There are three tenants at the heart of TerraNova: Purity of sport, harmony with nature and commitment to excellence. TerraNova Equestrian Center stands out with its keen eye toward the horse, and follows through with elegance, safety and innovation.
The Event at TerraNova returns to TerraNova Equestrian Center for its fourth fall-season three-day event at the world-class venue in Myakka City, Florida. This week, horses and riders from around the world will compete from Starter to the international CCI4*-L level. In addition, the competition is now featuring a CCI4*-S, a qualifier for the US Equestrian Open of Eventing.
With 247 riders set to compete, including five seasoned Olympians and several Pan American Games competitors, The Event at TerraNova brings together the world’s best while celebrating the brilliance of the sport across all levels. You’re invited to follow along with all of the excitement ahead!
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, November 13
2:00 p.m. – Trot Up, all FEI horses
Pavilion open for general seating
Thursday, November 14
8:20 a.m. – CCI3*-L Dressage (Magnolia Arena)
3:00 p.m. – CCI4*-L Dressage (Lakeside Arena)
5:00 p.m. – Welcome Party with games for charity
and the Reins of Resilience award ceremony
Pavilion open for general seating
Friday, November 15
8:30 a.m. – CCI4*-L Dressage (Lakeside Arena)
9:37 a.m. – CCI4*-S Dressage (Lakeside Arena)
2:30 p.m. – CCI4*-S Show Jumping (Magnolia Arena)
Pavilion open for general seating
Saturday, November 16
9:40 a.m. – CCI3*-L Cross-Country
11:00 a.m. – Empty Bowls fundraiser begins
11:45 a.m. – CCI4*-L Cross-Country
12:45 p.m. – CCI4*-S Cross-Country
Pavilion restricted to Empty Bowls ticket holders
Sunday, November 17
7:00 a.m. – Sunrise Service with Pastor Lynn Howell (Pavilion)
8:00 a.m. – Trot Up, all FEI horses
10:00 a.m. – CCI3*-L Show Jumping (Lakeside Arena)
10:30 a.m. – VIP Brunch begins
11:30 a.m. – CCI4*-L Show Jumping (Lakeside Arena)
Pavilion restricted to VIP table holders after Sunrise Service
Happening Daily: Boutique vendor shopping, local food trucks, Tiny Town children’s playground and more! Bring a lawn chair if you wish to watch cross-country from the course. Free shuttles are available from the parking lot to spectator areas. Well-socialized dogs are welcome on a leash.
Free general admission & parking daily!
Stream it all LIVE at terranovaequestrian.com/streaming
Sneak Peek: TerraNova Equestrian Center
Discover Florida’s premier equestrian destination at TerraNova Equestrian Center. Nestled about an hour south of Tampa, just east of Sarasota, this state-of-the-art showgrounds has taken great care to craft the ultimate competition experience with your horse’s comfort and performance taking center stage.
Competition Stabling
LED lights are mounted in each stall, allowing for easy stall cleaning and late-night braiding. Supportive, cushioned stall mattress systems provide a comfortable place for your horse to rest. Leave your box fans at home—each stall is conveniently equipped with permanent fans so you can spend more time focusing on what really matters. “Horses perform their best when they have comfortable rest,” said TerraNova’s co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Hannah Herrig-Ketel.
When it comes to functionality, TerraNova’s stabling has broad aisles for safe passage from stall, to grooming, to wash racks. Covered wash racks are located behind each barn and provide a secure and organized area to wash your horse. Full block walls prevent splashing and provide plenty of room for bathing. For horses in need of extra support to cool down after showing, there are fans in each wash rack to help with refreshing airflow.
At the end of each aisle are large digital displays, so you’ll always know what’s happening in your arena. The on-site feed store, TerraNova Feed and Fence, offers a range of necessities, such as bedding, feed, premium hay and miscellaneous supplies. Ensuring the health and safety of the horses was a key priority in the design and execution of the stabling facilities. The stalls are sanitized with products from Neogen, TerraNova Equestrian Center’s official biosecurity partner, between occupancies to prevent the spread of communicable diseases or illnesses.
Form meets function for a luxury stabling experience at TerraNova Equestrian Center. Complete with beautiful wood accents, recessed lighting, black iron stall gates, designer-inspired light fixtures and sun-drenching skylights, this barn is an oasis from the busy competition day.
Down Time
For your horse to perform his best, moments outside of the stall and competition rings should inspire peace and tranquility. TerraNova Equestrian Center features paddock space for grazing and sunbathing. During hunter/jumper and dressage shows, riders are welcome to explore the countryside scenery. The cross-country course is available for quiet hacks on its well-maintained grass footing. Dedicated lunging areas are set back from the competition and warm-up arenas, offering horses a place to focus on their exercise.
