Labor Shortage Forces Cancellation of Cascade Finals

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First, a big thank you to everyone who attended our Cascade shows in June and July! We drew a record number of entries across all four shows, and we were gratified to see many new barns from inside and outside Washington state join our long-time supporters in Cle Elum.

In recent days, many of you have been asking about our Cascade Finals show in September. We had been working hard on this event, even expanding our schedule by an extra day this year. However, circumstances outside of our control have disrupted these plans.

From recent national headlines, you may know the country is amidst a nationwide labor shortage. This has impacted our venue partner, the Washington State Horse Park. They recently informed us that they are unable to secure enough experienced grounds management personnel to meet the requirements of a show of our size, quality and discipline during September.

We want to give the Horse Park the time and opportunity to fill its resource shortage. So rather than move forward with a compromised experience, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our September show.

While this is disappointing, we believe the Washington State Horse Park to be a truly special venue, one we expect to host our shows for years to come. We support their mission to be a top-notch equestrian facility and intend to continue our close partnership.

For now, we are setting our sights on 2022. We plan to bring even more excitement to everyone again next season starting with our June shows. Please mark these dates in your calendars:

  • Swiftwater Invitational, June 15-19, 2022
  • Alpine Preview, June 22-26, 2022

Wishing you and your horses all the best,

Your Cascade Horse Shows Team

July Show Entries Open, Prize List Posted

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We are pleased to announce that we have opened entries for our 2021 July Cascade shows, including the brand new Pacific Crest Preview on July 10-11, generously presented by Oak Street Law Group, and our signature Pacific Crest Open and Pacific Outreach, now expanded to 5 days, July 14-18.  We would like to thank all of our great sponsors for helping to make these shows possible.

Our July shows will feature more of our exciting spotlight events and provide everyone a fun showing opportunity this summer. As a reminder, all of rated events in July are eligible for our Cascade Circuit Championships, and you can qualify for a discount if your entries are received prior to the early entry deadline of Monday, June 28.

To get started with your show planning, check out the prize list for our July shows. Be sure to request your RV sites if you haven’t already done so. We have seen high demand for our June shows and expect the same in July, so please get your entries in soon.

Trainers: Entries for the July shows through Equestrian Connect and HorseShowing.com are not yet available. If you use those systems, please make sure you have requested stalls for your stable and ordered tack stalls so that we know your plans.

Don’t forget that this year we have all new footing in our Grand Prix jumper ring, and that Hunter 1 action will take place in the Horse Park’s fabulous new covered arena. There are lots of exciting changes afoot in Cle Elum, and we are excited for you to enjoy them.

We remain committed to delivering a safe showing experience, and we remind you to read our COVID-19 guidelines as you prepare to come to the Horse Park. As with our June shows, we will be providing daily packets for trainers to make exchanging information with the Show Office easier while supporting distancing.

Everyone in attendance, including staff, officials, and family members, will need to sign our required liability releases and COVID-19 agreement before arriving at the Park this year. We urge you and the rest of your barn family to do this as soon as possible, and to help any non-showing family members who may join you to do the same.

The demand for our June shows frankly took us off guard, and things have been more hectic than usual. We have rolled out new technology this season and have some new faces in the Show Office too. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work out the kinks, and we remain dedicated to delivering our signature fun and family-friendly vibe at our shows.

We look forward to seeing all of you in Cle Elum this July!

Excited for More Showing in Cle Elum? We Have a New Show in July!

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Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Oak Street Law Group, Cascade Horse Shows is excited to announce that we have added a brand-new show to our 2021 July schedule, the Pacific Crest Preview.  This USEF-rated and USHJA-sanctioned event will be held Saturday July 10 – Sunday July 11. In addition, we are extending our existing July shows, the Pacific Crest Open and Outreach, to 5 full days of showing, July 14-18.

