A smaller venue in Iowa City but had 180 competitors last year and was planning 2 HT’s this year, this is yet another blow for Area 4. They just put in a bunch of permanent stalls. They will be open for schooling only.
I am so sad about this, but Susan has made the right decision for herself and her family. I will miss the event and seeing the excitement of kids and adults as they arrived. Lots of great memories and commentaries on the Facebook page.
:eek: :no: Now I’m down to 2 events in a 3 hr radius that I want to go to, actually maybe only one. Since they started in 2007, I believe only 2 new events have opened in area IV, and at least that many have closed. I need to win the lottery so I can buy the 80 acres I’ve been eyeing and build a horse park.
1 Like
We have 2 in KC which is unheard of, Queeny which is 4 hours away, Feather creek is 6+, KHP is 8 hours, Texas Rose 8-9 hours, Dunnabeck is one I want to do but they have cancelled the past 2 years, No more Robeke.
You actually have three HTs in the Greater Kansas City area, the two at Longview, first and last on the Area IV Calendar, plus the MACTA event at Heritage Park in Olathe. The three Otter Creek shows are about 7 1/2 hours from KC while Silverwood & Fox River Valley are both about 8 hours away.
Have to agree, though, that Area IV is spread out unlike Area V, which has the majority of its shows within four hours of Dallas!
I am bummed that there was no public outreach regarding help to keep their events running. There are a healthy number of eventers in the Iowa area who I think would have pitched in if it meant keeping this great event going 
1 Like
From my experience, the presence or otherwise of volunteers or help from the Area has little or no effect on an Organizer’s decision to cease holding competitions. Prime in my experience is that the kids no longer want to do it or have moved on (literally), then other similar family issues, retirement, burn out and right on down to covering up doubtful financial practices (don’t ask).
2 Likes
Well, in hindsight, they probably picked a good year to close.
2 Likes
Boy isn’t that the truth!
1 Like
The good news is that Mill Creek, the traditional Area IV Opening HT, was cancelled but now has a new date of July 25th & 26th. They will also be rescheduling XC Schoolings at Longview too.
1 Like
Late to this conversation, but anyone who followed Catalpa’s FB page would have seen regular requests for volunteer help. But managing volunteers is a big job too–that’s no panacea. And there’s a limit to what kind of tasks you can farm out to vols. You generally can’t (safely!) hand off the tasks that require operating dangerous equipment, for example skidloaders to move big elements of the obstacles, or chainsaws to take care of fallen trees.
As a volunteer there, I will definitely miss the trials, it was always fun and they took great care of us vols. They’re good peeps!
I think I went there 5 years in a row and last year they even bumped up the numbers. Begging for volunteers is EVERY HT. It came out of nowhere as they just put in 50 perm stalls. I’m not sure they had been mulling this over for very long. I have come up there for a weekend and painted jumps. Lovely people.
Queeny is going to be dicey this year as it has been pushed back to hopefully Aug. I like Queeny!
Yes, each year Catalpa seemed to get bigger, glad some of you got to enjoy it for awhile. I competed there once, volunteered the rest of the time. My comment was simply reacting to the idea that that maybe it wouldn’t have closed if only they had asked for volunteers. That wasn’t the issue in this case; there was a serious safety incident that led to the decision, not something planned in advance, nor something that a few more fence painters and jump judges could solve. No matter what, a loss to the sport. It was a great place.
There’s been several changes to both HT venues and dates in Area 35 (Areas IV, V & eastern IX).
Mill Creek was May 9/10 now July 25/26
Spring Gulch was May 16/17 now August 8/9
Holly Hill was April 18/19 now May 23/24
Colorado Horse Park replaced by The Event at Archer, Cheyenne, WY on May 29-31
Queeny Park was June 13/14 now August 8/9
If there are any more I’ll post them on my website or FB page.
1 Like
Updating this happily. Not sure what has changed but Catalpa is doing a recognized this summer. Not sure if the doors are fully open but we will take what we can get. @GrayCatFarm
7 Likes
Not sure either. Did get a chance to watch Susan school her homebred Abby at a recent clinic, but that was before the announcement that the venue would be open. They just obtained approval this week, and she is engaging a different course designer and stadium designer. Someone else is coming in April to building some new natural obstacles and inventory what is already there. I am excited because this year I think I will actually show.
1 Like
