A leap towards equestrian excellence
The safety of horses and riders is a key factor in any equestrian activity, and track surfaces play a crucial role in ensuring this safety. Good arena terrain is essential to ensure optimal performance and a safe experience for both horses and riders.
Aspects such as uniform geography and even maintenance are critical details in reducing the risk of injury and improving horse performance.
For example, a well-cushioned surface helps reduce the impact on horses’ feet, which can prevent injuries and improve long-term performance.
In the equestrian world, this high quality of arena surfaces is also an important factor in the organization of competitions. The accomplishment of international standards must guarantee the safety of horses and riders and ensure a fair level of play.
That is why at Hacienda Barvak we have taken a leap towards equestrian excellence by inaugurating this weekend an equestrian show jumping arena. The arena has been designed and built to the highest standards of safety and quality, to offer athletes and horses an ideal space to develop their skill and performance.
The jumping arena is conceptualized according to the Wellington Equestrian Center International, located in Florida, United States, a sports complex cataloged as the Home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, and dedicated to receive professional and amateur horses of the Hunter and Jumper equestrian disciplines.
Technical details
The new jumping track at Hacienda Barvak was designed and conceptualized by Venezuelan expert Leopoldo Palacios
Palacios has a long trajectory as a designer of efficient arenas, agreeing the sport and nature. He is also a developer of equestrian centers, expert in flooring and obstacle designer.
The surface of our new arena has a shape similar to a bean and an area of 7,300 square meters, with features such as bars imported from Germany for obstacle competition, a water jump, lighting towers, high-quality turf and other elements that make it unique in Central America.
During its construction, technical aspects such as soil capacity, drainage, type of grass, location, and height of the project were considered, as well as the fillings to maintain the natural topography of the terrain without alterations.
The track has a French drainage system along the entire lower part and a 20 cm thick layer of round stone that acts as a drainage filter, followed by a 25 cm layer of special sand without edges.
The type of grass used is San Agustin, which, combined with a synthetic fiber in the last 15 cm, increases resistance and prevents the horse from detaching parts of the turf when stepping on it.
Due to the humid climate of Costa Rica, the track requires periodic care and maintenance to keep it in good condition; therefore, specialized equipment will be used to cut and oxygenate the surface, as well as machines to collect the materials.
For family enjoyment
The jumping arena has lighting towers, ambient sound, stable services for competitions and a series of amenities that make it a very pleasant place for families and friends.
All this, added to the experience that can be lived at the Hacienda, where the countryside, the green spaces to share, and its trails are intertwined with modernity.
The jumping track has a side that functions as a green grandstand for families to sit and watch the competitions. In addition, trees were planted around the perimeter to provide shade and make the place more comfortable for spectators.
The construction of the jumping track was led by the construction company AMCO with the collaboration of the technical structure and the Costa Rican Agrícola Roca, with extensive experience in the construction of soccer fields, such as the one designed for the National Stadium.
A complete sports center in Heredia
To provide a complete experience, the equestrian center also offers a sand arena measuring 40 × 71.50 meters for training and a riding arena measuring 20 × 60 meters for warm-up.
The training arena has sand imported from Italy that provides 87% permeability, this together with a synthetic fiber mixture serves as a humidity retainer, a necessity in the dry season to maintain the horse’s natural condition.
The objective of the development of all this infrastructure is that the horse trains and is in its best physical condition and best performance for the rider-horse binomial in a competition.
The equestrian center at Hacienda Barvak is a unique experience in the world of show jumping and an opportunity for athletes and spectators to enjoy a high-quality and safe place.
