If I hadn’t just driven 100 miles east from my home base in Dallas, I could have easily been transported to Kentucky or Traverse City, Michigan, as I pulled into Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. Nestled between 60 miles of flat highway and East Texas’ vast pine forests on an idyllic plot of land with expansive vistas of rolling green hills and massive oak trees, the venue has become a favorite for hunter, jumper, eventing and dressage competitors in the region.

Lifelong horsewoman and former eventer Kathy Brunson, who owns and manages Texas Rose Horse Park, previously operated Wagon Wheel Farm in Grapevine, Texas, where she and her daughter Kim Brunson ran a small training and boarding program and hosted local shows. But almost two decades ago when the massive Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center broke ground near the farm, the mother-and-daughter team decided it was time to sell and develop a new vision for their equestrian operation.

As the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has exploded in population over the last 20 years to over 8 million people, there’s no shortage of English-discipline focused riders in the area. But in a metro area of almost 10,000 square miles, there is a surprisingly but very real shortage of open land for equine use due to skyrocketing demand for residential and commercial property.

In searching for the ideal new location, the Brunsons considered a large chunk of land near Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth but ultimately decided the traffic and noise from NASCAR and other races wouldn’t have been conducive to the horses.

When they discovered the 1,700 acres in East Texas an hour-and-a half from downtown Dallas, it seemed like the perfect location to foster the equine athletes’ well-being with its scenic views and peaceful atmosphere. “It felt like such a natural, ideal place for horses with the rolling hills and all the trees,” Kathy said. “It just seemed like fate.”

The East Texas property also checked all their boxes for designing a top-tier, multi-use equestrian facility with its natural sandy footing, hills for cross country and plenty of level space for barn and other facility construction. Additionally, Kathy noted that East Texas’ higher-than-average rainfall helps keep the land and trees green, providing an ideal backdrop for the hunter, jumper and dressage rings as well as eventing’s cross-country phase.

“Riders tell me they like showing here because of the relaxed atmosphere, and I think the horses always enjoy the green grass,” she said. “People often say it reminds them of Kentucky. A lot of times they don’t want to leave.”

We take look at how Texas Rose Horse Park evolved over time to host the American Eventing Championships and become a prime destination for hunter, jumper, eventing and dressage competition, as well as why trainers, riders and volunteers enjoy the venue.

Designing a Top-Tier, Multi-Use Equestrian Facility From Scratch

Formerly, a private equestrian facility with a small 10-stall barn, the property required a big undertaking to construct the park from the ground up. But the Brunsons got to work designing the three major barns, four competition arenas, indoor arena and additional schooling rings. The facility boasts 350 stalls with additional tent pad capacity for at least another 200 and has small permanent structures for food and vendor shops.

“We really wanted the horses to be comfortable, as well as the riders. All of the permanent stalls for visiting horses have electricity and water and the barns all have adjacent wash racks,” Kathy noted.

Brunson Equestrian, Kim’s boarding and training program, is conveniently connected to the park and offers services to local riders. She continues to enjoy helping beginners get started and find the discipline that best suits them. Replete with its own barn, turnout areas and training arenas, the facility also offers sweeping views of the cross-country fields as well as access to the park’s massive acreage for hacking, hill work and cross-country schooling.

Making a Name as AEC Host

While the Brunsons were planning on building an Advanced cross-country course for Area V, their plans accelerated when the U.S. Eventing Association was looking for a centrally located venue for the American Eventing Championships. After positive reviews from notable eventers like Buck Davidson and Robert Kellerhouse, Texas Rose Horse Park won the bid to host the AEC from 2013 through 2015.

“We were also committed to offering Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) clinics to help educate and certify eventing instructors,” Kathy said. “Previously, Area V riders didn’t have a nearby Advanced course.”

The Brunsons secured Captain Mark Phillips, former Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. eventing team for the Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics, to design the upper-level AEC courses, while German-trained Carsten Meyer of Hilltop Stables in Louisiana was tasked with designing the lower-level ones.

