54 SIDELINESMAY 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
e
GreatMeadowHasGreat
Plans for Eventing
By LaurenR. Giannini
W
orld class eventing is coming to Great Meadow in
ThePlains,Virginia, and thefirst competitionwill take
place on July 26 and 27 to help prepare the United
States Eventing Team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian
Games inNormandy, France, August 24-September 7, 2014.
Robert L. Banner, President of theGreatMeadowFoundation
(501c3 non-profit), reported that Great Meadow had expanded
its existing200-acreequestrianandoutdoor sports event facility
with the purchase of the adjacent 174 acres, known as Fleming
Farm. The plans for the venue are ambitious and exciting,
especially when Rob contacted David O’Connor, U.S. eventing
chef d’equipe, to discuss the new property as a special venue.
“Arthur (Nick) Arundel, the founder of Great Meadow, always
said that Great Meadow and Fleming Farm belonged together,
but he passed away in 2011 and recently his heirs decided to
sell,” saidRob. “It was scary to think that the land could be sold
andhouseswouldget built. If we let that happen, wewouldn’t be
doing our job. Ourmission here at Great Meadow is to preserve
Great MeadowFoundation just about doubled its landandwill
develop thenewacquisition for world class eventing competition
andput all of the land into conservation for perpetuity of
equestrianand outdoor sports.
Courtesy of Great MeadowFoundation
Continued onpage 56
U.S. eventing chef d’equipeDavidO’Connor, RobBanner
(President Great MeadowFoundation), Maj. Gen. (ret) Henry
(Buzz) Kievanaar (Chairman of theBoard of Trustees, Great
MeadowFoundation), CEOBritishEventing/cross-country
course designerMikeEtherington-Smith andBobbyHilton
(Great Meadow grounds keeper) gatheredat Great Meadow
toplan the JulyWEGprep event and the new eventing facility.
Photoby LaurenR. Giannini
