Chaplin Hill Horse Park Development Planning Complete

Planning and schematic design services have been completed for the development of The Horse Park at Chaplin Hill. The horse park will be developed on a 120-acre tract adjacent to the Chaplin Hill Parks complex in Morgantown, West Virginia. The first phase of construction on the $11 million facility is expected to begin during the summer of 2002.

Master Plan Rendering

The Horse Park at Chaplin Hill is being developed to serve as a venue for the region's premier equestrian events, which require extensive indoor and outdoor facilities. The Horse Park will capitalize on the high level of interest in equine activities in the northern West Virginia, as well as the interest in moving several major regional equestrian events to Morgantown. Groups from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Ohio have expressed sincere interest in the development of the facility and plan to incorporate it into their annual event programs.

The Horse Park at Chaplin Hill will be a versatile, state-of-the-art facility capable of hosting all disciplines of the equine industry, as well as other popular spectator events such as rodeos, concerts, and fair events. The firm selected for planning, design, and engineering services is Gralla Architects, an Oklahoma based firm specializing in commercial and private equestrian facility development on an international level. According to facility planner Todd Gralla, "this Master Plan and design embodies what the project team believes to be the most flexible, efficient, safe, and aesthetically sensitive solution of development for the Horse Park."

The major components essential to the development of the Horse Park are the proposed main indoor show arena/coliseum, warm-up/staging arena, three outdoor show arenas, and the horse barns that will initially house 224 permanent stalls (temporary stalls will also be available). They are the heart and soul of the facility and are organized to function efficiently from both a spectator and exhibitor point-of-view.

In addition to the major components, several other important components and support facilities have been planned to complete the facility. These include a maintenance and hay/bedding sales building; large open grass riding fields; a cross-country course and viewing pavilion with toilets & concessions; riding trails connecting to an off-site trial network near the Horse Park main entrance; and a recreational vehicle park area which will provide exhibitors and visitors a place to hook-up while attending events at the Horse Park. The R.V. Park includes shower and toilet facilities, picnic pavilions and a dump station.