Halloween with Horses Cancelled for 2009   Parker, CO–The Colorado Horse Park announces that the popular family fall festival, Halloween with Horses, has been canceled for 2009. The current economic climate coupled with internal changes led the Colorado Horse Park Board of Directors to the decision to offer the Town of Parker the opportunity to take over the event. Each year, The Colorado Horse Park has funded, hosted and staffed the event, along with personnel from the Town of Parker, and hundreds of volunteers from the Parker Arts Council, the Parker Library and other organizations. “Halloween with Horses has become a highly anticipated event each year. Children and adults alike love the horse costume contest, Stable of Terror, the Trick or Treat Barn and everything else that made the day special,” says the park’s founder and president, Helen Krieble. “Although it has been extremely popular, The Colorado Horse Park loses approximately $40,000 on the event over and above the donation of the facility for a full week. As much we have enjoyed Halloween with Horses, the park is no longer able to provide staff or funds to produce the event. We had hoped that the town would continue this great event fall tradition. We were willing to continue to provide the facility free of charge to the town, but they were not interested in continuing the event. It saddens me that such a beloved event will no longer occur.”

For the past nine years Halloween with Horses has grown into one of the most popular and unique Halloween celebrations in the Denver area. It has been featured nationwide in publications like Women’s Day and on television shows such as the Martha Stewart Show. With more than 10,000 spectators, Halloween with Horses had become one of the largest one-day events in Douglas County. “We are saddened because so many people love this event. Many participants in the horse costume contest compete every year so we are sure they will disappointed too,” Krieble continued.

While Halloween with Horses will not be part of the 2009 schedule, the remainder of the roster remains untouched, including the three Grand Prix show jumping events held in July, the three day events in May and October, and numerous other dressage and hunter/jumper shows.

The Colorado Horse Park offers free admission and parking for all spectators at all events. There are concession options at the horse park as well as many equestrian-themed shopping opportunities during events. For more information on The Colorado Horse Park please visit www.coloradohorsepark.org or call 303-841-5550.