Great Lakes Equestrian Festival to Unveil New and Improved Footing by GGT Footing in 2018
The Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) will continue its fourth year of competition at the spectacular showgrounds of the Flintfields Horse Park in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan, beginning on July 4. As to be expected, the management team at GLEF is dedicated to making constant improvements to the show to accommodate exhibitors and maintain the quality of the grounds. One of the key elements to any successful event is great footing, and the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival is no exception.
In preparation for this year’s 2018 season, GLEF is excited to announce there have been extensive improvements and upgrades made to the footing at the Flintfields Horse Park showgrounds. Home to GLEF each year, the Flintfields Horse Park offers exhibitors five competition rings as well as a number of spacious schooling rings.
The Polk Family Main Hunter Ring, Hunter Ring II, the Jumper Annex and VanKampen Ring have all been revamped with world-renowned German-based GGT Footing.
“This is just one of the many improvements we are making at the GLEF facility,” said show manager Matt Morrissey of Morrissey Management Group. “We are thrilled to have this new footing featured in some of the busiest and most popular rings at the show.”
“We are so excited about going back to the Flintfields Horse Park,” said Cynthia Keating, national account manager for GGT Footing. “Several years ago, we were thrilled to work with Karen Flint, who is the owner of the park. The exhibitors prepare, train and spend a lot of money to show and we at Polysols/GGT Footing are looking forward to giving back to the riders as well as the show committee and managers who work so hard to provide wonderful venues for the sport.”
For over 23 years GGT Footing has been supplying horse arena builders worldwide with their world-class arena footing additives. GGT Footing is used at international and private horse show facilities as well as at FEI World Cup™ Dressage and Jumping events. GGT Footing’s motto is “good footing is safe footing” and strives to meet the needs of the equine athletes who give so much of themselves to us each and every day.
Along with the implementation of the new GGT Footing textiles at the Flintfields Horse Park, 4G Surfaces has been working diligently as the official arena footing consultants and builders. Kyle and Travis Gould will be regrading all of the arenas, making improvements to the footing and amendments to the sand and drainage in order to provide the utmost of riding surfaces for the upcoming summer show season.
“We’re working really hard to get the footing exactly how it needs to be for this year’s competition in Traverse City,” said Kyle. “With my brother, Travis, and I’s combination of experience and the right materials, I think we will have great results. By using the proper GGT Footing blend with a superior sand, the footing will be a much higher quality as opposed to in the past. I believe everyone can put the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival on their calendar for this year and many years to come with these upgrades!”
This year’s GLEF exhibitors can expect the highest quality of safe footing, offering the perfect blend of soft and firm and providing the correct amount of support that is ideal for both hunter and jumper horses. This upgrade of world-class footing is sure to please the most discerning owners, trainers and riders at the upcoming 2018 GLEF.
Keating is also looking forward to visiting Traverse City this summer and seeing the new footing in action.
“It is one of the most beautiful places to visit during the summer,” said Keating. “I look forward to going back to enjoy the land, water and late sunsets. This is truly a family vacation destination. Anyone coming to compete at GLEF can be assured that the local area offers various fun activities and great dining choices, but most of all a beautiful place to spend time and get away from the summer heat! The Great Lakes Equestrian Festival in Traverse City is just a beautiful place for horses and humans.”
The team at Morrissey Management Group and the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival are dedicated to providing top-notch customer service for those attending this year’s event. If you would like assistance in booking housing arrangements for the 2018 circuit, please email concierge@mmg.management.
Traverse City is where every perfect day ends with a cherry on top! We hope you join us for a fun and competitive six weeks of competition in beautiful northern Michigan at the 2018 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival!
For more information on how to become a sponsor of the 2018 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, click to contact Nicolle Meyer at nicky@mmg.management or call 440-258-5099. 
