OCALA JOCKEY CLUB
The 4th annual Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day
Event is set to run from November 14th to 17th at the
950-acre Ocala Jockey Club farm in Reddick, Florida. This
year’s Event has the distinction as serving as a qualifying
competition for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the only
qualifier for eventing in the South East. If Tokyo is a little far
to go to watch world-class competition, the Ocala Jockey
Club is much more accessible. The scenery is breathtaking,
with the cross country competition weaving its way through
Spanish-moss laden oak trees and rolling hills unexpected in
the Florida landscape.
The “equine triathlon” competition showcasing dressage,
show jumping and cross-country segments ridden by the
same horse-rider combination teams over the course of
multiple days has already become a popular destination.
It won the 2018 Florida Sports Foundation’s Small Market
Event of the Year award. The prepared galloping tracks
have gained reputation among riders as having some of
the best footing in the country, if not in the world. “The
OJC is a real destination event with a true international
feel. It’s a world class facility with spectacular viewing
and entertainment for spectators and owners,” said World
Championship veteran and Pan American Games Team
Gold medalist Lynn Symansky. “It’s an event I look forward
to bringing my horses to every year; great atmosphere and
courses on beautiful rolling terrain. The OJC does a fantastic
job putting on a top-class event.”
There will be four FEI levels of competition, with newly reassigned
star system’s designations CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L, and the
Olympic qualifying levels CCI4*-S and CCI4*-L. Each of the
levels also features special recognition and prizes for young
horses and off-track Thoroughbreds. There is also a special
INTERNATIONAL
3-DAY
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Event Preview
As parts of the country already start to get blanketed in cold and snow, horse
lovers have an opportunity to follow their favorite eventing stars into the sunny
and warm Florida November weather, to the picturesque Ocala Jockey Club’s
award-winning signature event. The status of the 2019 event being an Olympic
qualifier just adds an extra reason to being there live this year.
Katherine Coleman and Monte Classico,
winners of the 2018 CCI3*
Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo Team
new program supporting young riders’ development,
called the MARS Bromont Rising due to its inaugural unveiling
running at the 2019 MARS Bromont Event. It provides an
opportunity for 10 American or Canadian under-25 riders to
earn a $3,000 grant to train for and compete at the Ocala
Jockey Club International 3-Day Event. The training portion
will run at Mardanza Farms, the winter training center of a
top eventing rider, Sara Kozumplik-Murphy.
Marion County has earned its’ designation as the “Horse
Capital of the World” due to the number of horses of various
breeds residing within the county. There are certainly
plenty of horse events of all shapes and sizes in Marion
County, yet the Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day
Event is one of the few international-caliber equestrian
competitions in the area capable of drawing top talent
along with a festival experience that makes it a fun weekend
outing for the entire family. This potential has already
been recognized with the support of the Marion County
Visitors and Conventions Bureau and other corporate sponsor
partners.
The quality of the cross country course design is an important
element that needs to balance rider and horse safety
with sufficient eye-popping jumps and challenging questions
to properly prepare for international competitions.
Mike Etherington-Smith, the former head of British Eventing
and cross country for the Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008
Olympic Games, will again collaborate on the CCI4*-S *
and CCI4*-L courses with Clayton Fredericks, a Silver Olympic
medalist and former Canadian eventing team coach,
who is also designing the CCI2*-L and CCI3*-L courses at
the Ocala Jockey Club Event. The sprawling 950-acre Ocala
Jockey Club’s picturesque setting provides a premier yet
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