The Vermont Summer Festival, the largest ‘AA’ rated hunter-jumper horse show held in New England, has a huge economic impact on the state of Vermont with an estimated $18 million spent throughout the duration of the six-week competition.

With approximately 1,000 horses competing each week at the Vermont Summer Festival held July 1-August 9 in East Dorset, VT, and approximately 3,000 people related to the horse show visiting the area on a daily basis, the economic impact on the local community is staggering. From hotels and restaurants to shopping and leisure pursuits, the horse show participants, along with their families and friends, inject huge amounts of money into the local economy. It is conservatively estimated that each person spends approximately $150 per day, pumping significant dollars into the Vermont economy.

“The immense economic impact that the Vermont Summer Festival has on the Manchester and surrounding areas of Vermont cannot be overlooked, especially this year when everyone is following the economy so closely,” noted John D. Ammerman, Manager of the Vermont Summer Festival. “In addition to a first-rate horse show, our competitors come to Vermont looking for relaxation and diversions from their everyday lives. Shopping, great restaurants, and a wide selection of bed and breakfasts and country inns appeal to those looking for a more complete horse show experience. We take the production of a high-quality event quite seriously, and we appreciate the important role that local businesses play in attracting Vermont Summer Festival patrons back to the community year after year.”

Offering more than $750,000 in prize money to its competitors, the Vermont Summer Festival is the richest sporting event based on purse in the state. The competition regularly attracts the best athletes, including Olympic medalists, from across the country and around the globe to vie for top honors. Each Sunday during the six-week Vermont Summer Festival, the best riders in the sport contest the grand prix event, which is extremely popular with spectators.

For more information on the 2009 Vermont Summer Festival, please visit www.vt-summerfestival.com or e-mail [email protected].