He and his team met with representatives from the West Virginia Tourism Office to discuss the positives of an international horse show coming to the Mountain State .
“ West Virginia is the perfect venue for an event like this . The Mountain State ’ s renowned hospitality will help make it an occasion to remember ,” says Tourism Commissioner Chelsea Ruby . “ If history is any guide , many of those who visit us for the classic in October will find themselves returning to West Virginia again and again .”
Carr also met with Mitch Carmichael , appointed by Governor Jim Justice as the state ’ s secretary of economic development , to talk about the economic benefits of the ArenaMend Classic .
“ As secretary of economic development , it is my continued hope to grow the interest in West Virginia ’ s venues and locations to bolster our economic standing ,” says Carmichael . “ We are excited about Dan ’ s initiative and want to use all of our tools to ensure this event is world class .”
ArenaMend products — non-synthetic and environmentally responsible footing options that effectively reduce water usage and improve footing quality in existing or new arenas — will be used to create the arena at The Greenbrier . They are sustainable , environmentally friendly , non-oil based , upcycled , waterless and comprised of all organic material , making them greater than 99 % bio-renewable carbon , according to Carr . They have been named top-scoring footing on the North American Riders Group 2020 Venue Rankings Report , and three of the top eight ranked arenas in the country were built by ArenaMend .
“ ArenaMend has been on the forefront of the environmental movement for many years ,” says Carr . “ Now , we are actually taking it to the next level by creating a carbon-free weekend for all the exhibitors coming to the classic .”
The event will have several green initiatives , such as Arena- Mend ’ s waterless footing , composting , recycling , biodegradable plateware and carbon offsets .
The competition itself will offer audiences an international aspect with riders coming from many countries like the United Kingdom , Belgium , Spain , Brazil , Switzerland , Mexico , Canada , Israel , Holland and Sweden . Adding to the international feel will be course designer , Alan Wade , from Ireland .
“ Wade is world renowned , and I think he ’ s the fairest course designer there is ,” says Carr . “ I ’ m really excited to have Wade come on board with us . Bringing something international to the state is valuable in my opinion — it is a world stage at that level that can draw attention .”
The planning team is working to provide state-of-the-art livestreaming so audiences worldwide can view the competition and experience the beauty of The Greenbrier . They are also including West Virginia University students and interns in various activities and opportunities .
It appears the ArenaMend Classic will have a lasting economic impact on the Mountain State far beyond one weekend in October as Carr and his team are looking for space to produce ArenaMend products in West Virginia .
“ We are researching the Martinsburg area for a plant site , which is very exciting as it could bring many job opportunities to the community ,” he says . •
In Numbers
Riders : ( 50 ) 5 * riders ( 60 ) 2 * riders Horses : 200 horses Prize Money : $ 711,200
Horse participants , spectators and enthusiasts are estimated to have spent more than $ 25 million on travel , dining and lodging while participating in and attending events .
The U . S . equine industry is responsible for :
• More than $ 120 billion in economic impact
• $ 50 billion direct contribution to GDP
• 10 % of American households participate in trail riding or lessons .
Source : American Horse Council Survey 2019 .
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