Black Prong Equestrian Village Announces a New Partnership with Green Mountain Horse Association
Black Prong Equestrian Village (Black Prong) is excited to announce a new partnership with Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA), the nation’s oldest continuously operating horse organization. This new partnership is designed to bring awareness to both organizations while offering unique awards for competitors.
Who is GMHA?
Located in South Woodstock, Vermont, the Green Mountain Horse Association hosts a variety of activities for diverse equestrian disciplines. Their 65-acre facility includes stabling for 196 horses, four all-weather arenas, a spectacular cross-country course and driving hazards.
GMHA has a long history of carriage driving, with their first classes beginning in 1927. They are also home to the very first sanctioned competitive trail drive in the country. With a trail network of over 400 miles, GMHA is dedicated to preserving trails and open space for equestrian use while promoting horsemanship and youth education. With events held each year for carriage driving, dressage, hunter jumper, eventing and trail riding, there is something there for every equestrian.
Black Prong Equestrian Village
Located in Bronson, Florida, Black Prong Equestrian Village is a 90-acre resort for equestrians and nature enthusiasts. With access to over 52,000 thousand acres of trails in the Goethe State Forest, guests can enjoy luxury amenities while immersed in natural Florida. With lodging accommodations on site for both you and your horse, Black Prong is a home away from home for many equestrians.
Black Prong offers a wide variety of outdoor training environments for the equine athlete preparing for competition or maintaining fitness during his stay, with a pristine turf arena, sand arena and a carriage marathon course on-site. Black Prong is also host to a series of carriage driving events through the winter months, ranging from CDEs to driving derbies and more.
Photos provided by Black Prong
Photo provided by Green Mountain Horse Association
The Birth of a New Partnership
The birth of this partnership began approximately 30 years ago when Michele Markward, Black Prong Equestrian Village’s General Manager, visited Green Mountain Horse Association for the first time while in the area for a six-week show competition. During that time, she met Charlotte Williams, a member of the Board of Directors for GMHA.
With Michele Markward and Charlotte Williams being longtime acquaintances, the idea of partnering on a unique set of awards to promote both equestrian facilities which would bring new opportunities to competitors began to take form.
“Being able to partner with GMHA all the way from where we are in Florida, will help us reach a broad range of guests and equestrians alike,” said Markward “I think broadening everyone’s horizons with new experiences at different places is an important part of the equestrian culture. This partnership is a unique opportunity for combined driving competitors to be able to experience what each organization has to offer.”
Awards
The most exciting portion of this partnership are the awards offered to competitors. For participants in Black Prong’s CDE from March 23rd through the 26th, the winner of the single-horse preliminary class will win an entry fee and stabling in South Woodstock, Vermont for a GMHA carriage event. The winner will have the choice to use their entries and stabling at either the 2023 GMHA August CDE or the 2023 September Driving Trials.
For participants competing in GMHA’s 2023 August CT & CDE, the winner of the single-horse preliminary class will win an entry fee and stabling to be used at Black Prong for either the January 2024 Nature Coast CDE or the 2024 Black Prong CDE, held in March.
*Does not include association fees, accommodations, bedding, hay and supplies.
Photo provided by Black Prong
Photo provided by GMHA
Black Prong and GMHA are excited to see where this new partnership leads and hope to continue providing these experiences for our guests into the foreseeable future.
To learn more about Green Mountain Horse Association, click here.
Visit our website to learn more about Black Prong Equestrian Village.
