HORSES FOR (OFF-ROAD) COURSES, LAND ROVER-STYLE

On a good weekend, most of our retailers will give, on average, 15‑to‑20 customer test drives, writes Laura Schwab, General Manager Communications, Land Rover North America. During the recent Rolex Kentucky Three‑Day equestrian event, where Land Rover was the official automotive sponsor, we organized over 1,200.

Despite having a fleet of 10 of our 2010 model‑year Range Rovers, Range Rover Sports and Land Rover LR4s available for drives, at many times during the weekend, we had people waiting more than 45 minutes to get behind the wheel.

Naturally, it was a pretty exciting drive. Land Rover's events team went all‑out to create a highly challenging off‑road course full of near‑vertical climbs, giant craters, log and water crossings, and our famous "teeter‑totter" balancing grid.

The genuine interest we generated in our vehicles reinforces our bold decision to become closely involved in the sport of equestrianism during 2010.

We kicked off the sponsorship back in March when Land Rover was a key sponsor of the key FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in West Palm Beach, Fla. Then on April 12, we announced that we'd become the official vehicle sponsor of the 92,000‑member United States Equestrian Federation, as well as title sponsor of the official U.S. Eventing Team.

During the coming months, Land Rover will be the official vehicle of the Collecting Gaits Farm USEF Dressage Festival of Champions in Gladstone, N.J., in August, and at the American Eventing Championships in Fairburn, Ga. in September.

There's no better year for us to be involved in equestrianism. With the World Equestrian Games coming to Lexington, Ky., at the end of September ‑ and the first time the games will be held in the U.S. ‑ interest in the sport has never been greater.

The sport is an absolutely perfect fit for Land Rover, as the participants and spectators it attracts have a love of the outdoors and look for style and capability in the vehicles they buy.

We certainly couldn't have been more delighted with our involvement in last month's 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three‑Day Event. We know it generated a tremendous level of interest and awareness for the Land Rover brand, and our vehicles, as it gave 1,200 people the opportunity to try one out for themselves.

For those fans, who had to wait 45 long minutes to go play in the mud, we hope it was worth the wait and you enjoyed the experience!