Traverse City, Mich. – Oct. 23, 2019 – The Traverse City Horse Shows, LLC team is thrilled to reveal that it will be adding four more weeks of FEI competition in Traverse City in 2020! With the addition of the Traverse City Spring Horse Show, which will be held June 9 – 21, 2020, the total summer schedule will feature eight weeks of thrilling equestrian action. The popular Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by Captive One Advisors, LLC, will follow, taking place for six back-to-back weeks July 1 – August 9, 2020. Growing from four FEI-rated weeks of riding in 2019, the 2020 circuit will proudly showcase international classes during all eight weeks, offering a perfect and unmatched opportunity for exhibitors to earn valuable FEI ranking points while limiting travel ahead of the indoor and winter seasons.
“We are so thankful to have been able to expand the show enormously in recent years, and I am excited that our new addition of two weeks to the schedule will allow for more people to experience all of the great things we have here in Traverse City for even longer. To have eight weeks of FEI competition is a feat for any show, and we are very proud to have been awarded that status for almost the entire summer,” commented show organizer Matt Morrissey of Traverse City Horse Shows, LLC. “The benefit this will provide for exhibitors and their horses is immeasurable as it will allow them to compete in one location for an extended period of time, reducing the costs and difficulties associated with continued travel. We are already looking forward to welcoming back our return exhibitors and hope to see some new faces in 2020, as well.”
The Traverse City Spring Horse Show will highlight CSI2* competition during both of its weeks, followed by four more weeks touting a CSI2* rating during GLEF. The final two weeks of GLEF will feature the prestigious CSI3* rating. Additionally, hunter competitors can look forward to a World Champion Hunter Rider week during the second week of the GLEF series, plus a $25,000 USHJA International Derby during Week IV and national derbies all eight weeks. In the equitation ring, Weeks II, III, IV and V of GLEF will highlight Equitation Tuesdays and Week IV will host the second Dudley B. Smith Equitation Championship.
One of the staple summer shows in the Midwest, GLEF attracts national and international competitors from multiple continents to participate in its summer circuit, and that number is sure to grow thanks to the new dates. A popular summer destination for both equestrians and non-equestrians alike, Traverse City offers plenty of dining and shopping options while the surrounding area is prime for outdoor activities to take advantage of the perfect mild climate. Due to growing demand, lodging in and around Traverse City will fill up quickly, so make sure to reserve your accommodations as soon as possible. For individual accommodations, please visit traversecity.bookdirect.net. For large group accommodations (8+ guest rooms or more), please call or email Beth Hobbs with Traverse City Tourism at 231-995-3912 or beth@traversecity.com.
With Traverse City Horse Shows, LLC at the helm, GLEF has continually grown in popularity and status since its inception. The show now operates across six rings, each complete with new GGT all-weather footing, and prior to the 2018 shows the venue also saw the construction of new hospitality spaces for exhibitors and guests, which provided optimal viewing of ongoing classes. Adding further allure to the seasonal competition, the show is enhanced by an elegant VIP area and picturesque setting.
The Traverse City Horse Sows, LLC team hopes you consider joining them for a fun and competitive eight weeks of competition in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan, at the 2020 Traverse City Spring Horse Show and Great Lakes Equestrian Festival!
For more information, please visit greatlakesequestrianfestival.com.