The Main Event
Every rider has a different reason for stepping into the show ring. Whether one is chasing top awards and qualifying points or is donning a show coat for the first time, TerraNova Equestrian Center offers the ultimate competition experience to every rider, regardless of their level, discipline, or goals—and it all starts with what’s underneath.
Each of the six all-weather arenas are equipped with GGT footing which is dragged throughout the day to ensure that each trip has a stable and comfortable foundation. Under this carefully designed footing is a specialized base which ensures the footing remains stable and supportive between laser-leveled maintenance. Due to its premium fiber mix, the footing is virtually dust free, but there are watering guns and trucks available to prevent dust on dry days.
The hunter and jumper rings feature inviting fences that are designed with the safety of both horse and rider in mind. All oxers are erected with frangible cups on the back rail, so they collapse in the event of an unfortunate distance. The cross-country field is designed with similar safety measures. Course designer and Olympic gold medalist Captain Mark Phillips believes that fence design should help the horse complete each obstacle safely.
“Equestrian is the only Olympic sport where an animal is involved as opposed to a piece of equipment,” he said. “It is therefore vitally important that fence design gives the horse the best possible chance of keeping its legs away from the timber.”
To that end, TerraNova’s cross-country course is an industry leader in the number of fences built with frangible technology. “Frangible technology helps to prevent a rotational fall and therefore reduces the risk of a rider suffering a crush injury if the horse lands on top of them,” Phillips added. “Every year TerraNova makes the footing better and we add more permanent features. This is an ongoing process that I’m privileged to be part of.”
Developing the land to be what it is today wasn’t easy. The land the cross-country course was built on brought its own unique challenges. “When I first visited TerraNova, it [had] a lot of low laying swampy ground. I tried to fashion the cross-country course around the planned arenas and the wetlands,” Phillips said. “Both the size and scale of the arenas and the cross-country course have expanded in a mega fashion since then.”
The excitement of the show is amplified when the audience is there to cheer competitors on. TerraNova Equestrian Center makes spectators’ visits easy with free parking, free general admission, and shuttles from the parking area to the competition rings. For the friends, family, and fans of competing horses and riders, each arena has ringside seating for up-close excitement. Between rounds, be sure to explore boutique shopping, food truck fare, and take the kids to TerraNova Tiny Town, an interactive play village for children.
VIP experiences offer spectators the best seats in the house along with catered meals, craft cock-tails, and an electric social atmosphere. VIP tick-ets can be purchased at the podium or through TerraNova’s website—terranovaequestrian.com.
The Grounds
TerraNova is dedicated to maintaining harmony with nature and the environment. Every effort has been taken to preserve the trees on property. Herrig-Ketelboeter is passionate about maintain-ing the authenticity of the grounds and protecting the habitat for wildlife. No trees were harmed in the construction of the equestrian center property. Herrig-Ketelboeter explained, “the show barns were rotated in a way to avoid cutting down the large, existing live oak trees.”
TerraNova’s efficient drainage system leads all water to the on-site lake. Millions of gallons each year are collected there and then transferred to the irrigation system that maintains balanced moisture content in each of the rings and the cross-country course.
Located adjacent to the stabling area sits a quarter acre of picturesque, enclosed playscape for dogs to run, jump, and even try their paw at some permanent agility obstacles. The dog park is a wonderful reprieve for your loyal companions.
The Estates at TerraNova
Experience luxurious living amidst Florida’s picturesque countryside at The Estates at TerraNova. Whether you are a casual rider or a serious equestrian athlete, this is the perfect place to call home. Explore natural beauty from dedicated bridle paths. Enjoy the convenience of competing at the world-class TerraNova Equestrian Center and returning to the comfort of your own home each night. Your horses will appreciate the quiet, natural atmosphere that puts them at ease.
Equidistant from Florida’s other popular equestrian venues, The Estates at TerraNova is ideal for seasonal stays and year-round residency. Connect with like-minded neighbors at the Community Center, featuring a resort-style pool, tennis courts, fitness center, children’s playground and private event space.
The area offers timeless design, lasting quality and unmatched functionality. A short drive from the amenities of Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, including top-ranked beaches, resorts and restaurants, The Estates at TerraNova is away from it all and close to everything. You can trust that your horse will be comfortable and ready perform their best. TerraNova is well worth the visit and a spot on your show calendar this season.
Thanks to Dechra US Equine for our coverage of The Event 2024 at TerraNova. It includes rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more!
