We are so glad to have you back with us! Here are some helpful hints to help you navigate your way around the new and always improving Horse Park during the COVID-19 pandemic.
PLEASE REMEMBER, OUT OF RESPECT FOR OTHERS
WEAR A MASK
WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY
STAY 6 FEEET APART
WHO CAN COME?
We have been granted a permit to run our competition by Riverside County Department of Public Health as a “professional sport without spectators.” The State of California, Riverside County, and USEF prohibit spectators at our competition. USEF rules allow owners, lessees, riders, athletes, parents, trainers, coaches, and any other support personnel/staff that are essential to providing care to the horses or athletes to attend the competition. As a clarification, the USEF rules do allow parents, not just a single parent. If you have any questions about whether someone can attend or not, please reach out to us and we’ll answer any of your questions. You can find us at info@deserthorsepark.com.
HOW DO I GAIN ACCESS TO THE HORSE PARK?
Each individual coming to the horse park will need to apply for and get credentials. The process for applying for credentials is simple and can be done on our website. When you apply for credentials, you’ll be asked to sign our COVID-19 release and our general release.
In addition, we’ll need your “group” leader to approve your application for credentials. Each “group” leader, e.g., trainer of a barn, will provide a list of approved individuals in the group, e.g., all exhibitors, all barn staff, all parents. Once we have the list, we’ll simply approve each individuals’ request.
Once you have your approval, just come to the entrance and provide your name or phone number. You’ll receive a wrist band that you will need to wear during the circuit. We’ll provide a fresh one at the next circuit, but you won’t have to apply again.
CAN I “VIOLATE” THE 6’ RULE WITH MY FAMILY?
We know that many people at the horse park are with their family members or folks they stay with at night. We will allow people to “define their bubble” and be closer than 6’ when they are moving around the horse park and in VIP. We’ll provide a numbered lanyard to each registered “bubble” at the horse park. It will be pretty simple. Just wear your matching numbered “bubble” lanyard with other members of your “bubble” and we won’t ask you to stay 6’ apart. You can apply for and get your lanyards at lanyards@deserthorsepark.com and pick up the lanyards at the office. Please be aware that if one member of your “bubble” were to test positive during the horse show then all members of the “bubble” would be required to leave for the appropriate quarantine period.
WILL THERE BE TEMPERATURE CHECKS?
We’ll be doing temperature checks at the entrance to the facility and between the RV park and the horse park. It will just take a few seconds, and as long as your temperature is below 100.4 you’ll gain access to the park. You’ll be given a daily wrist band that confirms your temperature is below the threshold.
WHERE DO I PICK UP PACKAGES IF THEY ARE DELIVERED TO THE HORSE PARK?
The package drop-off building is now located just inside the stable gate on the right hand side. This allows for UPS and FedEx to make deliveries without having to drive throughout the facility. It also lets us watch it more closely. You can easily drive a car or golf cart and we’ll help you from there.
WHERE IS THE GOLF CART RENTAL FACILITY?
We have moved Dever to a new location which is easily accessed from the new entrance road. You’ll find them across from barn 18 and 19 where the old shavings and hay yard was located. For more information please visit https://deverrentals.com/national-sunshine-series-at-desert-international-horse-park-thermal-ca/
HOW CAN I FIND MY STALL LOCATION? IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY STALL WHO CAN I CONTACT?
We have a great team to help you with stalls and barns. If you need help with your reservations (we know, the new system didn’t quite work as we wanted it to), there is the ever-present Skyler to help. He can be reached at stabling@deserthorsepark.com. Around the barns, you’ll find Brian Wallace all of the time. His job is to make sure everything is working to your satisfaction in the back of the house. He can be reached at Wallace@deserthorsepark.com or by phone at 818-912-0720.
Our current plan is to put the stall maps online before folks start arriving so you know where to go.
HOW DO I ORDER FEED AND BEDDING?
So far so good with our new feed and bedding system online. Just click on the icon on our website and you can place your pre-arrival order as well as your orders during the show. Again, Brian Wallace will be around to make sure your orders are delivered as you need.
HOW CAN I FIND MY VENDOR SPOT?
As you will see, we have some exciting new vendors joining us for National Sunshine Series as well as many of our long-time partners. When vendors arrive, they are to call Chris Mayone at 845-943-9990 and he will be happy to assist for placement. For electrical and other mechanical concerns vendors should call Hans Van Meehan at 760-399-2716.
