BY KIMBERLY LOUSHIN
When the team behind the Paso Robles Horse Park envisioned it, they knew they were building more than a horse show venue. Their goals were bigger than financial success, they were about giving back to the sport and the community of Paso Robles, California.
“For us, the horse park is not a financial endeavor; it’s about giving back to the sport,” says Amanda Diefenderfer, CEO and show manager. “As we started to find our place in the world of show jumping, we were doing so much more than having a horse show and having horses on our property. We were looking at how do we bring in world class riders to talk to the local riding community? How do we make sure we’re leaders in horse safety and horse health in the way we approach the future and all of that?”
As a nonprofit, Paso Park’s charitable mission is at the forefront, and the team is dedicated to providing something for equestrians of all levels. Whether through their three tiers of horse shows, a unique young horse program, or internship program, they’re looking to better the community.
“The mission of the foundation is about keeping the horse relevant in today’s world and utilizing the magic of that to give back to the local community,” says Diefenderfer. “It gives us a lot of breadth and flexibility. It’s a really special place to work within.”
The 70-acre horse park, located on the California Central Coast in an area known for its wineries and hot springs, was created by Linda Starkman. She got into horses at a young age through her grandparents before taking a break as she began her career. After she returned to riding in her 30s, she purchased Fox Hollow Ranch and began breeding and developing horses for the hunter/jumper circuit. With limited showing options in the Paso Robles area, Starkman began thinking about how to fill the gap. In 2015, the Paso Robles Horse Park opened to the public.
“Paso Robles is a great destination,” says Diefenderfer. “We wanted it to be a unique facility and experience to the community: it has wine, it’s close to the coast, it has great California weather. Everyone who comes to show or just to visit can find something to enjoy.”
Built for an Experience
The Paso Park aims for their exhibitors to have a unique experience when showing there, so they limit their stall counts to ensure that the show is done by 5 p.m. The one exception is feature classes such as a Grand Prix or Hunter Derby, but all other rings are finished so exhibitors can watch those feature classes.
And they’re always looking to improve the competitor and spectator experience. For the first 10 years, they held feature classes on a large grass field, named for one of Starkman’s top horses Fairway, who was a successful Grand Prix mount for Hap Hansen. But as the time for a refurbishment approached, they looked at how to best utilize the space, especially in an era where grass fields are less common. They’ve replaced it with a brand-new Grand Prix Arena, which will be utilized not only by their rated shows, but also their Pathway and Schooling Shows, where the arena will be split to allow riders of all levels to enjoy the upgraded competition space. The showgrounds also feature a Grand Hunter Arena, named for Starkman’s grandfather LD Hayes.
“We’re going to have more picnicking space, more areas to watch and really enjoy the big jumpers,” says Diefenderfer. “We’ve added two new grass berms with it in addition to the ring, so I think it’s going to be something really special and really bring a whole new highlight location within the facility.”
The rest of the facility is designed for equine comfort. Their barns are spread out with the aisles at least 20 feet wide, ensuring that no one is on top of each other. All the stalls are fully matted and feature Dutch doors, so competitors can allow social horses to stick their heads out. Each stall measures 12’ x 12’ to accommodate the large warmbloods that are prevalent today, and warm-up rings are spacious. The venue avoids concrete and asphalt, and in the odd case of a loose horse, the gates can be shut remotely to assist in safe containment efforts.
Something for Everyone
One of their main goals is to provide quality experience for riders of all levels. The Park runs 12 shows each year: eight U.S. Equestrian Federation-rated(USEF) shows as a part of their four Classic Series and Pathway Series shows, and four Schooling Series shows, the latter two are geared towards giving riders an affordable option at a quality venue.
“Through the nonprofit Foundation and through the support of sponsorship and the Classic Shows being successful, we’re able to run these Pathway Shows and Schooling Shows at a really approachable, affordable price point,” says Diefenderfer. “The schooling show stalls are only $95, and the running joke is that price is tied to what our founder bought her first horse for. Our Pathway Shows, even as a four-day rated show, is $200 stall, which is less than half of what you can find anywhere in California these days. I think that’s really important because if we can break down that financial barrier and allow people to compete and find their own space, we’re going to have a great depth of talent and skills in the horse space.”
They also have several programs aimed to better the competitor experience. One program is 2EX, which caters to young horses at all USEF-rated shows. The 2EX program which stands for experience and exposure, came out of the need for a more cost-effective way to develop young horses in the United States. Competitors with horses 7 years old or younger can pick one warm-up or ticketed schooling round and up to three judged classes for no fee. The program also offers a $50 discount on stalls for those horses. One unique feature of the program is that competitors aren’t limited to green or young horse divisions, but can mix and match, swapping between the hunter and jumper rings as well as across heights to best suit their horse’s needs at a given show.
“We think it’s about meeting the horse where it’s at,” says Diefenderfer. “It’s also about appreciating that we need to be supporting horses that maybe are not on the track to become a High Performance Hunter or a Grand Prix horse, knowing that the solid non-pro riders are the bread and butter of sport. Sometimes it feels like we go after the glamor and the glory and we forget about where a majority of our competitors are at and how to support them.”
They also strive to offer educational and community-building opportunities by hosting educational hours where they bring in a leader or professional in the sport to speak and engage in conversation with riders. Presentations have covered topics such as general riding topics, course design, and judging. James Waldman, who is a licensed “R” hunter, hunter breeding, and equitation judge and a ‘r’ jumper judge, is a popular guest speaker.
“He’s super approachable; kids love him. He really makes the riders believe the judge is cheering you on,” says Diefenderfer. “The judge wants you to have your best round while you’re out there. They’re not hoping you mess up. They are not a scary person in the box. For fairness and sport reasons, there’s a bit of separation, but it’s so nice when people get to experience their personalities and learn that they really are just great people.”
“We need to welcome the spectators who enjoy and partake in our sport to keep our sport alive and relevant, and with that we work really hard at the horse park. We’re always free and open to the public to come watch,” says Diefenderer. “We encourage barns to have watch parties with the way we arrange our schedule. It all adds to the sense of community that’s going to keep our sport alive and thriving.”
With so many programs and opportunities for growth, Paso Robles Horse Park provides a unique experience for not only the competitors, but for the greater Paso community as well, making it a destination for equestrians and horse enthusiasts alike.
Developing the Next Generation
This year, the Paso Robles Horse Park Foundation launched an internship program, which takes place during their eight U.S. Equestrian Federation-rated (USEF) horse shows. The internship, which is the duration of a single show, is designed to give equestrians first-hand experience with the different roles at a horse show. Throughout the week, they rotate through positions, working alongside facility management, media and marketing, horse show office, licensed officials, horse show management, and back gate operations. The diverse experience provides equestrians insight into the various roles in the horse show industry.
“It’s really designed to give them exposure for every part of the horse show,” says Amanda Diefendefer, the CEO and show manager. “I think that’s something I certainly experienced firsthand as I looked to build a strong, solid team that is our show team. We really need to be bringing up the next generation. The number of people who told me, ‘Oh I fell into the horse shows because my friend told me I should come make some extra cash’, and that’s great, but there’s so many extra horse people out there who would be an asset working horse shows and don’t even know it’s an option.”
In addition to the exposure to all facets of running horse shows, interns will receive a credit voucher to compete at a future Paso Robles Horse Park show, making competing more accessible.
