Tuesday, October 6, 2026


Dear Friends, 


During events at Bruce’s Field, I often pause to look around—horses and riders in our arenas, families along the rail, old friends reconnecting, and volunteers lending a hand —all enjoying Bruce’s Field.


Behind the scenes, our dedicated team is working to ensure that every person—and every horse—who comes through our gates feels welcome.


In those moments, I am reminded that what we are preserving at Bruce’s Field is about so much more than a park.


We are preserving a legacy. A tradition. A place of belonging. And a belief that exceptional sport, genuine hospitality, community, and philanthropy can come together with purpose.


We are preserving what matters.


As a nonprofit organization, the Aiken Horse Park Foundation has both the privilege and responsibility of caring for this special place. Your support helps us maintain and improve our facilities, invest in the next generation of equestrians, strengthen our charitable partnerships, and continue to welcome thousands of people to Bruce’s Field each year.


None of this happens by accident. It happens because people believe in what Bruce’s Field represents.


Your gift to the 2026 Annual Fund helps make it possible.


Annual giving plays a vital role in everything we do by bridging the gap between operating income and expenses. These yearly contributions—large or small—provide essential, flexible funding that allows us to sustain our mission, respond to immediate needs, and plan for the future.



Unlike restricted gifts, which are often designated for specific projects, annual gifts support the day-to-day operations that keep our programs running smoothly. From staffing to outreach, from facilities upkeep to new initiatives, annual contributions ensure that we have the resources to deliver on our promises year after year.


I hope you will consider making a gift to the 2026 Annual Fund. Together, we can ensure that the traditions we cherish, the opportunities we create, and the place we love continue to thrive for generations to come.


With gratitude,

Tara S Bostwick

Tara S. Bostwick, Chief Executive Officer



PRESERVING WHAT MATTERS


Yes, I would like to support the 2026 Annual Fund and help ensure that Bruce’s Field continues to thrive for generations to come.


If you prefer to make your gift via check, please mail it to: AHPF PO Box 1951, Aiken, SC 29802, Attn: Annual Fund. Please let us know if you would like to make your gift anonymously or in honor of/in memory of.


Thank you for believing in Bruce’s Field—and for helping us preserve what matters.


Coming up at Bruce's Field in 2026



October at Bruce's Field I & II

October 15th - 18th & October 22nd - 25th

USEF National A Rated Level 3 Jumper

aikenhorsepark.org/fall-in-love-with-aiken


November at Bruce's Field

November 5th - 8th

USEF National A Rated Level 3 Jumper

aikenhorsepark.org/fall-in-love-with-aiken


Aiken Holiday Classic

Equus Events

November 27th - 29th

USEF National A Rated Level 2 Jumper

equusevents.com


Aiken December Classics I & II

Equus Events

December 3rd - 6th & December 10th - 13th

USEF National A Rated Level 2 Jumper

equusevents.com

 

2026 Park Sponsors

Diamond Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

 
Established in 2013 by the late R. Bruce Duchossois, the Aiken Horse Park Foundation received its IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt status in November 2014, with a mission to promote Aiken’s equestrian way of life and to encourage the community’s civic, educational, and charitable endeavors 

Board of Directors

Gordon Lawson, Chair

John Stephens, Chair Emeritus

Jack Wetzel, President

Tara Bostwick, Vice President

Robert Hottensen, Treasurer

R. Scot Evans, Secretary

Amy Borun, Director

Craig J. Duchossois, Director

Shallan Duchossois Hazlewood, Director

Daniel Geitner, Director

Putter Goodwin, Director


Administration

Tara Bostwick, Chief Executive Officer

Joanie Morris, Chief Operating Officer

John Maldonado, Director of Park Operations

Kate Boggan, Director of Marketing and Communications

Caroline Bald, Director of Finance & Business Operations

Nina Wakefield, Assistant Treasurer

Charles Bostwick, Administration & Hospitality Co0rdinator


Park Operations

John Maldonado, Marcos Castro, Jose Carmen Castro,

Apolonio Castro, & Joel Mendez, Luis Huitron Arcos


The MISSION of the Aiken Horse Park Foundation is to promote Aiken’s equestrian way of life and to encourage the community’s civic, educational, and charitable endeavors.


Our VISION is to honor and preserve Bruce's legacy by maintaining and enhancing Bruce's Field as the pinnacle of equestrian excellence in the United States. We are committed to nurturing this historic property, blending state-of-the-art facilities with the cherished heritage of the land and community. Inspired by Bruce's dedication to stewardship and generosity, we partner with our community to support charitable, educational, and civic initiatives. We strive to be a vibrant, welcoming venue at the heart of Aiken, deeply rooted in respect, compassion, and the enduring spirit of our founder's dream.


Bruce's Legacy

When Bruce Duchossois acquired the field in 2000, he did so with a vision of its past, present, and future as a fixture of Aiken’s equestrian tradition. While his immediate goal was to save the land from residential development, Bruce’s dream was to grow it into South Carolina’s premier equestrian facility—maintaining its historic character, and paying forward the generosity of his predecessors.


Knowing he may not live to see his dream realized, Bruce created a Foundation to carry on his vision that “Bruce’s Field” may provide future generations with a place to hold the kinds of events that he cherished—old-fashioned venues with character and integrity; not an international horse park, but an intimate field in the center of the celebrated Horse District, where riders from the youngest lead line toddlers to the strongest Grand Prix competitors can come several times a season and compete on the best quality surfaces; not limited in its use, but a place where the City of Aiken’s many charitable and civic endeavors may be held for the benefit and enjoyment of all residents and visitors.


Bruce dearly loved Aiken and was so thankful for what it gave him. He offered this gift to the people and to the city, knowing that he would not be able to enjoy it himself, and asking nothing in return but that others enjoy it in his stead.


These shows seek to provide the kind of experience that Bruce cherished—old-fashioned venues with character and integrity, held on an intimate field in the center of the celebrated Horse District, where riders from the youngest lead line toddlers to the strongest Grand Prix competitors can compete on the best quality surfaces.