If you’re in or around central Florida this Thanksgiving weekend, organizers of the new Ocala Jockey Club Three-Day Event are hoping you’ll want to take part in a new tradition. Eventers will compete in CCI1*, CCI2*, and CIC3* divisions from November 24-27 at the Ocala Jockey Club in an event designed to appeal to spectators.
The Ocala Jockey Club, which is located north of Ocala in the town of Reddick, is a 950-acre venue where racehorses and event horses are trained. The facility also hosts weddings and special events, but the OJC3DE is the first major equestrian sport event at the venue. The organizers are ambitious, hoping to add a CIC 4* in the future. Presently there are only six four-star events in the world, and only one—the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event—held in North America.
This year’s event begins on Thanksgiving day with dressage from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday will be a spectator highlight with cross-country running all day along with Pony Club President’s Cup Games. Spectators will also be able to take advantage of the many vendors on site, some of which will be running Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sales.
Eventing fans will recognize many of the horses and riders scheduled to compete at this inaugural event. 2016 U.S. Olympic team member Boyd Martin is bringing three horses. Buck Davidson, a member of U.S. team for the 2014 World Equestrian Games has four potential horses on the list. Fan favorites Allison Springer and Arthur are one of many Rolex veterans signed up for the CIC3*.
Find out if your favorite horse-and-rider pair will be there, plus get more scheduling and ticketing info at ojc3de.com.
Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com
Leslie Potter is a graduate of William Woods University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Equestrian Science with a concentration in saddle seat riding and a minor in Journalism/Mass Communications. She is currently a writer and photographer in Lexington, Ky. Potter worked as a barn manager and riding instructor and was a freelance reporter and photographer for the Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar and Saddle Horse Report before moving to Lexington to join Horse Illustrated as Web Editor from 2008 to 2019. Her current equestrian pursuits include being a grown-up lesson kid at an eventing barn and trail riding with her senior Morgan gelding, Snoopy.
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