Experience the Equestrian Side of Florida's Capital City with Tallahassee Trails & Trials
Wednesday, January 19 at 05:26 PM
Featuring the world renowned Red Hills International Horse Trials, March 11-13, 2011
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Jan. 18, 2010 – Visit Tallahassee invites visitors to experience the world renowned Red Hills International Horse Trails as part of TALLAHASSEE TRAILS & TRIALS, running March 11-13, 2011, with discounts at 20 local hotels and rates starting at $49.99 per night.* Held annually on the beautiful grounds of Tallahassee’s Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, the Red Hills International Horse Trials features some of the world’s greatest riders and horses, including Olympic athletes from 11 countries and 28 states. In addition to equestrian adventures, TALLAHASSEE TRAILS & TRIALS features activities from kayaking down the Wakulla River and observing Florida’s second largest lighthouse at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge to experiencing the avian side of Tallahassee with the Great Florida Birding Trail and strolling through the beautiful Maclay Gardens, J.R. Alfred Greenway or Apalachee Regional Park Trail.
The TALLAHASSEE TRAILS & TRIALS weekend centers on the Red Hills International Horse Trials, a three-day competition challenging both horse and rider on the grace of dressage, rigors of cross-country jumping and pageantry of stadium jumping. Named for the sloping terrain and rich red earth known as the “red hills” of north Florida and south Georgia, the Red Hills International Horse Trials features a challenging cross-country course newly updated and designed for 2011 by Scotland’s Hugh Lochore. Lochore has designed courses extensively throughout the U.K. and abroad, including the pony European Championships at Necarne Castle, Ireland, the World Cup qualifiers at Burnham Market and at Ireland’s newest International event, Tattersalls. As the red hills terrain is similar to that of London’s Greenwich Park, the site of the 2012 Olympic Equestrian Sports, visitors can observe many of the potential equestrian Olympians for the 2012 teams right here in Tallahassee.
Visitors who may want to take a day or half-day away from the horse trials can venture out on the water with a kayak down the spring-fed Wakulla River. As the river receives an influx of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico and converges with the St. Marks River, it’s not uncommon for paddlers to encounter freshwater fish, dolphins and manatees – all during the same trip. Outfitters such as The Wilderness Way provide kayak rentals, night trips on the Aucilla River as well as guided tours of the delicately balanced ecosystems of the area’s numerous waterways, ranked by Delta Sky as the top kayaking spot in the United States.
Trailblazers later explore the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and its 75 miles of marked trails including the intersection with the Florida National Scenic Trail meandering through – with each mile marker revealing a new habitat or species for examination, including eagles, otters and wetland wildflowers. Attracting more than 300 species of birds, and waterfowl and migratory monarch butterflies, the refuge is a birder and butterfly-watcher’s paradise.
Another birder’s paradise is the Great Florida Birding Trail, featuring more than 30 sites in the Tallahassee area and highlighting the best birding sites in the Sunshine State. Visitors explore parts of the 2,000-mile, self-guided highway trail observing 40 different species of birds while picking up detailed guide booklets containing site descriptions, directions and maps that showcase the wonderful birding opportunities in Florida.
Guests round out the TALLAHASSEE TRAILS & TRIALS experience with a leisurely stroll through Maclay Gardens State Park, the J.R. Alfred Greenway and the Apalachee Regional Park Trail while enjoying Tallahassee’s majestic trees, flowering flora and acres of open pasture and forested woodlands.
From spotting manatees while paddling down a pristine river and meandering through bountiful gardens, to observing future Olympians at the Red Hills International Horse Trials and watching rare birds soar along the Great Florida Birding Trail, Tallahassee is a slice of Florida that is rarely expected. A fusion of cosmopolitan flair and charming personality defines the spirit of Tallahassee, Florida’s Capital City – where it all comes together for visitors. Situated just off Florida’s northern I-10 corridor, stretching along the state’s Panhandle, Tallahassee is a place where college town meets cultural center, politics meets performing arts and history meets nature – a place where the vibrancy of what to do is matched only by the city’s inviting hospitality.
