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Thanks for another superb year!


The 2009 Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival concluded four weeks of competition this past weekend with two showcase events that drew some 1,100 spectators.

On Saturday, big crowds turned out for the Dressage Musical Freestyle Competiton. Sunday afternoon, another crowd gathered to enjoy Team Elmer’s vs. Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel in the second annual Polo by the Bay competition. After a very close, high scoring game, Turtle Creek won, 12-10.

Spectators came out in a festive spirit, many bringing picnic baskets and blankets to spread out on the grassy hill overlooking the Grand Prix Ring. Spectators were also able to take part in the second annual hat contest, which awarded ribbons and prizes to participants in the categories of Best Team Elmer's Spirit, Best Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel Spirit, Most Over the Top, and Silliest Hat. And, the VIP tent featured a fundraiser benefiting the Munson Medical Center Volunteers and a new Cancer Center.


(Photos credit of Joe Senchuk. JMPstudio.net)

Congrats and thank you!


Among the dozens of winners and hundreds of competitors throughout the festival, a few merit mentioning one more time:

The biggest winners of the Festival were the Grand Prix and Hunter Derby winners, so one more hat’s off to Ali Wolff, Addison Phillips, Kyle King, and Patricia Griffith!

Traverse City resident Colleen Haveman rode to the win in the FEI Intermediaire I this past Saturday aboard her gelding Warello. Haveman rides out of Orchard View Stable, just 20 minutes outside of TC.

Along with the polo match, Dressage by the Bay concluded on Sunday, with the overall highest score of the in-hand classes of 78.2 percent awarded to Idolo Americano, owned by Hampton Green Farm of Wellington, FL and Fruitport, MI. Idolo Americano, a USPRE stallion was handled by Tom Reed.

A special thank you to Traverse City’s Betsy Van Dyke, an experienced dressage competitor who gave several demonstrations throughout the festival and treated crowds with her talent and presentation.

Thank you also to all of our Blue Ribbon Business partners and all local businesses that helped make 2009 another record-setting year and a great place to spend time for all of our competitors.

2010 Details!

It might only be August 2009, but we're already well underway with some plans for next year!

Dressage by the Bay will be featured from July 8 - 10 as a two-show USDF rated event; the hunter/jumpers will make a return for three weeks starting July 14 and then the season will culminate with the production of the 2010 Great American USDF Region 2 Dressage Championships where hundreds of the Midwest's best will be in attendance from September 8 - 12. An even bigger year than 2009 awaits!