THE ISLAND 22 EQUESTRIAN PARK

Well we got a bit of a surprise at Island 22 today.If you read the updates on our Facebook page you would have heard about the Bike Park that is being built at Island 22 on the other side of the dyke - not the horse side. We have been in negotiations with the City and FVRD to make sure that the horse interests are looked after.They just were a tad behind on letting us know that due to construction that has started on the bike park this week and more than a few spectators that are ignoring the safety zones they have had to shut the park down for a few weeks.

The park is closed Monday to Friday from February 1 -17th. IT IS OPEN ON WEEKENDS!

• The rings are in amazing condition. Perfect.There are still 8 to 10 stadium jumps in the front ring depending on how you set them up. LEAVE THEM THERE. Don't drag them onto the course please.
• There is a tiny bit of water in the water jump but it is fluctuating.There are 4 courses (Pre-Entry to Training) still set up on course. It was a brilliant Training course so I challenge Preliminary riders to give it a try.
• We are going to try to remove the jumps that are in the center trails as these areas tend to be wetter. If possible can you please avoid the jumps that are in obvious wet areas to preserve the footing.
• The baby ditch footing should be good but the bigger ditch is in a wetter area so please check the footing before using. The gate house is closed so the park is free to use just use at your own risk and please respect the jumps, rings and property.

The Mt. Cheam Pony Club 2 Day Event is held this Easter Weekend. Forms will be up on the website soon so please stay tuned.

Well it is almost November.

The gate house at Island 22 is still open but only for another week or two. If you do go down it is only $10 per horse trailer and it doesn't matter how many horses your trailer holds - 2 or 20 - it is a flat rate of $10 considered a parking fee now. All other vehicles must pay 5$ parking fee as well.

Park in the front parking area only please!!

Pay with cash at the gate house.

Once the gate house is closed it is free to ride but please be aware that all damage to rings and jumps is paid for by the Society and done by volunteers.

Currently the courses are still all set up but only for another week or two. Heinrich hurt his back slightly and sitting in a tractor for many hours to move jumps was not on his wish list. He is feeling better though and he and Rolf should be out there pretty soon to move a majority of the cross country jumps off the course. They will leave a handful around the water jump and one or two on the plateau where they can get a decent amount of sun. Rot is our worst enemy.

The footing is very good but there are some muddy spots due to tons of rain. Use your helmet covered noggin when galloping out there.

It is still quite good for buggies.

The water jump is PERFECT for everyone right now. It will fluctuate in depth weekly but it is pretty much perfect depth at the moment.

All three rings have 100% perfect footing. Cant get any better in an outdoor. The front ring at the front parking area contains 10 jumps in it with poles and cups donated by the Society and the Mt. Cheam PC. Please be nice to them and leave them in the ring for other users.

DO NOT DRAG THEM ON TO THE COURSE!!

Thank you.

The Year 2012 is our 25th Anniversary!!

Check out our Facebook page for the most up to date information about the park, events and the Society.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Island-22-Equestrian-Park/102318996505730

“Thanks to the two trailer loads of riders (all 8 of you) who came to school on our closed cross country course so you could prepare to ride at Aspen in the US. We were busy preparing for our event next weekend (which is why the course was closed) so that the course can be the best that it could be for our faithful BC riders who are staying in BC to compete.” If we knew for sure who you are, we would be asking for a donation to help repair the footing damage that you did to the course!”

Hey everyone!!

The park conditions have improved amazingly.

The water jump is almost perfect and in a few days it will probably be dry and we will have to fill it again. lol

The mowing is starting in spots today and in huge swatches on Friday.

Lots of jumps have been moved off the course to allow for proper mowing but they will be back in place slowly through out the week.

Please check the facebook page for immediate updates on jumps being replaced. Lots of permanent jumps to jump though!!!

Remember the new fee schedule (cheaper).

NOTE!!!!!!!!!!!

The Sockey season has started and the park is NUTS with fisherman. Please be aware that we need to share the front parking lot with fishermen and we are going to encourage people to park on the grass over the weekend as the lot will be full.

The water hose will remain open and clear to use.

Thanks all!

On July 1st the gate house opened and a new fee schedule for day fees and seasons passes went into affect.

Please check out the FEES page for details.

Dear wonderful Island 22 Supporters!!

Thisyear we are excited to use Regal Gifts for our Fundraising Campaign. All the money we raise will go towards the park, jumps and our continued strive to raise enough money to put new footing on the new front ring. 

Regal offers more than 1000 products with hundreds being priced under $20.We are sure everyone can find something either for themselves or as agift for family and friends. I even noticed this cool horse themed jewelery box where a rearing horse spins to music (rather than a ballerina) COOL!