Pacific Crest Preview

For this introductory year, the Pacific Crest Preview will be a two-day US Equestrian Regional I (B) | US Equestrian Jumper 1 event. Based on demand and interest from our community, we plan to expand this to a 5-day event in 2022. Make sure to let us know if this is something you would like to see! In addition to rated competition, the new show will include USHJA Outreach classes, enabling all exhibitors to show during both weeks in July.

Because this is the first year for this event, stabling available for our use at the Horse Park will be limited. We encourage you to put in your stall requests soon.

Open and Outreach Extended to 5 Days

The Pacific Crest Open and Pacific Outreach shows will now begin Wednesday July 14, and you can plan to arrive as early as Monday July 12. Stabling and RV Site pricing will be the same as that of our June shows. Tuesday will be reserved for open schooling, and Wednesday will feature a full slate of Hunter and Jumper “clear rounds” (classes judged against a common standard rather than other competitors). As with our June Swiftwater Invitational and Alpine Preview shows, exhibitors attending both weeks will be able to stay over Sunday night at no additional cost for stabling.

As always, thank you for your support and interest in our shows. We look forward to seeing you soon in Cle Elum!

June Entries Are Open, Prize List is Available… and Demand is Overwhelming

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Spring is in the air, and it seems as if the “long night” of 2020 may finally be withdrawing. And what better way to celebrate than with a horse show?

Apparently, you think so too! The sheer number of stall requests we have received for our June 2021 shows, the Swiftwater Invitational and Alpine Preview, has been unprecedented. We have been working hard to accommodate everyone and have negotiated a 25% increase in stalls for June. This is more than the Horse Park has ever hosted, and yet we still have more requests than we have stalls available.

Of course, stalls are never confirmed without entries. Word got out ahead of this announcement that entries were open and the prize list was posted, and you have been sending your entries in. We are so so very close to being fully booked, so please complete those entries today. We are commited to giving priority to sponsors, as without their support these shows simply could not happen, but other entries will be accepted based on date of submission reconciled with the dates of your stall requests. We are still catching up, but will do our best to confirm your entry in as timely a manner as possible.

Online Entry is Easier than Ever

For 2021 we are pleased to announce that we have our very own online entry system, custom designed for us. It is one we believe you will find easy to use. There is no cost, and you can do both your show entry and your required release forms conveniently in a single session from our web site. As always with technology transitions, there may be a learning curve, so please give us feedback on your experience; we are always listening.

Also new for 2021, we have partnered with HorseShowing.com by Sport Data, Inc., the show management system used by the World Equestrian Center. You can use this system for entries and to check schedules, results, and more.  Things may look a little different from what you’re used to, but we trust you will find this new system easy to use and accurate. And of course, we also continue to accept online entries through Equestrian Connect.

Say Hello to Our New Show Secretaries: Lauren Wasserman & Nancy Gannon!

We are delighted to share that Lauren Wasserman and Nancy Gannon, both hailing from California, have joined the Cascade Horse Shows show management team for 2021. Both of them bring years of experience to this role, and we are thrilled to have them working hard for you. You might not actually see them much, as we will be implementing a “limited contact” show office experience this year for the safety of everyone, but they are excited to meet you when possible.

Thank you again for your support, and we look forward to seeing you in Cle Elum this summer!

The Cascade Horse Shows Team

Additional Show Info

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Cascade Stall and RV Site Requests Are Now Open!

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blankA new year and a new show season are upon us, and we could not be more excited to see all of you again! It is almost Valentine’s Day here, so we couldn’t think of a better Valentine to send to our community than the news that stall and RV site requests are now open for our 2021 show season.

We know it’s been a difficult year for everyone; we hope that all of you have come through these times healthy and are still sharing time with your horse. All of us at Cascade Horse Shows have been working diligently behind the scenes in consultation with the USEF and USHJA and with our partners at the Washington State Horse Park to ensure that we can host safe shows in 2021. You may see a few differences, but we will do our best to preserve our fun and inclusive atmosphere as we deliver a safe experience for everyone.

