Morrissey Management Group, the organizers of the highly successful Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), have announced the dates for their fourth year in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan. For the 2018 show season, the festival will feature six consecutive weeks of world-class hunter and jumper competition from July 4–Aug. 12.
“We are excited for our fourth summer season in the Traverse City area at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival,” said Matt Morrissey of Morrissey Management Group. “We look forward to top competition as well as providing great customer service and summer memories to last a lifetime for our exhibitors, families and friends.”
Jumper competition at the 2018 GLEF will offer new classes and increased prize money each week. Weeks III–VI will be FEI-rated competitions, featuring CSI2* and CSI3* grand prix events, with the addition of an extra CSI3* week during Week V, which boasts almost double the amount of prize money from 2017!
The 2018 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival returns in July and offers new jumper classes, increased prize money and an additional FEI-rated CSI3* week! (Photo: Taylor Renner/Phelps Media Group)
Also new this year is the $7,500 1.35m Jumper competition, which will be held weekly in the Grand Prix Ring. The festival will culminate on Sunday, Aug. 12, with the highly anticipated $100,000 Grand Prix CSI3*.
In addition, the hunters will take center stage at GLEF during Week II as World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) week will be highlighted in the Grand Prix Ring.
The $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby will be held during Week IV, while weekly $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby competitions will be offered through Week V.
The very popular Equitation Tuesday competitions, held each Tuesday during Weeks II–IV, will also return to GLEF in 2018, providing GLEF equitation exhibitors ample opportunities to collect double the amount of valuable qualifying points per week in one location!
GLEF takes place on 88 beautiful acres at the Flintfields Horse Park, which showcases five competition rings with excellent footing in addition to spacious schooling rings. The park offers convenient onsite campgrounds and is close to many of the area’s great restaurants as well as to the Cherry Capital Airport, not far from the shores of Lake Michigan.
Week II of the 2018 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival will highlight WCHR week in the Grand Prix Ring! (Photo: Diana Hadsall Photography)
Those who have made the trip to Traverse City to compete in years past have continued to make the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival a permanent stop on their summer show schedule.
For more information on how to become a sponsor of the 2018 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, click here and contact Nicolle Meyer at nicky@mmg.management or call 440-258-5099.