Page 24 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2020

COAST NOTES
GULF COASTWinter Classic story by Je Clark
photos courtesy of Tim Isbell The Gulf Coast Winter Classic is
one of the largest equestrian shows in the South. The event will celebrate its 22nd year when it kicks off February 13 to March 29 at the Harrison County Fairgrounds and Equestrian Center in Gulfport and is free for spectators.
The Winter Classics are United States Hunter Jumper Association-sanctioned, award-winning horse shows, which feature several competitions at different levels of skill. One of the top draws is the $25,000 Beau Rivage Grand Prix. The 2019 winner was Kelsey Maloney of Atlanta and her horse, La Coco.
This event means big tourism business for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. More than 95 percent of the participants in the Winter Classic come from out of state, causing an increase in business for area hotels and restaurants as about
3,500 people participate in the horse show on a weekly basis. In 2018 alone, there were more than 10,000 rooms booked during the Winter Classic.
With an annual projected economic impact in the millions, the horse show is the perfect attraction for the Coast during the early winter months. For Coastal Mississippi and its executive director Milton Segarra, the Winter Classic provides another reason for tourists to visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
“Coastal Mississippi is a year-round destination, offering diverse events and entertainment for every traveler,” Segarra said. “The Gulf Coast
Winter Classic invites domestic and international visitors to The Secret Coast in February and March, leading to an incredible economic impact of more than $42 million.”
Harrison County Fairgrounds Director Greg Whitfield says the annual event is one of the largest attractions held at the fairgrounds, with thousands of people on hand for six to eight weeks. He said the Winter Classic is also good for future events at the fairgrounds.
“It brings a lot of recognition to Harrison County and the fairgrounds,” he said. “There’s a lot of foot traffic and it exposes many people to the area who haven’t been here before. We get
a lot of people who have never been here who see what we have to offer and they want to bring their own events to the fairgrounds. I love that about the Winter Classic.”
Harrison County Fairgrounds
15321 County Farm Rd., Gulfport 228.832.0080
24 | February 2020
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
February 13 – March 29, 2020