Leesburg, VA – Ahead of the 2022 Morven Park Fall International CCI & Horse Trials, to be held October 5-9, the Morven Park team caught up with course designers Derek di Grazia and Jeff Kibbie.
Following rave reviews from riders for the inaugural Morven Park CCI4*-L built by di Grazia in 2021, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics course designer returns to Leesburg, VA, to build the tracks for both the CCI4*-L and the CCI4*-S, while Kibbie will build for all levels from Novice through the CCI3*-S.
Here’s a bit of what they both had to say.
Derek di Grazia
What is the terrain at Morven Park like to design on? “The site here for the 4* is one of the best sites that I’ve been to in this country. It has so many opportunities with the varying terrain. It allows you to ask lots of different types of questions for the cross country. It also creates quite an endurance test for the horses, so the riders have to be quite ready for that in making sure that their horses are fit.”
How do you keep things fresh? Any teasers you can give us for the fall? “I’m trying to make subtle changes to the track, as well as certainly moving the jumps around as much as I can to create new exercises and new combinations throughout the course.
When the riders come, I don’t think they will feel like it’s what they did the year before.”
Jeff Kibbie
You also designed for the Morven Park Spring Horse Trials. How do your design goals change from spring to fall? “There’s entirely different ground for the 2* and the 3*. We’re trying to protect the ground and keep it as nice as possible for the fall event. The courses will be a little more challenging.”
Do you add any surprises in the fall versus the spring? “I always try to have something they haven’t seen before, even if it’s a new log in an interesting new place.”
In your opinion, what makes Morven Park unique? “Morven Park is one of the best properties I’ve ever seen for eventing, for cross country. It’s very conducive to galloping, with rolling terrain and a lot of interesting features.”
About the Morven Park Fall International CCI & Horse Trials
The Morven Park Fall International CCI & Horse Trials features a CCI4*-L, offering competitors $20,000 in prize money, as well as CCI4*-S, CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S, CCI3*YH-S and CCI2*YH-S divisions.
The traditional Horse Trials offerings of the national levels Novice through Preliminary will also run in conjunction with the international divisions, with prizes for all levels provided by Achieve Equine, Adequan, Coat Defense, Devoucoux, EquiFit, Boy-O-Boy Bridleworks and SmartPak.
To foster the next generation of eventing horses, Arden Farm will be generously offering $7,700 in prize money for the CCI3*YH-S and CCI2*YH-S divisions. For Under 25 riders, thanks to the generosity of Piedmont Equine Practice, a $750 cash prize will be awarded to the top U25 rider in the CCI2*-S and the top U25 rider out of the combined CCI3* and CCI4* levels.
For the official event listing, click here, and for more information, visit www.morvenpark.org.
