US Equestrian Opens Bid Process for Week 10 of the 2023-2027 Eventing Calendar

[tnf007]

Posted at 1:37 pm today - and discuss…

Lexington, Ky. – A bid process opened on Thursday, October 20 for Week 10 of the 2023-2027 U.S. Eventing Calendar. This week is vacant on the calendar due to an event cancellation. The criteria is for one event to host the Advanced level in Area 3 on Week 10 for 2023-2027.

The bid process will be conducted in accordance with the [2023-2027 U.S. Eventing Calendar CCI4*-L, CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L & Advanced Policies and Procedures] The bidding will be open for two weeks and close on Thursday, November 3 at 5 p.m. ET. The applications will be reviewed by the Eventing Strategic Calendar Task Force who will make a recommendation to the Eventing Sport Committee. Final approval is given by the Board of Directors.

[Bensmom]

It will be interesting to see who submits a bid. Of course, we won’t know anything but the winning bid, as the process is kept secret. Guess the reveal will be sometime in mid-November.

[tnf007]

I must have hit my head one too many times - isn’t Week 10 the very same week Red Hills was scheduled for? In Area III? Offering CCI 2* / 3* / 4* and Advanced for 20 some years? And now USEF is asking for another venue to step up and offer the same levels - in FL / Area III? What venue? Who is actually left in Area III that would have those courses and the wherewithal to put another date into the calendar at this time? Who is left out there? Is someone else moving into Red Hills date now that they were essentially forced off the calendar? Please explain

[Highflyer1]

I think USEF is looking for a venue to run only the national levels ad that Red Hills felt they would run at a loss without the FEI divisions.

[Bensmom]

Actually, it’s the A and 2*, 3* too. And essentially, yes, Red Hills has run on that date for eons and therefore the “new and improved calendar” being designed without a 4* there was designed to keep Red Hills from running a 4*. You can see by the language for week 11, which called for a 4* “in southern area 2 or Area 3” and which is Carolina’s traditional date, it was set to be a date for Carolina.

The buzz going around that there is a group that wants to “save” red hills indicates that it was considered an important venue but not with a 4*. It was made clear to USEF that we couldn’t just move to another week because of the availability of our course designer and the City’s recreational department schedule.

So, it’s open to anyone else now that wants to do it. I’m certain there are a number of venues that can put it together in time. Stable view, Chatt, TN - all are places that have their infrastructure in place already. Red Hills was the last venue run on a place where you have to build the venue from almost the ground up every year. Stable View has been patiently waiting to get a Feb/March date for years, according to its owner. Now maybe it can.

Or maybe WEC will try to grab it. They don’t have a course or venue yet but you can build a venue from the ground up with enough energy and funding.