Horse Shows by the Bay Begins

Equestrian Festival Welcomes Public to Weekend Events

On my first trip to the Horse Shows by the Bay I have to say, I was impressed. With family in town who are interested in horses, and board two on their property in Milford, we felt prepared to enter into unfamiliar territory. Our quick drive from Traverse City to Acme township brought us into the rolling coutryside of Flintfields, the permanent facility for this Traverse area festival newcomer.

There are four competition arenas, each with their own warm-up ring. We walked past the paddocks and stables, enjoying the up close views of the horses and riders as they navigated their way through the grounds. Golf carts zigzagged along the way transporting riders and families from event to event. The Grand Prix arena was the furthest from the entrance, so we had the chance to see it all along the way.

The grounds for these events are beautiful, with rolling hills and white fences in the distance as a backdrop for the arenas. There were pockets of natural woods left intact which provided shade on the hot and hazy day. And from the Team Elmers Ring you could see the tower of Grand Traverse Resort & Spa off in the distance.

We watched several competitors showcase their skills and marveled at the beauty of the animals. I enjoyed watching the warm-up arena almost as much as the competition since we could walk right up to the fence and get a close view. The jumps on the different arenas were well designed and set-up for a variety of events including Hunters, Jumpers and Dressage.

There were large tents complete with tables and chairs for spectator viewing on a hill above the Grand Prix arena. So with a slight breeze and the comfort of the shade it was a perfect place to watch the events. With two toddlers in tow we knew the day would be short for us, but was worth the trip.

On the way out I stopped to take a few more photos along the fence of another arena. Riders and families and horses continued to file past. The tent with Moomer’s ice cream looked inviting, but our young ones were ready to get out of the heat for a while, so we made our way back to the parking and off to our next adventure.

The Horse Shows by the Bay festival will continue for the next two weeks, with public events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And you don’t want to miss the MSU vs U of M Polo Exhibition on Friday July 29th. For all the details about the events visit the Horse Shows by the Bay website.