I have been to the Carolina Horse Park on numerous occasions since moving to North Carolina 2 years ago.  It is about 17 miles from our farm.  They have hosted The US Eventing Championships.  They also have numerous dressage schooling shows in the winter (Winter Wednesdays) and they have a lot of driving schooling shows. 

The Carolina Horse Parks is also home to the Stoneybrook Steeplechase.   Relocated from Stoneybrook farm in Southern Pines.

The footing in the arenas was excellent.  It looked like they had trucked in some new sand for both the show arenas and the two warm up areas.   They had watered and dragged them nicely.  There were a few tiny rocks but nothing to worry about.  Well maintained sand arenas are so much nicer than uneven grass ones.

Vicki Kelley of Antares Dressage in warm up arena with six year old imported Sandro Hit gelding.

The turnout was light.  The classes were smaller and there were a few scratches (probably due to windy conditions) so they kept on schedule pretty well. 

It was nice and sunny but very windy.  A day more typical of one of the blustery January days at the Pinehurst Harness Track schooling shows.  Often you will have a strong wind and the arenas blowing over during tests at the track in January and February. 

The judges were listed as Linda Zang (O- MD)  and Janine Malone (R-NC).  Vicki Kelley was judged in her training level classes by local R judge Sue Smithson for her second class and Linda Zang for the first.  Sue must have been filling in a little.

At the Pinehurst Harness track shows they use the pole arenas which are harder to secure.  The 3 rail A frame style arenas used at CHP can easily be held down with aluminum stakes. To the show organizers out there- duct tape is not the answer!  Nobody wants to be riding a young spooky horse on a cold windy day and have to worry about the arena blowing into them!  I have to anchor down my A-frame arena at home and they don't budge even when there is a hard wind:-)

I will try and get more photos tomorrow.  Hopefully the wind will be much lighter:-)

You can visit the Carolina Horse Park web site for more information on shows.