Georgia International Horse Park
Encyclopedia
Conyers, Georgia
Conyers is the only city in Rockdale County, Georgia, USA. It is twenty-four miles east of Atlanta. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,689. Census estimates of 2005 indicate a population of 12,205. The city is the county seat of Rockdale County. By 2009, the reported population was...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 30 miles (50 km) east of Atlanta.
History
Due to the growth of Rockdale County, GeorgiaRockdale County, Georgia
Rockdale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 70,111. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 82,052. Two years later, the population was 84,569. The county seat is Conyers.-Geography:...
in the late 1980s, the county was looking to expand its wastewater treatment system, but they were having to find alternative uses to strict environmental regulations on the local, state, and federal levels. The City of Conyers, Georgia
Conyers, Georgia
Conyers is the only city in Rockdale County, Georgia, USA. It is twenty-four miles east of Atlanta. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,689. Census estimates of 2005 indicate a population of 12,205. The city is the county seat of Rockdale County. By 2009, the reported population was...
found 1139 acres (4.6 km²) of land on Georgia State Route 138
Georgia State Route 138
State Route 138 is a highway in the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway is an east–west route that begins at the junction of S.R. 92 just north of Fairburn and ends at U.S. 78/S.R. 10 near Monroe. It totals approximately in length...
north of Interstate 20
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
that would have been suitable for land application.
Both the City Manager and the County Council were in the process of finding other uses for this land other than land application when Atlanta was awarded the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
on September 18, 1990. This led to a change in plans from a city park to the development of the land that would later become the Georgia International Horse Park. As a result, an equestrian task force was developed to have the park developed, under cooperation with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG).
The proposed site was visited on August 7, 1991 with details about the land, the proposed facilities, and their post-Olympic usage. The Georgia International Horse Park became reality when it was approved by ACOG on October 21, 1991.
The Centennial Olympic Games
During the 1996 Summer Olympics1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, which ran from July 19 to August 4, over 600,000 people visited the track to witness events in equestrian
Equestrian at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The Equestrian events were held at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, United States, -Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*...
, mountain biking
Cycling at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Cycling competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics. There were three categories of events – road cycling, track cycling and mountain biking...
, and the riding and running portions of the modern pentathlon
Modern pentathlon at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Modern pentathlon at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Team events were eliminated from the 1996 Olympics.-Medal Summary:Individual:-Final Results:-References:*...
events.
Among the event competitors who would gain fame ten years later were Kateřina Neumannová
Katerina Neumannová
Kateřina Neumannová is a retired Czech cross country skier. She was a flatwater canoeist and downhill skier before moving to cross country skiing at sixteen...
and Michael R. Matz. Neumannová competed in the women's mountain biking
Cycling at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Cycling competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics. There were three categories of events – road cycling, track cycling and mountain biking...
competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
would later win the gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in the women's 30 km freestyle mass start cross country skiing
Cross-country skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics
The cross-country skiing events at the 2006 Winter Olympics featured 12 events, from February 11, 2006 to 26 February 2006 at Pragelato in Turin.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:-Participating nations:...
event. Matz earned a silver in Team show jumping
Equestrian at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The Equestrian events were held at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, United States, -Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*...
event, and later became trainer to 2006 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner Barbaro
Barbaro
Barbaro was an American thoroughbred who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but shattered his leg two weeks later in the 2006 Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career and eventually leading to his death....
.
Post Olympics Legacy
After the 1996 Summer Olympics1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, the area around the Georgia International Horse Park experienced growth surrounding the facility. This growth including several residential developments, the movement of First Baptist Church of Conyers from downtown Conyers
Conyers, Georgia
Conyers is the only city in Rockdale County, Georgia, USA. It is twenty-four miles east of Atlanta. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,689. Census estimates of 2005 indicate a population of 12,205. The city is the county seat of Rockdale County. By 2009, the reported population was...
in late 2000, and the horse park into a facility for many conferences, including the East Atlanta Metro Church conference in September 2001 that included members of the Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
Crusade.
The Allman Brothers Concert (1997)
The facility hosted several high profile concerts in the years following The Olympics1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. The first was a performance by the Allman Brothers Band on July 4th, 1997. The legendary Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band played a lengthy 21 song set, that was followed by an Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
fireworks show.
Celebrate Freedom Atlanta 2007
On September 1, 2007, the park played host to the Celebrate Freedom 2007 concert, including evangelist Luis PalauLuis Palau
Luis Palau, Jr. is an international Christian evangelist living in the Portland area in Oregon, United States. He was born in Argentina and moved to Portland in his mid-twenties to enroll in a graduate program in Biblical studies....
. Among the sponsors were Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Bugaboo Creek Steak House, and WFSH-FM
WFSH-FM
Called "104.7 the Fish", WFSH-FM is an FM radio station in Atlanta, Georgia broadcasting at 104.7 MHz. The station format is called "Safe For The Whole Family", a hybrid of Christian pop and clean secular music with a mainstream feel...
in Atlanta. The event was televised by the Gospel Music Channel
Gospel Music Channel
gmc is an American satellite and cable television channel, known from its 2004 launch until February 1, 2010 as Gospel Music Channel. It is also available in high-definition as a separate channel called gmcHD ....
. Included were kid activities which also featured the VeggieTales
VeggieTales
VeggieTales is an American series of children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity...
, including The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie is a 2008 American animated feature-length family adventure film directed by Mike Nawrocki and written by Phil Vischer. Produced through Big Idea Productions animation studio and the animation by Starz Animation, it is the second film featuring...
.
Celebrate Freedom Atlanta 2008
On August 30, 2008, the park hosted the Celebrate Freedom 2008 concert. Training involved for field ministersChristian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
took place on the evening of August 27, 2008 at the First Baptist Church, located 2 miles (3 km) south of the park.
Georgia Perimeter College
Georgia Perimeter CollegeGeorgia Perimeter College
Georgia Perimeter College is a two-year associate degree-granting unit of the University System of Georgia. In May 2011, the state Board of Regents approved two bachelor's programs: a Bachelor of Arts in Sign Language Interpreting and a Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics...
planned on constructing a facility nearby by 2008, but negotiations between the city of Conyers and Georgia Perimeter College building a facility failed. The college instead constructed a facility in neighboring Newton County, Georgia
Newton County, Georgia
Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 62,001. The 2010 Census showed a population of 99,958. The county seat is Covington....
.