Featured Article (March 2004)

Virginia Horse Center Spring Horse Show Preview

Numerous events are scheduled this spring at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. In addition to a full slate of horse shows for Quarter horses, Arabians, Walking horses, Saddlebreds, mules, donkeys, hunters and jumpers, the Center’s schedule includes barrel racing, horse sales, clinics, horse trials, United States Pony Club games, a hunter pace and a show for llamas and alpacas.

Sixth Annual Virginia Intermont Classic

The Horse Center’s 2004 spring show season begins with the Sixth Annual Virginia Intermont Classic on March 4 – 7. Presented by Virginia Intermont College, the Classic enhances the college’s equine studies program, offering students the opportunity to earn credit toward their horse show management course by working with judges, course designers, trainers and show management staff.

“The show is a great opportunity for our students to learn about horse show management as well as gain experience working around professionals,” said Virginia Intermont Director of Equine Studies Eddie Federwisch. “The students get to work with top trainers and professionals in the industry, which offers a great opportunity for them in networking and future job possibilities.”

The U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) A-rated Virginia Intermont Classic is expected to attract more than 500 horses and riders from ten states to compete in nearly two hundred classes for almost all levels of hunter and jumper riders. Among the show highlights is the Virginia Intermont Collegiate Cup Team Challenge beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, which will feature teams consisting of an open, an intermediate and a novice rider competing against one another in an over fences and a flat phase. The Classic will begin daily at 8:00 a.m. and will be judged by Jerre Frankhouser, Meredith McLaughlin, and E. Sue Bopp.

Spring Breakout American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Shows

The Spring Breakout American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Shows on March 18 - 21 will offer exhibitors a full schedule of Virginia Quarter Horse Association (VQHA) and AQHA sanctioned halter, western, English and jumping classes. “The Spring Breakout is one of the premier Quarter horse shows on the east coast as well as the kick-off show for the VQHA season,” said show manager Van Manley. “We expect 400 horses to compete in four complete AQHA shows held over the course of the four-day show.”

The Spring Breakout will begin daily at 8:30 a.m. Christa Baldwin and Joe Carter will judge the Thursday and Saturday shows, which will include halter classes for stallions, geldings, and mares, as well as showmanship and western pleasure classes for junior, amateur, and amateur select riders. John Lawrence and Kendra Weis will judge the Friday and Sunday shows that will feature hunter, jumper, equitation, pleasure driving, and trail classes.

Spring Arabian Classic

Spectators will enjoy the grace and beauty of Arabian horses during the USEF A-rated Spring Arabian Classic scheduled at the Center on March 26 – 28. A qualifying show for the 2004 Arabian Horse Association Region 15 Championships, Youth Nationals and U.S. Nationals, the Spring Arabian Classic will feature sport horse, trail, halter, hunt seat, sidesaddle, stock seat, saddle seat, liberty, English, western, costume, and United States Dressage Federation (USDF) and USEF rated dressage classes for Arabians and half-Arabian horses.

The Spring Arabian Classic kicks off with sport horse division classes on Friday beginning at 9:00 a.m. The Friday evening show beginning at 6:30 p.m. will include halter for Arabian and Half-Arabian mares, fillies, geldings, colts and stallions. Saturday’s schedule will begin at 8:00 a.m. and will feature dressage and trail classes plus a variety of hunter, stock seat, saddle seat, and western classes. The Saturday evening show beginning at 6:30 p.m. will include sidesaddle, free style liberty, show hack, mounted native costume, and hunter, country, western and English pleasure classes. The show wraps up on Sunday beginning at 8:00 a.m. with USDF and USEF rated dressage, and hunter, English, western, and country pleasure championship classes. Duane Esser will judge the Spring Arabian Classic; the dressage, sport horse, and trail judges will be announced closer to the show date.