HOW CAN I FIND MY RV SPOT?
Reserve your RV space on www.deserthorsepark.com by clicking on “RV Reservations”. After filling out all of your information and making payment online, you will have a confirmed reservation at the DIHP entrance gate. Upon arrival with an RV at the entrance gate, give the entry employee the name you used for your reservation and an employee will direct you to the RV park and help you get to your new desert home!
If you rented an RV from a 3rd party and had it delivered to the DIHP RV park before your arrival, simply give your reservation name to the DIHP entrance gate employee and they will tell you which lot number your RV is parked in.
HOW WILL THE HORSE SHOW OFFICE WORK?
Show office hours will be 7AM-5PM Tuesday-Sunday. We have changed the layout of the show office. There is now a single entrance and a single exit. There will be only six desks staffed and you’ll need to wait until there is an office person available before you go to the open desk. We have tried, and sometimes succeeded, in making everything available on line. Entries must be filled out online through showgroundslive (SGL) or through Equestrian Connect. All adds and scratches can be done daily (the day before you show) on SGL. Online add/scratches are due by 4:00PM. There will be no day-of adds so please make sure to have all changes done by 4 pm the day before. Please email us at showoffice@deserthorsepark.com for any questions.
IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT SHOW DAYS?
Showing is why we are all here! We’ve tried to make our shows safe, enjoyable and user friendly. All orders (for classes that require them) will be posted online at showgroundslive.com the night before you show. In order to not have crowding around the in-gate booth or the course board, all courses for the following day will be put up online on our website under the “Daily Course” icon. Also, there will be daily signups for each ring on showgroundslive so you can know exactly when you will go.
RIBBONS AND AWARDS:
Our famous awards leader, Jen Glass, spent the summer at Traverse City learning the best way to give out ribbons during COVID-19 precautions and make sure there were big smiles at the end of each class. We’ll follow her lead and make sure we give our ribbons and awards safely, but we’re not skimping here either. And of course, our swag shop will be open again with all of the great award and purchase choices.
WHAT IF I’M HAULING MY HORSE IN?
We have drastically re-vamped our haul in protocol. In order to haul in you will need to make one weekly reservation for “your weekly reserved haul in spot”. You will have a dedicated spot for your trailer and horses with very close access to water, wash racks, trash cans, restrooms and manure dumps. There is a small daily haul in fee per horse. For more information, and to make a reservation, please visit our website and click the “Daily Haul In Reservations” icon.
FOOD:
We think good food is important to a fun horse show!!
Our current plan is to provide food through a variety of Riverside County approved food trucks. The food trucks will be on property from Wednesday to Sunday and will be located centrally around the Parlanti Bar. The food trucks are currently scheduled to stay until dinner time to enable everyone to find an easier solution to dinner when restaurants in town have limited availability.
The VIP area has been turned into a permanent restaurant (pending approval on October 20 from Riverside County). VIP will operate as the Oasis Club on its normal schedule, Wednesday to Sunday from early morning until mid-afternoon. Outside of the normal VIP schedule (and new for this fall!), we’ll operate the Desert Grille with food available for purchase. The Desert Grille will be open Monday and Tuesday (all day) and each evening.
The current plan is to offer our same variety of food in VIP this year. But we do have some limitations. As a new approved restaurant(hopefully!), we can operate like any other restaurant in Riverside County. Under level red, we are allowed to have outside tables and up to 100 people inside at any one point. Each table has to allow for physical distancing. So, while a table will have eight passes, there will be only four chairs for use at any one time. The exception, of course, is if the group operates within an approved “bubble” and are wearing their lanyards.
In addition, we have added a “to go” element to VIP this year. Each VIP table holder can order food to go by going to our website and clicking on VIP food ordering icon. Once you place your order, you’ll be able to pick it up at the entrance to VIP.
Please call or text Chris Mayone 845 943 9990 in regards to availability.
AND IF YOU JUST NEED HELP
We’re always around. You’ll find lots of helpful people walking around the horse park to be helpful. Some will be gently reminding you to wear your mask and follow protocols for physical distancing. You’ll find them in fun new t- shirts and vests. In addition, if you ever need something and can’t find someone, there is a “get help” icon online on our website that you can report an issue and we’ll respond quickly.