Davis Equine + Ride Safe To Offer the Inaugural Groom’s Award at 2021 MARSGMI
Volunteer At All Three Great Meadow Events and Receive Extra Prizes!
THE PLAINS, Virginia – August 2021 – Five Rings Eventing, LLC is pleased to announce a partnership with Davis Equine + Ride Safe to provide a Groom’s Award at this year’s event.
The MARS Great Meadow International (MARSGMI) takes place in The Plains, Virginia on August 19-22, 2021 and offers CCI4*-S, CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S and preliminary divisions.
“A Groom’s Award is something this competition has always wanted to do,” said Max Corcoran, a member of the organizing committee and an Olympic level professional groom who’s traveled around the world caring for the top horses in the sport. ”I’ve been so lucky to work with amazing animals throughout my career. A groom’s relationship with their horses is the foundation for the success of any team, and we are grateful to our friends at Davis Equine + Ride Safe for sponsoring a prize that highlights their role.”
Davis Equine + Ride Safe has been supporting GMI for years. Now, in addition to providing beautiful leather halters to winners in each division, Davis Equine will also provide a $200 gift certificate to Tri-Country Feeds Fashions and Finds, a leather shank, and a Ride Safe bracelet to the best groom nominated by the ground jury of the CCI4*-S division.
“For Davis Equine + Ride Safe to step up to sponsor a groom’s award is truly a special thing for David O’Connor and me,” said Darrin Mollett, who together with David O’Connor run Five Ring’s Eventing, the Organizer of the event. “When David and I envisioned this event seven years ago, we always saw it as a community-based event on an international stage. To have our local businesses contribute in this generous way makes the hard work worth it and ensures the longevity of this event for our community athletes for years to come.”
“Davis Equine + Ride Safe is excited to partner with this great local competition again,” said Dr Chad Davis of Davis Equine. “We understand how important the work of these grooms is to the health and welfare of the equine athlete and are honored to recognize their immense contribution to the sport.”
Last year, MARSGMI successfully implemented the “Great Meadow Model” to run a safe event during the pandemic. This year will be no different as MARSGMI will return to the same model to allow spectators to enjoy the competition in a safe environment.
Returning for 2021, MARSGMI will offer general admission weekend passes as well as fabulous tailgate options for spectators. Limited vendors, a wine vendor, and food trucks have been invited to enhance the spectator experience. Catering is also offered by Salamander Market.
“Great Meadow is truly a special place in the heart of Northern Virginia horse country,” said O’Connor. “We are especially excited to broaden the reach of this event to be more inclusive of our community members, businesses, and organizations who share our love of open space, animal well-being, and the Piedmont.”
MARSGMI will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and maintain communication with the Great Meadow Foundation, state and local health officials and the USEF and FEI.
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About Great Meadow International
Established in 2015, the Great Meadow International is a three-day eventing competition held annually at the Great Meadow Foundation in The Plains, Virginia. In addition to the international equestrian competition, the event features VIP hospitality, a trade fair, beer garden, and entertainment for the whole family. The 2019 Great Meadow International will take place on August 22nd to August 25th.
For information at Great Meadow International, please visit https://www.greatmeadowinternational.com/about
About Five Rings Eventing
Five Rings Eventing is a high-performance event organizer and management company founded by Darrin Mollett and David O’Connor to enhance the sport of eventing in Northern Virginia and beyond. FRE’s mission is to provide exceptional competition opportunities for athletes and their equine partners to help them reach their individual goals, whether they are at the entry level to international competition or the highest level of team competition.
About Davis Equine
At Davis Equine, your equine athlete and companion is our “Life’s Work.” Our 4 defining principles that serve as the pillars we strive to achieve and maintain each day: COMPASSION, INNOVATION, DEDICATION, EXCELLENCE! For more information, please visit https://davisequine.com/
About Ride Safe
Every Day, Every Ride, Every Time, RIDE SAFE!
RIDE SAFE is a sports medical ID bracelet that is designed to be worn all day every day by equestrians on or off the farm working with or around horses. Ride Safe has worked hard to be a part of implementing rule changes that allow the bracelet to be worn in Eventing as well as the USPC (United States Pony Club). The rule change for Eventing was put in place in January of 2014 and the Pony Club announced their rule change in January of 2015. Ride Safe hopes to reach other sports in the future, but more importantly to educate everyone about being safe in whatever you do even it if does not involve horses! When an emergency happens, time is critical and the RIDE SAFE bracelet will allow first responders, friends, and family immediate access to your secure medical history and contact information to facilitate rapid medical response and therapy. RIDE SAFE has taken many steps to ensure that your medical profile is extremely secure, but can still be easily accessed in a time of need. For more information, please visit www.teamridesafe.com
About Mars, Incorporated
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the centre of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL™, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield™ Pet Hospitals, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, and VCA™.
We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive. For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About MARS EQUESTRIAN™
MARS EQUESTRIAN™ Sponsorship, funded by Mars, incorporated is the link between our iconic brands and the equestrian community. For generations, Mars has celebrated a rich equestrian heritage, and through purposeful partnerships, MARS EQUESTRIAN is committed to the sport and building an enduring legacy. From world-class competitions across all equestrian disciplines, to stewarding the power of horses on society and sustainability, the MARS EQUESTRIAN Brand is dedicated to our purpose to improve the lives of horses, pets, and the people who love them. For more information, please visit www.marsequestrian.com and join us @marsequestrian.
