July 14, 2003 - The Georgia International Horse Trials (GIHT), to be held in the fall of 2005 in Rome, North Georgia, USA has begun preparations to host this major new competition. The 5000-acre property, owned by Belgium’s international event rider and business entrepreneur, Carl Bouckaert, won the bid to host this new four-star three-day event (CCI****) ahead of three other U.S. venues: Fort Worth, Texas; Fairhill, Maryland and Lexington, Virginia.

The Executive Director, Jack Pollard, who also manages Bouckaert Farms, which hosts the spring CIC *** North American Beaulieu Classic at Chatsworth, North Georgia, is excited at the prospects of developing a new event from grass roots. As the father of event rider, Michael Pollard, he has the intrinsic knowledge required to stage a world-class competition. “There is a great deal of work ahead of us but we are confident that with our experienced team of professionals in all areas of the sport we will produce a top quality international event”, he commented.

This new event will be only the second competition at the highest level in the sport of eventing to take place in the U.S. and one of only five in the world. The other CCI **** (Concour Complete Internationale, four star) events are Lexington, KY (USA), Badminton, (GBR), Burghley, (GBR) and Adelaide, (AUS).

Preparations for the cross-country course construction will begin on July 17th, 2003 under the guidance of designer, Mark Phillips. The U.S. eventing coach, who prepared the team for its world championship title in Spain last year, also designs the Chatsworth CIC*** event for Carl Bouckaert as well as the Burghley CCI****.

For more information, please contact Chris Stafford, Media Director, H&N Equestrian Productions at media@necomms.com or (859) 552-5705