Faithful Sponsors Return to the Vermont Summer Festival

Equestrian-inspired businesses as well as popular Vermont-area supporters have once again come together to sponsor the Vermont Summer Festival running from July 2 through August 11, 2019, at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

Feed and hay suppliers Eastern Hay and Purina Horse Feed, local accommodations including The Equinox Resort and Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester, as well as Johnson Horse Transportation, Land Rover Experience, Rood & Riddle, and the World Equestrian Center top the list of 2019 sponsors. Thanks to the generous support from its sponsors, the 2019 Vermont Summer Festival is once again New England’s largest hunter/jumper competition and the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont, offering more than $750,000 in prize money.

“We could not do what we do at the level that we do it without the family of sponsors that we have developed over the years,” said Vermont Summer Festival Manager John Ammerman. “Whether they are rooted in the equestrian industry or play a role in the booming local community, our sponsors provide Vermont Summer Festival exhibitors with diversity of competition, prize money, and entertainment that are second-to-none. The entire team is grateful for their support and looks forward to a very successful 2019 circuit.”

One such supporter is Eastern Hay, the exclusive provider of Purina Horse Feed at the Vermont Summer Festival and presenting sponsor of the first five weeks of $5,000 Hunter Derbies, taking place each Thursday throughout the circuit. In addition, Purina Horse Feed has once again been named the Official Horse Feed of the 2019 Vermont Summer Festival and will present a $30,000 Grand Prix.

For more than 10 years, Johnson Horse Transportation has been trusted as the Official Horse Carrier of the Vermont Summer Festival and returns in 2019 as the No. 1 choice for the safe and comfortable delivery of horses to and from the Vermont Summer Festival. Johnson Horse Transportation is also the title sponsor of a $30,000 Grand Prix during the event.

The Manchester area is known for unique and luxurious accommodations with its resorts and inns stepping up as steadfast supporters of the Vermont Summer Festival year after year. The Equinox Resort has been a Vermont Summer Festival supporter since 2001. This year, The Equinox Resort sponsor the updated wireless internet services on the Harold Beebe Farm showgrounds while the Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester, now in its second year of operation, will also present a $30,000 Grand Prix.

Joining the family of supporters in 2018, Rood & Riddle’s Saratoga, NY, location has once again been named the official equine hospital of the Vermont Summer Festival. Rood & Riddle will host one of the Vermont Summer Festival’s popular exhibitor parties on Wednesday, August 7, at The Equinox Resort.

Based in Wilmington, OH, and Ocala, FL, the World Equestrian Center is dedicated to offering great sport and good fun in a family-friendly environment. To that end, the World Equestrian Center has joined the Vermont Summer Festival this year by sponsoring the $10,000 Open Jumper Awards. Rider points accumulated in the weekly $5,000 1.40m Open Jumper, $10,000 Manchester Designer Outlets Open Welcome Stake classes, and Grand Prix events will be totaled at the end of the six-week circuit to determine the overall award standings. The top three riders based on points will be presented during the final grand prix on Saturday, August 10, with the winning rider receiving a $5,000 bonus, second place $3,000, and third place $2,000.

Additionally, Land Rover Experience will also support in-ring action by presenting the sixth and final hunter derby of the circuit in the $15,000 3'3” NEHJA Hunter Derby on Thursday, August 8. The Land Rover Experience Driving School, based at The Equinox Resort, is open year-round and features off-road driving instruction in all conditions.

Now in its 26th year, the Vermont Summer Festival offers a dynamic competition schedule, while giving competitors an opportunity to enjoy the wide variety of entertainment, recreation, shopping, and dining options offered in Manchester and the surrounding area. A recent study conducted by the Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont cited that the total direct spending of visitors frequenting Vermont for equine-related activities was estimated at nearly $15.5 million annually.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).

For more information on the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.