Area 1: Groton House Retiring

[beowulf]

http://www.grotonhousefarm.com/index.htm

A huge shout out to everyone that made GHF the destination event of Area 1. Especially Ann Getchel, her team, and her family. GHF was one of the last longest running events in this area and was absolutely an Iconic Area 1 prefix.

I will miss this event so much. I wanted to say this is another loss for Area 1, but GH and Anne owe us nothing and I am so happy to have so many good memories of this wonderful place. I wish them the best of luck in their next chapter of life.

[Larbear]

I read about GHF retiring this morning, so sad about this! I always loved this event, loved the x-country and that the show jumping was on grass.

[173north]

Wow, end of an era. Going to Groton House every summer to groom for my trainer was always the highlight of my year as a barn rat growing up in MA.

[amb]

Aww, dammit. Thanks for the posting, I got the newsletter but it was filed as spam. (Not even google wants to read about the end of GHF?)

So much for my plans for my first horse trial in a few years. Still so many good memories though.

Does any event left in Area 1 have the same kind of vibe?

[frugalannie]

Beautifully written beowulf. Groton House was my first real horse trial and I worked my way up the levels there. Ann and her team really tried to make it welcoming, challenging and fun. They succeeded IMHO. I volunteered there some and remember being blown away one year because there were two gold medal winners on course at the same time. Think of the names: Mike and Charlie Plumb, the O’Connors, Phillip Dutton, Denny Emerson, Kerry Milliken, Susie Gornall, Torrance, Steffie Baer, Mark Weissbecker, Doug Payne, anyone who wanted to be or was on The Team inn the day. I know I’ve left many out, but those are the first that come to mind.

I will miss it greatly, and salute everyone who was involved and made it happen. With sincere thanks.

[alicen]

Ooof!

[quietann]

I cried at the news. GH was the first event I volunteered at, in 2007, and set the standard for “real eventing” for me. I loved the big gallopy courses, the lack of gimmicks, and the friendliness. I continued volunteering on and off**, including the year where severe storms and flooding were predicted on Sunday, and somehow the amazing organizers and volunteers were able to get everyone through all of XC and SJ on Saturday.

When I bought my little mare in 2008, my goal was to eventually run Novice there. Maybe Training (she was wicked fast; her rider at eventing camp at Vershire got yelled at for doing their Novice course at Training+ speed.) The goal got derailed early on, but in 2017 I moved her to a barn just up the road and across the river, and once she was crossing the river comfortably, we enjoyed many long hacks there. I hope that the property will remain open for hacking, even though my mare is retired and I won’t likely be able to take advantage of it.

** Eventually, for scheduling reasons, I switched to volunteering at the Groton House Spring and Fall Classics, which have unrecognized Elementary and Beginner Novice levels. Apparently those will be continuing.
Photos from our hacks:

[frugalannie]

Sorry. I have to post this and stick in a little brag. The chestnut launching into the water with Jim Stamets is/ was my mare Hat Trick. She was very, very enthusiastic about drops!. They’re on their way to winning the division as I recall. I’m so glad to see that pic of both of them.

Saying Goodbye to the Great Groton House Farm Horse Trials

[beowulf]

@amb

Does any event left in Area 1 have the same kind of vibe?

No, I don’t think so. There was something really special about GHF. I’m so happy to hear that they will continue the summer/fall classics. But it does make me wonder about the increasing burden on farm owners to host a sanctioned event… Unrecognized is so much easier – and what does that say about USEA?

I never got to enjoy GHF as a competitor. It often had a waitlist because it was such a great event, and the few times I did make it my horse lost a shoe or abscessed. It just never lined up! I consider myself so lucky to have enjoyed GHF in other ways - I went as Stephie Baer’s groom (I saw her mentioned above), I went as a groom for my trainers and friends, and I also got my first volunteer gig there with my mom as a kid myself. A few of our young horses saw their first dip into eventing at the Classics… including one of our retirees who is now 24… Where does the time go?

One other little shout out for GHF… They host the best hunterpaces ever. I look forward to their Halloween Hunterpace more than any other pace in the area… I feel so lucky to have been able to enjoy their courses on hunter paces! I want to share some photos, but I need to ask for the photographer’s permission first.

@frugalannie Beautiful picture!! I love her expression - when I first saw the photo it made me chuckle, because that is exactly how my late gelding used to jump into water too. So ambitious! You better be holding on, or bring your scuba gear! What a nice memory and photo to have.

@quietann Lovely photos!!!

[quietann]

Awesome photo! I hope the water crossing is maintained for the BN level at the classics.

Do you happen to know when they stopped using the river crossing for the higher levels? And was it located where the current one is, down at the bottom of the big XC field used in the classics?

[quietann]

Are you still coming to the fall hunter pace? I volunteer there, too. I was traffic control on the south side of the bridge in 2021.

[beowulf]

Yes!! If it is still going, I will be there!!

[frugalannie]

Well perhaps we can all meet for lunch!

[quietann]

Yes, Myopia Hunt is still running the HP in late October/early November each year.

[TooManyTBs]

So glad to hear Myopia will continue to have the Halloween pace there. It’s always my favorite, fun jumps, great course, multiple photographers. I probably jigged past you on the bridge this year, my 22 year old was acting like he was 4 the entire ride.

[quietann]

There were a few of those! I was on the far side at the top of the hill. They got it right this time: put the bridge at the end, crossing it in the general direction of the trailers. The horses were much more willing to cross it than they were when it was at the start.

[beowulf]

Yes!! I would love this. When it gets closer to fall I will look you up (and hopefully COVID will be… a thing of past then, ugh) - thank you for volunteering there. It is the MOST special hunter pace in our area (IMHO) and it wouldn’t be possible without all the volunteers. I go every year but I don’t usually dress up - I’m always the one on a tall solid dark bay wearing all black (super identifiable, I know).

Half of the fun of going is seeing all the creative costume ideas. I loved the year that there was a whole string of mariachi band riders. One year I went and there was a woman who was a faerie (?) of some sort with HUGE wings – it was so funny seeing the warm up, which is normally packed – this lady was making a tiny parting sea of horses because so many horses were snorty at the wings. After the pace, I saw her trying to get off her horse – her wings were ripped up and muddy

I have so many fond memories of GHF… I could probably go on all day.

[frugalannie]

I haven’t volunteered at the Hunter Pace. I am at the classics though. Hoping I might get to ride a dressage test at the two phase…maybe.

[MorganMaresVT]

We’d love to see more of you up at GMHA! Hoping to see more cross-over between some of the distance riding events, hunter paces, and eventing weekends.

[TooManyTBs]

I dressed up a few times but now normally just try to look nice for the photographer. I did wear small wings one year, and made the mistake of wearing loud beads another year that nearly got me launched off in warmup. I’m on a dark bay elderly tb with a roached mane who is normally jigging/levitating/getting ponied around the warmup area so apologies if I’ve ever been a disturbance haha.