Ocala, Florida – Peter Gray, co-organizer with Paul Delbrook of Ontario’s Stonehill Horse Trials for the past 20 years, has announced they will no longer be holding the annual event.
Gray, the past National Coach (1995-2000) of Canada’s Three-Day Event Team, has competed in three Olympic Games; two World Equestrian games and was the individual bronze medallist at the 1987 Pam-Am Games. He sat on the High Performance Committee of Equine Canada as well as the FEI’s Three-Day Event Committee and is heavily involved in program development, coaching, fundraising and as a rider representative. He is presently a Canadian Team Selector for 2007.
The Stonehill event has been one of the most popular competitions in Ontario, breaking attendance records nationwide and boasting the most prize money at the lower levels of competition. The event was a benefactor for a wide range of local charities including the Orangeville Hospital.
Currently based in Ocala, Florida, Gray explains it’s simply a matter of commitments: “I love what I’m doing right now – coaching, training, riding, organizing and giving clinics and developing young horses and riders. I loved running my event as well – we had outstanding support from fantastic sponsors and competitors for which I am grateful. There is no denying the amount of time and energy required to put on an eventof that level, and now that energy will be re-directed.”
Jorge and Mandy Bernhard purchased the most recent Stonehill event site in the Hockley Valley area. Gray will continue to coach, ride and develop horses at the international level from Ocala, until he decides where in Ontario he will come back to this summer for the competition season.
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