AQHA’s East Coast Championship Show

Next up will be the AQHA’s East Coast Championship Show on April 4 – 11. Offering more than $90,000 in cash and prizes during six AQHA and VQHA approved shows presented in a split/combined format over seven days, the East Cost Championship Show is the largest Quarter Horse show on the east coast and one of the top twenty Quarter horse shows in the United States. With over eight hundred horses from more than 25 states, more than six thousand entries, dozens of vendors, and a multitude of spectators, the 2003 East Coast Championship Show proved to be the largest horse show ever held at the Virginia Horse Center and show organizers expect a similar turn out this year.

East Coast Championship classes will begin at 9:00 a.m. Monday, April 5 and Sunday, April 11; at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; and at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 8. Trail, hunter, and jumper classes will be held Monday; pleasure driving, showmanship, hunter, and halter classes on Tuesday and Thursday; western riding, western pleasure, horsemanship, and trail classes on Wednesday and Friday; showmanship, western riding, and halter classes on Saturday; and pleasure driving, hunter and equitation classes on Sunday.

Jeff Mellot, Rick Christy, John McQueen, and Shane George will judge shows 1 and 2 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. GiGi Bailey, Chris Kozlowski, Lynn Palm, and Rick Christy will judge shows 3 and 4 on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. John Dean, Gary Werner, Bailey, and Lisa Krohn will judge shows 5 and 6 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Special events planned during the East Coast Championship Show include the presentation of the Virginia Horse of Distinction and The Big Kahuna Trail Event orchestrated by California’s trail designing sensation Tim Kimura on Thursday evening, a dummy roping contest Saturday morning, and Kimura trail clinics at times to be announced.

Lexington Spring Premiere

Back to back USEF A-rated hunter and jumper shows will be held at the Center beginning April 28 through May 2 with the Lexington Spring Premiere followed May 5 – 9 with the Lexington Spring Encore. Two $25,000 Grand Prix competitions and expanded hunter and jumper divisions will highlight the twelve-day period, which will attract top hunter and jumper horses and riders from around the country to compete for more than $80,000 in prize money.

“Having two A-rated hunter-jumper shows held consecutively at the Virginia Horse Center offers real advantages to exhibitors who will be able to show for two weeks at one location without having to travel,” said Spring Premiere and Encore manager, Leslie Brown.

“The $25,000 Rockbridge Grand Prix on Saturday, May 1 and the $25,000 Encore Grand Prix on Saturday, May 8 will attract nationally and internationally competitive riders to the Horse Center,” continued Brown. “In a pre-Olympic year, this is a great opportunity for spectators to come out and see these top riders.”

In addition to the world-class competition, jumper competitors will also enjoy world-class course designs by two of the top jumper course designers in the world. Englishman Richard Jeffery, who has designed courses for every major jumper competition in the world, will be the Spring Premiere jumper course designer. Linda Allen, who has designed courses for numerous world class jumping competitions including the 1996 Olympic Games, the 1994 Pan American Games, and the 1992 World Cup Finals, will be the Spring Encore jumper course designer. Hunter exhibitors will also enjoy top courses designed by Glen Moody, of Charlottesville, during both shows. Scott Williamson and Sandra Brown will judge the Spring Premiere and Brian Lenchan, Steve Wall, and Kim Dorfman will judge the Spring Encore.

Bonnie Blue National Horse Show

With flashy horses and elegantly turned out riders and drivers, this year’s Bonnie Blue National Horse Show on May 12 – 15 will feature a wide variety of crowd-pleasing gaited classes for Saddlebreds and Hackneys, plus American Driving Society rated driving and Morgan and Friesian horse division classes. First held in 1988 by the Lexington Rotary Club, the Bonnie Blue has been owned and operated by the Virginia Horse Center since 1996, with show profits benefiting the Virginia Horse Center Foundation, the private fund raising group that supports the Virginia Horse Center. A popular show with exhibitors nationwide, the Bonnie Blue has grown yearly and today attracts over six hundred entries.

“We had a record number of entries last year and expect them again this year,” said show manager Scarlett Mattson, who noted that last year the Bonnie Blue was selected as the United Professional Horsemen’s Association Chapter 18 Honor Show for the third time in the past four years. “Many out-of-state exhibitors attend the Bonnie Blue, which is a credit to the facility as well as the community and employees of the Virginia Horse Center.”

