The track at The Event at Rebecca Farm includes a 4-star long course, and since the Paris Olympics will use a 4-star course for their equestrian eventing, competitors will get a dose of the real thing.  

That’s not the only reason Dani Sussman is here, though. The main reason is because she’s hooked: She’s been coming to the Flathead Valley for this since its first year — 2002.  

“This is definitely one of the best events in the country,” Sussman said Wednesday, while observing novice riders bring their horses through a steeplechase course. “Living in Seattle, it became kind of a hot spot. They built this beautiful track and facility, and each year it just got better and better.”  

These days Sussman lives in tiny Larkspur, Colorado, south of Denver, where she has a business dedicated to training riders and their horses. But she still competes.  

“I tend to compete quite well here. I love the tracks,” she said. “It’s just a great atmosphere. I finished high at the 4-star and 3-star a couple times.  

“I have a couple (horses) competing myself and I always bring clients — it’s always on their radar as like the best event each year. Everybody tries to make a bit of a vacation out of it because of the lakes and the fun activities outside of the horses, to do.”  

Putting her 12-year-old Argentinian horse — “he speaks with an accent,” she said — through the 4-star long course will take 10-12 minutes, and cover four miles give or take. She also has a horse in the 3-star short and another novice horse.  

Trailers were lining up Wednesday: Kim Miller, who is handling public relations for The Event, said more than 600 riders will compete. She’s making her first visit herself, after reporting on and handling PR in Southern California for several seasons.  

“People talk about it, call it the holy grail, say ‘You’ve got to go,’ ” Miller said of Rebecca Farm. “I can see why.”  

It will be a hot one, and water stations for the horses dotted the course. The Event added misting stations for the first time last July as well, and will continue to do so. 

Competition begins at 8 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and then 9:30 a.m. on Sunday the final rounds of show jumping will take place, concluding with 4-star long competitors at 2:30 p.m.   

A schedule can be found at www.rebeccafarm.org/spectators   

    Rider Dani Sussman, right, speaks with a few of her clients who were practicing steeplechase on the course prior to The Event at Rebecca Farm on Wednesday, July 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Riders lead their horses over practice jumps before The Event at Rebecca Farm on Wednesday, July 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    The popular saloon jump awaits horses and riders prior to the start of The Event at Rebecca Farm on Wednesday, July 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider