While the logistics were very complicated, they were VERY well executed and my hat is off to the organizers, DJ, JR and crew for safely and efficiently getting us from the staging area to the arena. It was actually relaxing not to have to drive into the city and many hands made light work of schlepping the equipment. Perhaps the times have moved on from performing in those challenging venues, but my charges always jumped well in front of an appreciative audience and we made many new friends out on the sidewalk.
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As a DC area resident, I am sad to see it leave the city. I understand that while it’s easier for the competitors, moving it to PG makes it more like a regular horse show and less, well, special. Having horses in the Nation’s capital was a nice way to introduce the sport to people who would never come in contact with horses otherwise. I loved the write-ups in the Post and other area newspapers. As a spectator, I loved having my choice of restaurants and hotels around.
PG County is PG County. Not exactly a destination location for spectators (and a heck of a long haul for me).
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Yeah, I do wonder about the negative effect it will have on tourism for DC. Compared to the hockey and other sports in DC it was pocket change in spectators, but for a lot of people it was the first time they saw a horse that wasn’t a police horse or a mini at the fair up close. I actually had several people who took lessons because they saw horses downtown and thought it looked fun. None of them took up the sport long term, but the fact that they at least came and experienced them I’m sure gave them more appreciation for the horses. And if my relatively tiny program saw a few, then I’m sure there were a lot more at other larger, closer stables to DC.
However, DC is just a nightmare to navigate as it is so I can’t imagine with a horse trailer. There’s other cities that have and do pull off a similar show, and I think it should be encouraged as it’s good outreach to the public that wouldn’t necessarily ever encounter horses. Miami Beach was an excellent example, and it was extremely accessible to the general public. The one done in 2015? In Central Park was done well too. It would be nice to see our organizations try to push for these sort of ‘outreach’ shows more.
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They had a substantial segment on the local (DC region) news about the show moving back to the DC area and especially PG county with PG county reps making statements about the positive impact it might have. It will be a good money maker for the area surrounding the Showplace arena, which certainly needs it more than downtown DC. Hopefully there can be some outreach to riders of all disciplines and levels in the area.
In my view, there is not much cooler for a horse person interested in jumping to get off the Metro downtown to watch a class under the lights of the Capital One arena, but the Showplace arena is really nice, especially when they put great footing in there and beautiful jumps!
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I totally agree. Everyone involved with the logistics of the horse show did their utmost to make it a well-run destination event and they made it as human-friendly and horse-friendly as was possible within the space. I think the horses ought to win out on this one and I think they’ll be happy to be at PG, but I will certainly miss taking my Caps-loving husband to watch the Gambler’s Choice in the one venue where our sports ever occupied the same arena!
It is also true that one cannot braid a few, then walk around the corner to get a venti red-eye at Starbucks at PG, then be back in time to braid a few more. The food truck suggestion upthread was a good one, but a 24-hour coffee bar would be an improvement too. 
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My understanding is that if you showed at WIHS, you actually trailered into PG Equestrian Center. There were stalls at both PG Equestrian Center and downtown. Then the horse show shuttled your horse from PG to downtown and back. Even if you wanted to, you didn’t have the option of trailering into downtown yourself. And no way you could do WIHS solo, since you needed at a minimum two people - one to be with the horses at PG, and one to be with the horse downtown.
I’m sure there were quite a few people each year who wondered why they couldn’t just stay at PG and show there…
That is correct regarding the shipping arrangements. It would be possible to do it solo if you just had one or two horses that went in and out of the city on the same schedule. But the whole process was a pretty big logistical challenge.
Between the third-party shipping, the stalls on the street in the city, the extremely limited warm-up area, and the crazy hours when you could only get into the ring to school in the middle of the night, it was less than ideal.
Interesting, though someone still had to drive the horses through there. Not an enviable job!
Logistically the whole thing seems just way over complicated.
The commercial shipping company that did it would start the day with a whole row of tractor trailers lined up at PGEC, and they would spend the day running in and out of the city with horses and equipment. Off the top of my head, I would guess they had probably 12-15 rigs that just kept going all day until they ran out of horses.
Then a day or two later, they would do the whole process again, taking out the horses that were done showing and bringing in the ones that were doing the next divisions on the schedule. It was quite a project.
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I pulled up a few pictures from my phone to give everyone a little bit of an idea of what the shuttle service and the downtown site entailed. These are from a few years ago, but it was basically the same every year.
So, yes, end of an era and all that. But the new location will be much easier on the horses. Not to mention the people.
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Thanks for sharing those photos!
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I have a cool.pic of me leading one of ours down the sidewalk, but I’ll have to post it in the am
We did WIHS the first year it was downtown. What a nightmare! We had to trailer our own horses in, that was an experience. There was no fencing around the street stalls so the first morning everyone’s stuff had been riffled through and a lot of stuff was missing. Stall aisles so narrow that you could barely get the stall door all the way open. You couldn’t have a tack trunk, feed or anything else at your stall (see above), so that was all in a central area in the tent. It got better in subsequent years, but was still a major headache. Then, trainers had to have two sets of staff; one downtown and another at PG to take care of all the horses. Lots of back and forth between venues to get horses worked and schooled before they came downtown.
I think WIHS was great for spectators and exhibitors downtown, but was awful for the “worker bees” at the show. PG will be so much better for the horses and staff. It should also save the show a ton of money.
Maybe WIHS can arrange some buses to shuttle spectators from downtown out to PG the nights of the big classes?
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I can see why it is a better location for horses, riders and grooms. I do think, however, that it is a shame when an urban horse show goes because it does bring horses and equestrian sport to a new audience and because such shows have a totally unique atmosphere. The Global Champions Tour makes a feature of putting on shows in unique locations.
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I haven’t seen the books, but I believe they have a very different business model from most horse shows.
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@MHM. Those pics remind me of the National horse show when it was at the Garden. Good times. Sad when these venues go away, but it is better for the horses
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At least at the Garden, most of the stalls were inside the building, so you did not have to navigate down the sidewalk with the horse between pedestrians on the way to the show ring.
If I recall correctly, there was at least one year at the Garden when there was a tent on the street with some stalls in it, but I think maybe that was just for the Maclay on Sunday. And I believe the tent was right at the foot of the ramp into the building.
The Garden was so special, though. Somewhere I have pictures of tuxedos on not just the judges, but also the person on the tractor who was dragging the ring. And I vividly remember two of the farriers wearing tuxedos for the evening classes as well. I hope they did not actually have to nail any shoes on in that attire. Lol.
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Yes tuxedos and gowns all over at the Garden. Saw our vet there one night in a tux!
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I was too young to ever experience it (and on the wrong coast) but I’ve heard many stories from those who did attend. It sounded absolutely magical. It’s too bad it ended.
