Featured Article (March 2002)

It's Show Time!

What’s new in 2002? Actually, Virginia’s spring horse shows are. Some shows are increasing and decreasing the amount of prize money offered and adding classes while others sit back and watch the recently added classes grow in popularity. Of course, we know there is never really any “sitting back” when it comes to horse shows. If you are involved in horse shows, you are inevitably familiar with these phrases: 16+ hour days, non-stop, hyper-awareness, super organized, tired feet, frozen fingers and toes, back-up plan, 2nd back-up plan… So why do you go through all of this? The bumper sticker that reads “I Love Horses!” or the license plate holder that says “Have You Hugged Your Horse Today?” sufficiently sums up the answer to that question. We are die-hard horseaholics who will do and organize anything that allows us to spend time with our beloved animals, to show them off, to recognize our achievements, and to hang out with our fellow equine fanatics (the only people who truly understand us). When “outsiders” call us crazy, we laugh and accept the statement as a compliment.

The Virginia Quarter Horse Association East Coast Championship Show will be held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington from April 1-7. This show is sponsored by the VQHA Region I and is a big to-do, as the name implies. This Championship show was first held in 1991 at Frying Pan Park then moved to Lexington in 1993 and has been growing ever since. “This is one of the Top 20 Quarter Horse shows in the nation and features America’s finest Quarter Horses and their riders. Last year, more than 7,400 exhibitors from more than 40 states traveled to the show. In spite of strong competition, several Virginians claimed top prizes both in All Around awards and the class circuits” said Trish Mandes, a founding member of the show. “To attract competitors,” the committee explains, “this show will offer more than $90,000 in cash and prizes. Top-of-the-line sheets, blankets, and arena bags, custom show clothing, silver halters, and elegant gold jewelry are just a few of the prizes exhibitors will take home. In previous years, the All Around Amateur and Novice Amateur Champions have won trailers, customized golf cars, tropical cruises, English and Western show saddles, and Rolex watches. Our goal is to provide a major equestrian event that offers challenge and excitement to owners and exhibitors alike.”

The show’s regular line-up includes the prestigious All Around divisions, while the Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure classes, as usual, are quite large, and the Pleasure Driving is fun to watch. The Jumper classes are notorious for attracting a huge number of 1st place hopefuls. Trish Mandes explains, “Events for Hunters and Jumpers have expanded dramatically. To give riders the careful attention they deserve, six special judges have been hired to evaluate only these classes. The show management hopes that the over-fence classes, which are attended by premier AQHA riders, will also attract Virginia’s many outstanding Hunter-Jumpers who own American Quarter horses.”

Tim Kimura, California’s award winning Trail Designer, will lead the 2002 Trail Surprise on Thursday evening as well as give clinics throughout the show. The Friday Extravaganza Night includes “No Strings Attached Showmanship” where no leadlines are allowed followed by the East Coast Championship’s Virginia Horse of Distinction presentation. The popular Small Fry Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday morning.

This year marks the 149th annual Upperville Colt & Horse Show, America’s oldest show, dating back to 1853. Held under The Oaks in Upperville, June 3-9, the show is a fun-filled week for the entire family. The show is situated on the historic grounds of Grafton and Salem Farms, which includes two grass rings and lots of big trees. This is the show to attend. It is a weeklong AA-Rated show with VHSA, MHSA, and USA Equestrian events in all Hunter Divisions and is a World Championship Hunter Rider Member event. The show features hundreds of horses and riders from young children in the Pony Divisions to leading Olympic and World Cup riders and horses in the Hunter and Jumper Divisions. Sunday’s highlight is the prestigious Budweiser Upperville Jumper Classic. This year, while prize money was increased in some classes, the Jumper Classic will be cut to $50,000 from last year’s $100,000. The year 2000 still holds the record number of competitors at 1,300. 4-5,000 spectators attend daily during the week with 7,000 on Sunday due to the Jumper Classic and Kiddie Park and Entertainment Center.

“Upperville, like Devon, means a lot to the competitors,” says Diane Jones, show secretary. “There are not many shows like it anymore.” Tommy Lee Jones, show manger, emphasizes that this is the “most beautiful site for horse shows in the country, beneath the old grove of trees. It is the oldest show to have been held in the same place from the beginning. The atmosphere is laid-back Virginia, and we like people to take in the beauty of the place, relax, and enjoy. This is not a downtown horse show; this is a Virginia Country experience.”

As Upperville is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, proceeds go to benefit local charities. Daily admission to the show is $10 per person. Children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Gates open at 8:00 a.m. daily. For special arrangements, entertainment, reserved parking, and/or box seats, please call 540-253-5760 or 540-592-3858. Be sure to look at their elegant, well-designed web site for information: www.upperville.com.

Saddlebreds and friends strut their stuff at the action-packed Bonnie Blue National, May 8-11 at the Virginia Horse Center, Lexington, and will be “An Experience To Remember,” to quote their slogan. “We are fortunate to be in such a lovely setting with lots of people to support us by volunteering and working on committees,” says Scarlett Mattson, show manager. “With 300 horses last year, which is an increase of about 75 horses and new stables coming out to compete this year, including 2-3 large ones, we hope to increase the numbers greatly.” Here are just some of the divisions you will see: Three Gaited, Five Gaited, Harness Pony, Fine Harness, Roadster Pony, Roadster to Bike, Virginia Owned, Equitation, Western County Pleasure, Park, Hackney Horse Driving, and Friesian Pleasure Driving. The Stick Horse Race promises to be full of fun and laughs, plus the lucky stick horse rider whose name is drawn out of a hat wins a bicycle. A Bonnie Blue Driving Range Contest will be held daily to benefit the Virginia Horse Center Foundation. American Saddlebred Grand National has selected this show as part of its series of prize money shows. The Grand National Class will be the Three Gaited Park Amateur Stake, offering a total of $1,800.

