Cherry Capital Winter Wonderfest - Traverse City

Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest
Festivals
Location: Grand Traverse Resort, Downtown Traverse City, Mt. Holiday

A Holiday weekend of fun! Something for everyone! The WonderFest features a "Winter Fun Zone" at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa offering Ice skating, Bonfires, X-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snow Hill Climb n' Slide, Sleigh and Snowmobile rides. Kids games, outdoor carnival rides, MI Micro-brew tent, Chili Cook-off contest and even Fireworks! Competitive events include a 5K "Frozen Foot race", Kid's Snowshoe Race. Proceeds for the "Polar Plunge" event support Special Olympics of Michigan. Stop by Mt. Holiday to watch the Downhill Dash Mountain Bike Race, Rail Jam, Bobsled-a-rama, and "Big Air" Championship. And visit historic downtown Traverse City to view beautiful ice carvings and walk through the snow sculpture park, enjoy live music under the tent at the 3rd Annual Soup'r Bowl Competition and Beer Tent, and watch the Frozen Bed Race, Monster Dog Pull competition, "Tommy Tropic" juggler - kid's entertainer, Brain Freeze ice cream eating competition, frozen cherry pit contest, sweetheart of a sale in the downtown district, or take a horse and carriage ride. Snowball Winter Softball Tournament at the Grand Traverse Civic Center. Please visit the website: www.winterwonderfest.org for the most current schedule, to register for competitive events, and for additional information. Scheduled events are subject to change without notice.
Phone: (800) 748-0303

Annual North American Vasa Ski Race

Annual North American Vasa Ski Race
Annual Event
Location: Timber Ridge RV & Recreation

Join this 34th annual cross country ski race featuring classic events of 12 km and 27 km, and freestyle (skating) events of 12 km, 27 km, and 50 km. Start/finish at Timber Ridge Resort, Traverse City. First race starts at 8:30 am.
The relentless Lake Michigan snow making machine supplies plenty of snow for our course. The superb grooming by our VASA groomers has made this exceptionally beautiful course a winter-long top destination for cross country skiers from throughout the midwest. Races offered for 2010:
27 km Classic - 8:30am
50 km Freestyle - 9:00am
27 km Freestyle - 9:30am
12 km - 9:45am
American Waste JR. VASA Races offered:
1 km Classic Jr. VASA, 5 and under and 6-7 - 12:30pm
3 km Classic Jr. VASA, 8-9, 10-11 & 12-15 - 12:40pm
3km Freestyle Jr. VASA, 8-9, 10-11 & 12-15 - 12:50pm
For applications or information write or call: North American VASA: 537 Webster, Traverse City, 49684, or (231) 938-4400 or, register online at www.vasa.org
Phone: (231) 938-4400

The Bigfoot Snowshoe Race

The Bigfoot Snowshoe Race
Annual Event
Location: Timber Ridge Resort, 4050 Hammond Rd

Strap on your snowshoes for the Bigfoot Snowshoe Race at Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City. Race distances include a 5k and 10k. Don't have your own shoes? Rent them from Timber Ridge or from a number of area retailers. No experience is necessary, but winter athletes can work hard as this is the Midwest qualifier for the National Championship Snowshoe Race, happening in March. Timber Ridge Resort is located at 4050 Hammond Rd. in Traverse City (Hammond and Six Mile). Phone: (231) 932-5401

Horse Show Lingo: Tack

Tack: The equipment worn by the horse depends on the needs of the animal. The saddle and bridle are the staples. Other equipment may be added, such as a martingale, which attaches to the saddle and bridle to keep the horse’s head from rising too high. Horses may also wear boots or bandages on their legs for support or protection.

Horse Shows Lingo: Combination

Combination: Two or three jumps set up so they must be taken in quick succession, separated by only one or two strides. A combination is considered to be a single obstacle. If a horse stops or runs out at any element of the combination (elements are lettered A, B, C), the entire obstacle must be re-jumped.

Horse Shows Lingo: Course

Course: In each class, competitors must negotiate the jumps in a prescribed order. The grand prix is the highest level of show jumping competition, so the fences are larger and the course longer and more challenging. Accredited course designers plan grand prix courses. No two courses are ever the same. Spectators who hear a course described as a “perfect course” (or “PC”) have seen an event in which the number of riders who qualify for the jump-offs is the same as the number of ribbons offered in that class.

Horese Shows Lingo: Conformation

Conformation: Judged on a horse’s bone structure and body proportions (physical build), based on quality, substance and soundness. Conformation faults include things such as high withers, a long neck or short legs. In the conformation hunter divisions, the over fences and under saddle classes are judged 60 percent on performance and 40 percent on their conformation.

Horse Shows by the Bay: Some Background

Founded in 2004, Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival is a series of prestigious week-long summer competitions staged annually at Flintfields Horse Park in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan. The festival attracts thousands of the nations best horses and riders competing in the International Olympic disciplines of show jumping and dressage plus hosts national and locally ranked events for the show hunter, open breed and equitation rider. The festival is produced by Traverse City residents Dean and Alexandra Rheinheimer who collectively have more than 20 years of experience managing and producing equestrian events nationwide.
Each competition is sanctioned by the United States Equestrian Federation plus carries affiliation with many national and regional equestrian organizations. Horses and riders are in attendance to win points towards year-end awards and titles plus to win a share of the $400,000 in prize money that is awarded each season.
To date the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival has brought more than $40 million in tourism revenue to the immediate area.
Each show week starts on Wednesday and ends on Sunday. Feature events are scheduled on the weekends and include the exciting Grand Prix plus exhibitions, special family day activities, and charity fundraisers.

For lodging: PENINSULA BAY RESORT CONDOMINIUMS on East Bay

2010 Horse Shows by the Bay - Dates & Times

2010 Horse Shows by the Bay - Dates & Times

Dressage by the Bay Series I & II: July 8 - 11

Horse Shows by the BaySeries I, II, & III: July 14 - August 1

Dressage by the Bay Fall Classic: Sept 9 - 12

GAIG/USDF Region 2Championships: Sept 10 - 12