Reminder: all our shows have early entry dates which, if met, qualify you for a discount. You will want to take advantage of this opportunity to save:

2021 Cascade Show
Dates
Early Entry *
Swiftwater Invitational
Alpine Preview
Pacific Crest Open
Pacific Outreach
Cascade Finals
6/16 – 6/20
6/23 – 6/27
7/15 – 7/18
7/15 – 7/18
9/11 – 9/12
Tue, 6/01
Tue, 6/01
Tue, 6/29
Tue, 6/29
Fri, 8/27
* Entries received on or before this date will receive a discount. We cannot guarantee your stabling request if we receive your entries past this date. Please see entry forms or Prize List for details. Entries generally become available in March.

If you would like to request your stalls for one of our shows in advance, you can do so here:

Stall Requests (for trainers) RV Site Requests

Happy planning, and we’ll see you all in Cle Elum!

Cascade Shows: Coming Back Stronger in 2021

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2020 has been difficult for us all, but today we are excited to announce that in 2021 we are coming back stronger than ever!

This year has given all of us at Cascade Horse Shows an opportunity to reflect upon why we pursue this crazy venture. Canceling our show season truly stung. Not being able to realize the fruits of our labors was definitely disappointing. But it has been the forced distancing from all of you this past summer that has reminded us of why we do this, and why it matters to us that we host our shows each season.

For us, our shows are an opportunity to celebrate with you a shared love of horse sport. Young or old, amateur or professional, what height you jump: these differences don’t matter. Hosting the shows is our way of sharing a part of your experiences, to live vicariously through your winning tears, your joyful smiles, your proud hold onto your well earned ribbons. Not bearing witness to these moments has been the hardest part of canceling our season. Knowing that someday we will be able to come together again is what has kept us planning and preparing for the future.

Announcing Our 2021 Show Dates

So today we are happy to share with you that we have secured our dates and made our plans for 2021.  Mark your calendars: you won’t want to miss a single day of the 2021 Cascade Horse Shows season!

Thanks again for being a supporter, fan, and friend of Cascade Horse Shows. We cannot wait to see you back in the ring 2021. Until then please take care of yourself and others. Stay healthy and ride on!

Cheers,
The Cascade Horse Shows Team

2020 Season Cancelled Due to Pandemic

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Thank you to everyone who responded to our recent survey and extended their support to us during the COVID-19 pandemic. The outpouring of encouragement we received from you has reinforced our commitment to continue to create the kind of showing experience you have come to know and expect from Cascade Horse Shows.

It also makes the news that we must cancel the remainder of our 2020 season that much harder to give.

On May 29, the Kittitas County Health Director cast doubt on the county opening enough for us by July, stating that the county was proceeding with an abundance of caution to protect residents and businesses. This directly impacts our ability to run or expand our July shows, even with additional safety protocols in place.

The shutdown also has adversely affected our venue, the Washington State Horse Park, due to scarcity of available crews and supplies. Furthermore, the Park relies on revenue from events throughout the year to fund its operations, but shows in other disciplines have been cancelled as well. This makes it impractical if not impossible for the Horse Park to maintain its facilities in show-ready condition for our Finals event in September.

In short, we have had no choice but to make this hard decision.

2021 Show Dates

SWIFTWATER INVITATIONAL |  June 16-20 2021
ALPINE PREVIEW |  June 23-27 2021
PACIFIC CREST OPEN | July 15-18 2021
PACIFIC OUTREACH | July 15-18 2021
CASCADE FINALS |  September 11-12 2021

Your heartwarming support during this crisis has given us the perspective to take this year in stride and the resolve to come back in 2021 with a spectacular season of shows worthy of your commitment. The Horse Park will sport all new footing in the Jumper and Schooling Arenas and the addition of a $5 million dollar covered arena with lighting will make for some fantastic courses and evening competition. Plus we are considering different options for adding more show dates to 2021 calendar and have applied to USHJA to become a World Champion Hunter Rider event.

We hope you can get some showing in somewhere this year or find other opportunities to enjoy time with your horse. Please bookmark our 2021 dates and stay tuned for more details for our future events. We look forward to being together again soon!