ImportantPoints

Regal has designed our own website for safe and secure ordering – www.island22.shopregal.ca . Please read all the details on the homepage.

You can start placing your orders immediately and all orders must be placed by December 31st, 2011. We have decided to keep this open for the whole year. We dont like the idea of putting you under pressure to buy something quickly. Just try to remember this great site when you have to buy a gift or even when you have the urge to buy something for yourself. ;-)

After placing your order on Regal's web store, the products are delivered directly to you. In stock items generally arrive within 7-10 business days.

To ensure your order is delivered quickly, they need you to either enter a physical address (not PO Box) or include your phone number when asked during the order process. For speedy delivery we recommend including both.

Regal has a low shipping rate - only $5 per order under $124.99 or 4% of the order total if your order is $125 or more. ( plus taxes)

Our Organization earns at least 30% on every order and up to 35% if we all buy more!!

Product Exchanges are done directly through Regal’s Exchange Centre – www.regal.ca/exchangecentre. Refunds can be requested through the Centre as well as long as this campaign is open. After the campaign closes you will only be able to receive an exchange.

We thank you for your continued support!!

At the moment the most up to date information regarding the park is on our FaceBook Page.

This is so that I dont flood your inboxes with tiny snippetts of information a few times a week. Please check the site for info.

We will be releasing new Gate House fees in a few weeks and filling you in on a very busy August in an info email aroung the end of the June. If you will be hosting anything at Island 22 in July or August that you would like some help promoting please get me the info ASAP and I will include it in the email and on the site. island22website@yahoo.ca

Thanks all!!

Go Eventing - Go Driving - Go Riding!!

There will be no $10 drop in fee charge until the gate house opens new the end of May.

All closed park clinics and events will be required to pay the park rental fee of $200 per day.

We encourage you to purchase your seasons pass before May to avoide the rush and prevent any line-ups at the gatehouse.

If you plan on riding at the park more than 5 times between May and October the seasons pass is more than worth it. Also if you have a family of children the seasons pass if a large money saver. The forms are linked on the home page.

Dont forget to check out our facebook page for the latest pictures of the park and photos of the new jumps as they are being built!

FACEBOOK

Lots of horses have been out at the park having a lovely time. The footing is excellent, water jump is full and the ground is firm enough (not in center trails) for buggy driving. Go out and have fun!!!

Jumps no obstacle for course designer

(check out our facebook page for almost daily photos of the new jumps that are being built.)

"Good courses make good horses."

That's the guiding motto international jump course designer Steve Buckman has brought to Chilliwack this week as he gives the Island 22 Equestrian Park's cross-country tracks a thorough going-over in time for this year's three-day eventing season.

Buckman has set up shop at the park and will spend about three weeks with long-time Island 22 volunteers Heinrich Meister and Rolf Wedler replacing about 18 of the park's 120 jumps.

Buckman, who is based on Vancouver Island, has designed courses as far away as New Zealand, but to him Island 22 is a special place.

The sheer size of the publicly-owned park, with five separate cross-country courses comprising a total of about 10 kilometres of track, sets it apart.

"It's a rarity," said Buckman. "We're losing equestrian land to development. It's just worth too much money."

Another rarity, according to Buckman, is the tenacity of the Island 22 volunteers, who have put on a horse trial (a three-day eventing competition featuring cross-country jumping, stadium jumping and dressage) for 23 years.

The average life expectancy of a horse trial in this day and age, said Buckman, is about six years.

"To build the course the first time, people realize how much work is involved," he said. "They're not going to do it again. Well, there's something wrong with this group because they've been doing it again and again and again."

Unlike most designers, Buckman not only designs courses but builds jumps as well.

Having worked as both a faller and a mine planner building timber framing for underground mines, his well-honed chainsaw skills allow him to create obstacles of all sizes and shapes: gates, ramps, roll tops, coffin jumps, cabins, palisades.

The jumps at Island 22 are strategically placed on five separate courses ranging from a 1,500-metre "pre-entry level" course with two-foot-four-inch jumps to a "preliminary" course just over three kilometres long with three-foot-seven-inch jumps.

The key, according to Buckman, is finding the balance between making obstacles challenging and keeping them safe.

"It's very important that you have a jump that not only a good horse on a good day will jump easily but that a bad horse on a bad day isn't going to get hurt on," he said. "That's where the experience comes in."

Although a small section of the cross-country course is open for training almost all year round, the three-day eventing season at Island 22 begins in earnest in April with the Mt. Cheam Horse Trials.

- For more information about the Island 22 Equestrian Park, visit www.island22horsepark.com.

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