New and Returning Sponsors Support 25th Anniversary Vermont Summer Festival

East Dorset, Vermont – Prominent industry and Vermont-area sponsors have dedicated their support to the 25th annual Vermont Summer Festival, which runs for six weeks from July 3 through August 12, 2018, 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 TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program highlight the list of 2018 sponsors. Thanks to generous support from its sponsors, the 2018 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.

Leading the charge, Eastern Hay is the exclusive provider of Purina Horse Feed at the Vermont Summer Festival and will present 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 2018 Vermont Summer Festival and will present a $30,000 Grand Prix.

For over a decade, Johnson Horse Transportation has been the Official Horse Carrier of the Vermont Summer Festival, and returns in 2018 as the go-to choice for 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.

A hotbed of unique, luxurious, and quaint resorts and inns, the Manchester lodging community is a steadfast supporter of the Vermont Summer Festival. The Equinox Resort has been a Vermont Summer Festival supporter since 2001. This year, The Equinox Resort will present a $30,000 Grand Prix while the brand new Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester will sponsor for the first time and also present a $30,000 Grand Prix.

“The Vermont Summer Festival is not only one of the largest events of the area, but also one of the longest running. It generates so much support with excitement and enthusiasm spreading throughout the community,” said Susan Dionne, Director of Sales at Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester, which opened its doors in late summer last year and is centrally located in downtown Manchester. “Manchester is a beautiful area, especially in the summer, and there is always something for everyone whether they are horse show fans, outdoorsmen, art enthusiasts, or shoppers.”

Also a new sponsor in 2018, Rood & Riddle’s Saratoga Springs, NY, location has been named the official equine hospital of the Vermont Summer Festival. Rood & Riddle will host one of the Vermont Summer Festival’s famed exhibitor parties on Wednesday, July 18, at the Kimpton Taconic Hotel.

Inside the competition ring, weekly $500 Thoroughbred Hunter and $1,000 Thoroughbred Jumper divisions return to the Vermont Summer Festival for the fifth consecutive year thanks to a sponsorship from the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program. Founded by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, in collaboration with the New York Thoroughbred Breeders and New York Racing Association, TAKE2 offers hunter and jumper classes for registered Thoroughbreds nationwide.

Additionally, Land Rover Experience will present the sixth and final hunter derby of the circuit in the $15,000 3'3” NEHJA Hunter Derby on Thursday, August 9. The Land Rover Experience Driving School, based at The Equinox Resort, is open year-round and features off-road driving instruction in all conditions.

The 2018 Vermont Summer Festival offers an all-inclusive schedule with the popular “Equitation Tuesdays” and weekly $5,000 3'3" NEHJA Hunter Derbies each Thursday, culminating with a $15,000 offering in week six. For jumper competitors, highlights include the $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, held each Thursday, and the $30,000 Grand Prix, held the first five Saturdays of the six-week circuit, before concluding with a $50,000 Grand Prix on the final weekend.

The Vermont Summer Festival is New England’s largest hunter/jumper competition and the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont with more than $750,000 in prize money. The event is also 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.