SYRACUSE -- Organizers say the National Horse Show is moving from Syracuse to Kentucky later this year.
Mason Phelps, the show's president and CEO, told the Lexington Herald-Leader that a contract with the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington should be signed in the next few weeks.
Horse Park Director John Nicholson said the show will be held at the Alltech Arena, the park's new $40 million indoor complex. Nicholson says the move confirmed that Kentucky is a center for sport horses and helps justify the millions of dollars spent to upgrade the park before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last fall.
The National Horse Show started in the 1880s at Madison Square Garden in New York City, but most recently has been held in Syracuse.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Original story from Wednesday, January 12:
There is big disappointment among competitive horseback riders today. The Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament will not take place this year. Organizers of the event released the bad news in this letter today.
Tournament organizers say they believed they had both the "formal contractual and informal support and assurances of the National Horse Show (NHS)", but now that does not appear to be the case. Organizers call it an "unexpected and sad development."
Organizers say they broke even in 2008 and sustained large losses in 2009, but were committed to making the event happen. Following several discussions with the NHS, the two sides agreed to continue a long-term future together if organizers could prevent significant financial losses.
Organizers say the NHS plans to hold an event in Kentucky instead next year.