Bonnie Blue classes will begin Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Two show sessions will be held Friday and Saturday, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. each day. Other show events will include performances by the Rockbridge Hunt Pony Club Drill Team Friday evening and the Four Seasons String Quartet Saturday evening, plus the popular children’s stick horse races on Saturday evening.

Virginia International Concours Complet Internationale One Star (CCI*)

Next, the Virginia International Concours Complet Internationale One Star (CCI*) will bring three-day eventing action to the Horse Center on May 19 – 23. Voted the best three day event in United States Eventing Association (USEA) Area II in 2003, last year’s Virginia International CCI* drew 130 riders representing the United States, Canada, England, Sweden, Mexico, Ireland, Australia and France, including Olympic medallists and United States Equestrian Team members.

Event organizers Brian and Penny Ross, of Fairfield, are proud the Virginia International CCI* was chosen the best three day in 2003 by the USEA Area II membership. “We will continue to make improvements to the event in order to maintain our best three day event status within USEA Area II,” said Brian Ross.

The Virginia International CCI* will feature Fédération Equestre Internationale dressage competition beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday and Friday; cross-country competition beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday including roads and tracks, steeplechase, and cross-country jumping; and show jumping beginning at 12:00 Noon on Sunday followed by awards presentations and victory gallops. The Virginia Horse Trials will be held concurrently with the Virginia International CCI* on May 22 – 23.

Other events planned in association with the Virginia International CCI* and the Virginia Horse Trials will include a trade fair and “An Evening Gala”, which will include cocktails, dinner and a Calcutta auction, during which teams of event horses and riders will be wagered upon based on the odds of their winning the CCI*.

Speed Horse Bonanza

On Memorial Day weekend, barrel racers from up and down the east coast will compete during the Speed Horse Bonanza on May 29 – 30. As one of the larger barrel racing events on the east coast, show manager Van Manley expects 350 horses from twelve states and around 900 entries to compete in the youth, senior and open division races. The event will begin daily at 9:00 a.m. with youth and open divisions running Saturday and senior and open divisions running Sunday. The races will be run in four-division format giving all level riders the opportunity to win.

“There will be around a $40,000 payback for the weekend,” said Manley, who noted that there will be $4,000 added money in the open divisions, $1,200 added in the youth division, and $800 added in the senior division. “We guarantee sixty checks will be paid out in the two open divisions alone.”

Virginia Cheers for Ears Mule and Donkey Show

That same weekend, hundreds of mules and donkeys from around the United States and Canada will be at the Center to show off how multitalented and charming long-ears can be as they compete in 145 halter and performance classes during the Virginia Cheers for Ears Mule and Donkey Show on May 28 – 30.

“Many people are surprised at how versatile mules and donkeys are,” said show manager Cheryl Haas, of Troutville, who is expecting 350 to 400 animals to be exhibited during the three-day show, which is also the American Donkey and Mule Society National Show. Mules, donkeys, and their miniature counterparts will compete in a wide variety of classes including halter, hunter, equitation, driving, trail, snigging, barrel racing, costume, coon jumping, poles, reining, ranch riding, and more.

“There will also be a wonderful silent auction held in conjunction with the Cheers for Ears show,” said Haas. “The auction will feature a tremendous selection of mule and donkey-themed clothing, one-of-a-kind art pieces, furniture, books, videos and unique gift items.”

Cheers for Ears classes will begin Friday and Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. A Saturday evening show beginning at 6:00 p.m. will include novelty and authentic costume classes, coon jumping, leadline, pole bending, open, amateur and youth barrel racing, flag races, and the pylon alley. Vendors will also be on hand throughout the show offering mule and donkey gifts and artwork, custom embroidery, jewelry, pottery, clothing, tack and more.

For a full schedule of all of the events scheduled at the Virginia Horse Center this spring, visit www.horsecenter.org or call 540-464-2950.