Working together to align the courses, Phillips and Meyer masterfully integrated solid, wide obstacles with plenty at maximum heights for the levels, as well as varying terrain approaches and ditches. It was important to both designers to make the courses challenging but also appealing to horse-and-rider combinations with plenty of open gallops between obstacles, as well as questions seen at top eventing competitions in the U.S. and Europe.

“We loved seeing everything they did for the AECs. The courses were expertly designed to challenge riders while also helping them learn something new and gain confidence,” Kathy said. “It was cram-packed with flags from all over the world and was just truly spectacular to experience.”

With its artfully designed Beginner Novice through Advanced cross-country courses and high-grade, all-weather arena footing, Texas Rose continues to offer three horse trials a year and additional eventing competitions of varying levels depending on demand.

The Texas Rose Experience

Hunter/jumper trainer Rachel Rohweder of Dallas, who owns and operates Native River Farms in Princeton, Texas, has been competing at and bringing clients to Texas Rose for the past five years and says it’s one of her favorite local venues.

“I love the large show rings and that the facility is so open. I also appreciate that they offer a variety of competition, so there are classes for my green horses, as well as more competitive classes for my experienced horses,” she noted. “And I’ve always had good experiences with management and people at the in-gates. They’re always really accommodating, and their shows are a lot of fun.”

Rohweder equally likes bringing her and her clients’ horses to the park for its scenic, quiet environment. “It’s a really inviting place for the horses. The stalls are nice, and there are so many places you can ride out and trail ride or let the horses graze,” she said. “So, it gives them time to relax and just be horses compared to a lot of other venues that are more closed off.”

Rohweder’s student 16-year-old Leia Zirogiannis has been showing at Texas Rose Horse Park for the past three years and most recently competed at the Texas Rose Classic in early September aboard her 11-year-old Oldenburg mare Kapri. “I love the venue. It’s easy to navigate and is just so beautiful,” she said. “The trails, the stalls and all the accommodations are amazing. I also love that they have an on-site farrier.”

Zirogiannis has many fond memories of showing at Texas Rose from competing in her first national derby, trying out her beloved mare for the first time and learning how to drive a golf cart on the fly. She also appreciates that Kapri seems happy there, especially for longer shows. With the park’s wide-open spaces, Zirogiannis enjoys trail riding with other riders from her barn to give the horses a change of scenery and a chance to unwind.

“The horses always seem really happy,” she said. “They adore the trails and hacking up and down the hills and through the trees. It’s just a really nice atmosphere for them.”

Giving Back to the Local Community

In addition to partnering with established equestrian organizations like US Equestrian, Texas Rose strives to bring in new spectators unfamiliar with equestrian sport and those who just want to have an experience with horses. Tyler attracts tourists from all over the world for its famous rose gardens, and the Brunsons strive to draw them out to the property in number of capacities—from trail rides for beginners to the opportunity to watch upper-level competition.

“We work to stay connected with all the local chambers of commerce and the Texas Highways program to get the word out about everything we do,” Kathy said.

Another core aspect of the Brunson program is giving back to their local community by introducing children and teens to horses through school programs and other organizations. They partner with the Tyler Independent School District to bus kids out to the park for a summer riding program, and while most summer horse camps primarily entice girls, they also promote their program for boys.

“Most children want to be around animals and really enjoy the horses,” Kathy said. “I think it’s good therapy for them, too, to help them stay out of trouble. Plus, they get to make new friends, and it gets them out into nature and off their phones. We want them to dig in the dirt and be kids and enjoy their experiences being around the horses.”

When putting on bigger competitions, Kathy noted that most of the volunteers are from the local area, and the community seems to enjoy getting to know one another through the events. “That’s what it’s all about—connecting people with one another and the horses,” she said. “It’s such a fun sport and offers different opportunities for everyone to participate.”

More Views from the Texas Rose Classic at Texas Rose Horse Park

Live From the Texas Classic, September 13, 2025: