Photo by Amy Hern/Kingsway Farm
December in Halifax, MA, brings a winterized look to Fieldstone Show Park.
A blanket of snow covers the Fieldstone barn. Fieldstone Show Park Manager Tom Hern readies for his offseason duties as course designer—he's headed for the World Equestrian Center Ocala, Thermal, CA's Desert International Horse Park and Pin Oak in Katy, TX before returning to manage Fieldstone's 2021 events—while Fieldstone President Scott Clawson, always looking ahead, sets out to execute improvements to the property ahead of a new show year.
The venue is living by the mantra, "When you're ready, come show with us," with preparations for the 2021 season already in full swing. But as Fieldstone puts the final wrapping on the year that was, the venue wishes to extend its sincerest gratitude to its loyal supporters following an unprecedented season.
While 2020 was anything but a normal year for Fieldstone, the venue's management team was instrumental in getting outdoor equestrian events approved to run under Massachusetts' Phase 2 reopening in late June following the alteration of its original show calendar due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, several of the states' biggest events moved to Fieldstone for their 2020 events, including the New England Equitation Championships, the ASPCA Maclay Region 1 Final and the Massachusetts Horsemen's Council Days of Champions. In her first year competing in the 3'6" equitation finals, Annalise Manoog was best at Maclay Regionals. Talented junior rider Ellie Ferrigno topped the competitive NEHC Junior Hunt Seat Medal Final, while the 2019 Champion, Taylor Griffiths-Madden, went on to capture the coveted title in this year's Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final.
Fieldstone now heads toward the new year full of promise for a new show season, announced in November. The 2021 competition calendar features eight USEF nationally-rated hunter-jumper competitions: the Fieldstone Spring Festival (May 12-23); the Plymouth Rock Hunter-Jumper Classic (June 23 - July 3); the Fieldstone Summer Showcase (August 18-29); and the North East Classic (September 8-12).
More information can be found at the newly redesigned FieldstoneShowPark.com.
Fieldstone offers its best wishes to all for a happy and healthy holiday season and looks forward to welcoming exhibitors back through its gates in the new year.
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