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Woodside is over - OR IS IT?

From Facebook:

“June 23, 2022

Dear Fellow Event Riders,

It is with a heavy heart that we advise that our time at the Horsepark at Woodside has come to a close. I am very sorry for those of you who have counted on these shows to operate. I know the timing is terrible with the loss of other key venues in this state and the proximity of the August event, however we have been left no choice given the short term the Horsepark has offered. To be clear our existing 8 year agreement expires in September, but as in the previous two contracts (since 2004) the term was extended and we continued to provide successful events for the community and the Horsepark at Woodside. The Horsepark management has offered to carry the agreement for one additional month to include October.

Similar to the previous two extensions, we attempted to begin discussions with the Horsepark management at the conclusion of our October event in 2021 with the hope to secure a common understanding for moving forward in January. Sadly no real progress was made and we are left without an agreement past September. These events don’t run in a vacuum. The investments made to each of these shows helps to advance the future competitions. With the current condition of the Horsepark’s cross country, we are needing to make very large investments of time and material to get the tracks to an acceptable level. While in the past we have made these long term investments, we have done so with the backing of the Horsepark through the length of time we were provided to operate.

I wish we could provide you all with the remaining August and October shows and beyond, but the Horsepark leadership limiting us to an agreement to include only these two events puts us into an impossible position. I appreciate the time we were provided by the Horsepark Board and its presidents. I am forever grateful to the 20,000 starters we have hosted throughout our 18 years time in Woodside. We could not have done so without the support from the teams we have in the office, XC/SJ design and build, show operations, competition safety, special event prep and planning, sponsorship and last but not least the amazing volunteers at Woodside. You all have been instrumental in our success.

Thank you all for the many years of unbelievable support you have provided to our efforts in eventing at Woodside. We will continue to try and locate venues to advance this sport and will focus our efforts towards those next opportunities.

Kindest regards,

Robert Kellerhouse”

:scream:

Another staple gone. How heartbreaking for that area :frowning:

It’s awful :pensive:

This doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s a Horsepark for god’s sake. What are they going to do, let it sit without any activity going on that brings in revenue?

Well all of the arenas are used for Western, hunter jumper and dressage shows as well. It seems that just the cross country needs to have a significant investment to make it viable that has to be amortized over a number of seasons, which the horse part is not willing to allow for for… Reasons unknown

Terrible news. Woodside was one of my favorite events. It was the first event I ever went to and I had a “dream” to win a woodside halter one of these days LOL. I believe we only have 4 events left in the entire state of California (Galway, Twin, RamTap (which we also almost lost) and Shepherd). This year alone we’ve lost Copper, Woodland and now Woodside :frowning:

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Yep - for me now I have a min 4 hour drive to get to an event. It’s ridiculous.

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Same! I’m in sonoma county and RamTap and Twin are now the closest venues. I wonder if the horsepark will stay open for schooling cross country … it was my understanding (and I could be wrong) that schooling was run by the horsepark with the events being run by Woodside Eventing.

I’d be nervous about the future of that place as a venue period if they aren’t willing to sign on for a decent amount of time…

Oof, and now this: http://www.horsepark.org/documents/HPEventingAnnoun6.24.22.pdf

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That really sucks…I’m around 3 hrs where I am in Ontario and 2.5 hrs to the closest schooling facility. Makes it impossible these days and now with gas prices :frowning:

So they are going to run the event themselves now?

While I don’t know the horsepark’s current director, I’ve known the board president for going on 20 years now. She is incredibly dedicated to the sport of eventing and to the horsepark. I have no inside knowledge as to what transpired between Robert and the ED/board, but if a rabbit can be pulled out of a hat and eventing continued, Eileen will make it happen.

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Knowing Steve (the Director) he will be right there pulling rabbits too.

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So the question now is - who owns the license for August and October? If the Horsepark owns the license, possibilities abound. If Woodside Eventing owns the license, it’s more complicated - a lot more!

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No idea!

Looks like Del Mar Eventing has the license (i.e. not Horsepark), assuming that didn’t change since last year.

That’s Robert Kellerhouse

Anyone driving through gates of park can see the problem first hand. No need for conjecture its obvious and in your face and under your feet.

Show people :frowning: miserable

Members unhappy :slightly_frowning_face:

Look how many scratched in May event from upper level, we were glad we just came to watch this time.

Yea she’s awesome and competes too :raised_hands:t3::smiling_face_with_three_hearts: