of international Eventing competitions," said Kelly, so, "my parents developed The Event to be a platform for riders to move onward to international competition. What we see today was my mother's vision from the start and represents the ongoing legacy of that giving spirit."
This past spring, in remembrance of Becky, the Broussard family launched The Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant, which provides a $250,000 fund through the US Eventing Association Endowment Trust, for developing riders successfully competing at the advanced level. Helping talented riders was one dream of Becky's, the other was attracting the best riders and equines in North America. She succeeded there, too.
Attracting the best, took the best, along with a good dose of Montanan hospitality
Riders have had nothing but good to say about the hospitality and facilities at Rebecca Farm. Olympian, Karen O'Conner, who won The Event last year, said, "I have been competing internationally for two decades across 27 countries and I've seen it all. This venue that the Broussard family brought to fruition from crop fields ten years ago is the best venue I have ever been to in the world."
Capt. Mark Phillips, coach to the US Olympic Eventing team, designed Rebecca Farm's cross-country course and sees the facility as a unique entity quite, "Unlike most other courses in the world," he said, with fences more like, "a work of art than they are a horse jump."
The Event, July 21-24
The horses and riders are now in place with The Event officially opening tomorrow and running for four days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., each day. Thursday, July 21 is dressage at all FEI Levels and National Horse Trial Levels. On Friday, July 22, dressage continues along with the start of the cross-country phase at National Horse Trials Novice and Training Levels. Saturday, July 23, the cross-country phase continues with Sunday July 24, capping off The Event with all levels of the show jumping phase followed by the Awards ceremony.
To access Rebecca Farm, from the junction of Highways 93 & 2, travel 2 miles north on Highway 93 to West Reserve Drive and go west 2 miles to Springcreek Road, then south on Springcreek. The entrance is 3/4 mile on the right. Admission is free for spectators and a trade fair and concessions will be available throughout the event.
Visitors are urged to dress accordingly. Thursday is expected to be 74° with scattered thunderstorms. Friday, 73° with a 40% chance of showers; Saturday, mostly sunny and 82° and Sunday, 89° with full sun. For further details, visit Rebecca Farm online at Rebeccafarm.org or see, "Rebecca Farm: The Event – World-Class Triathlon Enters Tenth Year."
Elizabeth Batt - Elizabeth Batt is a former large animal nurse, certified NREMT, lover of equines and conservationist.
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