Stay healthy and ride on.

June Shows Cancelled

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Throughout this trying spring we have remained optimistic that we could hold our June shows, as the notion of not doing so is crushing. But the thought of anyone coming into harm’s way because of Covid-19 is even more concerning.

Unfortunately, the threat from the global pandemic has not subsided. As of May 9, there are over 1.3 million confirmed cases in the United States with a staggering death toll. In our state, Governor Inslee has extended the shelter-in-place order limiting public gatherings, which directly impacts us. Kittitas County where the Washington State Horse Park is located (and one of only 5 counties that could apply for an exemption to the state-wide directive) has recently seen an uptick in cases and has delayed their phased reopening. Local businesses in and around Cle Elum that support our community have also remained severely impacted.

As such, we have made the decision to cancel both the Swiftwater Invitational (June 10-14) and the Alpine Preview (June 17-21) shows for this season. As hard as this is to share with you, it is the only decision reasonably open to us and the only responsible action to take out of respect for the health and safety of our entire community. If you have already submitted entries or stabling reservations for our June shows, any and all of your deposits will be refunded or remain unprocessed.

We are currently still planning on and looking forward to our July Pacific Crest Open and Outreach shows. We are exploring options for extending that week or possibly adding a week preceding it. We will update you as soon as possible. Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.

We have also received the latest USEF COVID-19 Action Plan for Returning Safely to Competition which includes a comprehensive list of requirements and recommendations. We recommend everybody read through it as it will help prepare you for what the “new normal” of showing will look like for the foreseeable future.

Stay healthy and ride on,

Cascade Horse Shows

Entries for Our 2020 Shows Are Now Open!

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See our new 2020 Prize List.

We are excited to announce that we are now accepting entries for all of 2020 Cascade shows!  Our shows often sell out quickly, so we’ve made it easy to get everything you need–show details, the Prize List, our online or downloadable entry forms, stall and RV reservations, and more–directly from our online Competitor Portal.

Update April 3: We are carefully monitoring the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The health and safety of our community is paramount to us. We are still accepting entries for June (which can be secured with a deposit) but we are not processing any charges or cashing any checks until we are certain the shows can run as scheduled. In the event of a cancellation, any deposits already processed will be refunded. Thank you for your continued support and please stay safe.

Save by Getting Your Entries in Sooner

All of our 2020 shows now have early entry dates which, if met, qualify you for a discount. You will definitely want to take advantage of this opportunity to save:

2020 Cascade Show
Dates
Early Entry *
Swiftwater Invitational
Alpine Preview
Pacific Crest Open
Pacific Outreach
Cascade Finals
6/10 – 6/14
6/17 – 6/21
7/9 – 7/12
7/9 – 7/12
9/5 – 9/6
Tue, 5/26
Tue, 5/26
Tue, 6/23
Tue, 6/23
Tue, 8/18
* Entries received on or before this date will receive a discount. Please see entry forms or Prize List for details.

Please Welcome our New Online-entry Partner, HorseShowing.com

blankFor 2020, we have partnered with HorseShowing.com by Sport Data, Inc. to make it easier than ever to enter online, check results, and more.  Once our online entries go live, things may look a little different, but we trust you will find this new system easy to use and accurate. (We also continue to accept online entries through Equestrian Connect.)  As always with technology transitions, there may be a learning curve. Please feel free to give us feedback on your experience. We are always listening.

Say Hello to New Show Secretary Alison Gerami!

We are pleased to announce that Alison Gerami of Laguna Hills, CA has signed on to be new our show secretary this season. Alison brings years of experience in this role and we are thrilled to have her on the team. We will miss our long-time friend, former show secretary Barbara Baierle; she was a familiar face to most of you, so please join us in wishing her the very best.

So for those of you who plan to mail in your entries, we have a new mailing address this year:

Mail entries to:
Alison Gerami, Cascade Horse Shows
24431 Chancellor Ct., Laguna Hills, CA  92653

Please get your entries to us soon, and we will see you all in Cle Elum!