The National Barrel Horse Association Virginia Championships will be held on June 1-2 at the Virginia Horse Center, Lexington. “This is a equine event for pros and family because of our method of determining winners,” says Nick Barilics, NBHA Virginia State Director. “It is set up so you can either be a pro and win or be a weekend rider and win.” 250-300 horses are expected to show up and race. “Membership is growing in Virginia with shows expanding throughout the state,” says Nick. “This year marks the 10th anniversary of the organization which went from a membership of 2,000 to over 20,000 over ten years.” For an explanation of the 4-D format and how these barrel races are won, visit the NBHA’s web site.

No one could forget the Virginia Dressage Association Celebrity Freestyle Challenge. VADA is hosting its 3rd annual Celebrity Freestyle Dressage Horse Show at the Keswick Horse Show facility on June 15. The event begins at 3:00 p.m. and continues with evening performances until approximately 9:30 p.m. During the dinner hour there will be mini-costume freestyle rides, quadrilles, pas de deux, and lower level through upper level advanced dressage rides to music. Celebrities invited to judge along with our USA Equestrian judge, Libby Anderson, are: author, David Baldacci; actress, Sissy Spacek; newsman, Ted Koppel; former Secretary of State, Lawrence Eagleburger (and more!). The Spiritkeepers, a chapter of Therapy Dogs International, will be in attendance talking about their experiences in comforting the victims and rescue workers at the Pentagon on September 11. General admission is $10 per person and $5 for children under 12. There is also the special Patron Dinner, an under-the-tent dinner with the celebrities. For reservations call Mrs. Eagleburger at 804-977-7175; the cost $125 per person. A Silent Auction will also take place with a variety of items including celebrity-autographed books and items. The proceeds will benefit the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. Contact Kelly Adams at 540-349-0786 to make a Silent Auction donation. “Last year we had 42 horse entries in the classes, and this year we expect at least the same,” says Nancy Lowey, event organizer. “We had about 500 spectators last year, including the Patron Dinner guests! We hope to have even more this year! This will be a ‘Celebration of Movement!’”

The 31st annual Roanoke Valley Horse Show, June 17-22, at the Salem Civic Center, is the longest running A3 horse show in the valley and draws in over 3,000 competitors and 26,000 spectators. This is the show that nearly has it all including Hunters, Jumpers, Western Pleasure, Racking, Roadster, Saddlebreds, and the newer Friesians classes that have been growing. The $50,000 Grand Prix will be Saturday evening. Last year this class had 28 competitors and was won by the recently named 2001 USA Equestrian Horseman of the Year, Todd Minikus, riding Gardenio. “This is a non-profit show, of which there are not many left, that donates money to the Bradley Free Clinic medical facility for the working poor,” states June Camper, Executive Director of the RVHS. “This year the Roanoke Valley Horse Show has been chosen as a triple point show in the Saddlebred, Hackney, and Roadster Divisions for the USA Equestrian ‘Horse of the Year’ program. Each year the USA Equestrian Rules Committees for the above-mentioned divisions vote for one horse show in each region to receive triple points for their respective divisions. This proves, once again, what a top rated show our volunteers produce each year,” says June. The Saddlebred Grand National program selected the Five Gaited Championship to be the class to receive triple points. “Our championship stake classes have been very large in number, and I am very happy that this class was chosen to be the Grand National Class.”

This year’s HITS Culpeper spring show series at Commonwealth Park brings us the Commonwealth National on April 17-21, the Showday National on July 3-7, and the Cavalier Classic on July 10-14. Each of these shows has its famous $50,000 Grand Prix. Last year Ian Millar and Nicos won the EMO Grand Prix at the Commonwealth National, Todd Minikus and Oh Star won the Rio Vista Grand Prix at the Showday National, and Eliza Shuford and Otis won the HITS Grand Prix at the Cavalier Classic. There is also the full line of Hunter, Jumper, and Equitation classes. These shows run from approximately 8:00am to 4:00pm Wednesday through Sunday with evening classes on Fridays. The biggest and the best are here! Truly a must-see series of horse shows at one of the best facilities around.

Dressage at Lexington comes to the Virginia Horse Center on July 12-14. This is a qualifying show for the Cosequin/USDF Breeders Championship, East Coast Series. On Friday, Sport Horse Breeding Classes are held in two rings. $1,000 in prize money is given away in the Sport Horse Championship classes, and last year’s colt champion was Stacato, bred and owned by Yolanda Williamson who went on to win his class at Dressage at Devon. Performance classes run all three days with Training level through Grand Prix taking place each day. The Prix St. George Challenge on Saturday is full of the region’s top horses and riders, raising the level of excitement considerably. “There is enough daily activity to easily fill all seven rings; we usually have about 400 horses and a waiting list. This year we hope to add the 8th ring,” says Debbie Rodriguez, show manager. “The Sporting Horse Amateur Challenge is a favorite individual and team competition for junior and amateur riders and has seen the biggest increase in entries. Sponsored by Victorian Acres, the prizes and awards ceremony make the weekend special.”

Of course, these shows make up less than half of the shows that will take place. Isn’t it great to live in Virginia?