A One-of-a-Kind Equestrian Event
By Amanda Larch
Interest in the Mountain State is growing. West Virginia is becoming more well-known for the beauty of its hills and hollows and the kindness and hospitality of its people. These factors are a big draw when it comes to attracting new tourists, residents, events, jobs and ideas to the state. With stunning outdoor scenery and historic and impressive resorts and hotels, West Virginia is open and ready for people to visit, explore and return.
The ArenaMend Classic—coming to West Virginia October 13-17, 2021—is a world-class competitive horse show featuring equestrian jumping. It will take place on one of The Greenbrier’s fairways, with the Allegheny Mountains as a backdrop. The event is the brainchild of Dan Carr, owner of ArenaMend LLC, who believes combining incredible show jumping with the amenities and activities offered by The Greenbrier will create a fun-filled experience for all who attend.
Carr has experience organizing world-class show jumping events. Over the last several years, he served as CEO of the Palm Beach Masters Series at Deeridge Farms in Wellington, FL. The show earned international recognition as one of the top horse shows worldwide and the best in North America.
The ArenaMend Classic, a Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) CSI5– and CSI2-approved horse show, will offer competitors, owners, sponsors and spectators a unique opportunity to participate in the highest level of show jumping. The Greenbrier’s activities and amenities will allow contestants time to compete and also explore the Mountain State in their free time during the course of the weekend, a major draw for West Virginia leaders who are supporting the event.
Carr was already familiar with West Virginia when he visited The Greenbrier in 2020 to scope out potential sites for the project, having lived and worked in Wheeling in the early 1990s. 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 ArenaMend’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.
