The century-old Pebble Beach Equestrian Center in California will close June 30. It was opened by Pebble Beach Resorts developer Samuel F.B. Morse, a cousin of the man who invented the telegraph and Morse code.
“While the Equestrian Center has a storied history, it is no longer economically viable,” Pebble Beach Company spokesman David Stivers said in a press release.
The original stable was constructed for $12,000 as a place to keep property owners’ horses, and grew to national importance. Under the management of horseman Dick Collins from 1946-79, the U.S. eventing team Olympic trials were held at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center.
“The center needs more than $15 million in renovations, and has been operating at a substantial loss for many years. Given the overall downward trends in the equestrian industry and the continuing decrease in business at our center, this is the right decision for the company,” the spokesman stated.
Trails will remain open on the property after the stable closes.
The economy also was blamed for the discontinuance of the British Festival of Eventing at Gatcombe Park.
Rising costs made the event “unviable,” in “the current economic climate.” A huge increase in insurance costs post-pandemic has contributed to the problem as well as for the event that began in 1983 and had been scheduled to return in August.
Started by Princess Anne and her first husband, Mark Phillips, the event hosted many British championships.
Mark, the event chairman, said: “The horse trials at Gatcombe and more recently, the Festival of British Eventing, have been a major part of my life for over 40 years when The Princess Royal and I first had the dream.
“The dream became reality, and with it, many special memories of the many riders, horses, volunteers, sponsors and spectators all of whom massively contributed to the history of the horse trials at Gatcombe Park.
“It’s truly a great sadness that the original model, and indeed the sport, has changed so much.”