Halifax, MA – May 28, 2014 – – The Silver Oak Jumper Tournament, after receiving rave reviews for its debut event last year in New Hampshire, in January announced that it was making a bold move to the Fieldstone Show Park in Halifax, Massachusetts, some 60 miles away, or for most traveling from New York, etc., 30 miles south of Boston and a shorter ride. This year’s show will run from August 13 – 17, 2014. So far, the decision to change locations has proved to be a brilliant one. But it was an assessment that didn’t come easily.
Show Chairman Jeff Papows thought long and hard before deciding to make the move of his beloved Silver Oak Jumper Tournament to Halifax, where he has been a regular exhibitor for fifteen years. But according to Papows, “The net outcome is the partnership is going extraordinarily well. More power has been added to the property, supplementing an already very strong element of the key infrastructure,” he said. “Importantly an all new, all-weather GGT fabric and sand ring, complete with all the latest state of the art drainage, is now complete.”
That ring, for the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament, offers up a brand new warm up ring, with very large dimensions at 150 feet X 250 Feet. For Fieldstone, on the other hand, the same ring offers yet another competition ring for some of its array of equitation, hunter, and jumpers when their series of shows are underway.
“Fieldstone’s Scott Clawson has always been a bit of a farmer,” laughed Papows. “He is always seeding, sanding, fertilizing, or aerating the Grand Prix field. Speaking for myself, I couldn’t grow a weed. So, it makes for a great partnership, as I handle the marketing, promotion, and service aspect of the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament without being bogged down by the ongoing and expanding facilities work that is so necessary for a five star event,” said Papows.
“Jeff does a bunch of things that I hate doing, extraordinarily well,” smiled Scott Clawson, adding, “the N.A.R.G. top rating his show received last year is ample evidence of that. I’m excited that so many of the world’s top riders, that we haven’t been blessed with in prior years, will get to experience Fieldstone. We are pulling out all the stops, attending to every little detail
The fact that Jeff has entered into a partnership with NESN to televise the date really has ramped up the pressure to be perfect, as nothing will escape the eye of the large number of NESN camera crews that will be filming all week,” said Clawson.
A full array of world-class jumper competition will be highlighted by the $75,000 Agero Grand Prix, the main event, to be held on Sunday, August 17th along with the 1.35m Mini Prix that day, all exclusively on center stage in the beautiful grass grand prix field.
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There will be yet more elements this year that are emblematic of the way the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament treats it’s exhibitors, according to Papows. “For example there will be a boot shining tent, next to the elegant and spacious rider’s tent where athletes can sit, relax with food or a beverage compliments of the Jumper Tournament and have their boots polished,” he said and noted, “Again it’s complementary, and while just a small convenience, its representative of an larger attitude that makes this show very different.”
“Remember there will also be a complementary sunset dinner cruise out of Plymouth harbor on Friday evening. But nothing is more important to this management team than the quality of the jumping surfaces,” Papows emphasized. “Nothing is being left to chance and the results are going to be more and more visible as we move towards the August shows.”
“I think it’s the nicest show I’ve ever been to, really.” said last year’s grand prix winner, Ireland’s Paul O’Shea.
“Finally, and I know we have said it before,” Papows said, “In order to ensure the most utopian experience management will limit entries to 500 horses to ensure timely ends to our days, ample competition, but without the late finishes that frustrate people so register early.”
“Jeff runs one of my favorite horse shows, there are big crowds of spectators, top course designers and I love the way he caters to all of us,” said two-time Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward.
Part of that unique experience that Papows spoke of is an all-new dinner cruise for all competitors, families and friends. The entire evening is complimentary, courtesy of the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament. A buffet dinner will be served with music and a cash bar. The boat will cruise Plymouth Harbor past some scenic historical sites including Plymouth Rock and includes a beautiful sunset while onboard.
