Featured Article (April 2005)

Spring Horse Show Preview

With dozens of events scheduled this spring including international three day eventing, barrel racing, two $25,000 Grand Prix jumping competitions, and a draft horse pull, plus breed shows for Quarter horses, Walking horses, Appaloosas, Saddlebreds, Paso Finos, Arabians, Pony of the Americas, Morgans and more, the Virginia Horse Center is the place to be this spring for great horse shows. Most events have free admission for spectators, and the Horse Center's convenient location in historic Lexington and close proximity to numerous lodging and dining options make it a great place to spend a weekend.

East Coast Championship Show

The Horse Center's spring schedule opens with the East Coast Championship Show on April 4 - April 10. The largest Quarter Horse show on the east coast, the East Coast Championship Show will attract over eight hundred horses from more than twenty-five states to vie for over $90,000 in cash and prizes. In addition to a full line-up of western pleasure, showmanship, trail, equitation, driving, halter, hunter and jumper classes, special attractions during this year's show will include a new versatility class, the presentation of the 2005 Virginia Horse of Distinction, and trail clinics by California's trail designing sensation, Tim Kimura. East Coast Championship Show classes will begin on Monday, April 4, at 9:00 a.m.; Tuesday, April 5, at 8:00 a.m.; Wednesday, April 6, at 8:00 a.m.; Thursday, April 7, at 7:30 a.m.; Friday, April 8, at 8:00 a.m.; Saturday, April 9, at 7:30 a.m.; and Sunday, April 10, at 9:00 a.m. Classes will be held in the Horse Center's Anderson Coliseum, East Complex and Wiley Arena. More information may be found at http://www.eastcoastchampionship.com.

Mid Atlantic Tennessee Walking Horse Classic

Next on the schedule is the Mid Atlantic Tennessee Walking Horse Classic on April 15 - 16, a two day show in the Horse Center's Anderson Coliseum that will include classes for Mountain Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses, Racking Horses, plus All Day Pleasure classes for horses of all breeds. The show is affiliated with and pointed by the National Walking Horse Association and the United Mountain Horse Association, and is also pointed by the Mid-Atlantic Tennessee Walking Horse Association, Pennsylvania Pleasure Walking Horse Association, and Plantation Walking Horses of Maryland. Three show sessions will be held Friday, April 15, beginning at 10:00 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and in the evening after a one-hour dinner break. On Saturday, April 16, the first show session will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the “An Evening of Champions” session, highlighted by championship classes and a Stallion Parade, will begin at 7:00 p.m. More information may be found at http://www.matwha.com.

Lee-Jackson Spring Fling

That same weekend, the Shenandoah Blue Ridge Appaloosa Association (SBRAA) will hold the Lee-Jackson Spring Fling in the Horse Center's East Complex Arena on Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17, beginning daily at 8:00 a.m. This two day show will feature 115 classes and will have four judges. For over 17 years, the SBRAA has been presenting an annual regional Appaloosa horse show. In the past several years, thanks to the hard work and extreme dedication of board members and volunteers, the Lee-Jackson Classic has grown to become the largest Appaloosa Horse show on the east coast. The show has added monies, pay backs, and maturities. Saturday's schedule will include Nez Perce Stake Races, halter for geldings and mares, keyhole race, pleasure driving, hunter hack, hunter under saddle, hunt seat equitation, saddle seat pleasure and saddle seat equitation classes. The Sunday show line up features Camas Prairie Stump Races, stake races, halter for stallions, western showmanship, bareback equitation, western pleasure, western equitation, reining and trail classes. Debra Jarvis, Jim Jirkovsky, Sandy Jirkovsky, and Kennis Fairfax will judge the Lee-Jackson Spring Fling. More information may be found at http://www.sbraa.bizland.com.

Spring Eastern National Draft Horse Pull

The next weekend, top lightweight and heavyweight draft horse teams from the eastern United States will use real horsepower to vie for top honors during the Spring Eastern National Draft Horse Pull on Saturday, April 23, in the Horse Center's Anderson Coliseum. Dozens of teams are expected to compete during the Horse Pull, which will begin at 7:00 p.m. with a parade of the teams followed by the lightweight and heavyweight classes. Admission will be $7.00 for adults and FREE for children six years old and under and tickets will be available at the door the night of the event.

Old Dominion Futurity Benefit Horse Show

The Old Dominion Futurity Benefit Horse Show on Sunday, April 24, will be held in the Horse Center's Wiley Arena beginning at 10:00 a.m. The morning show line up will include leadline, English and Western pleasure, academy, pleasure driving, and equitation classes for youth and adults. The “Showcase of the American Saddlebred” afternoon show session will begin after the lunch break and will feature saddle seat equitation, road pony, three and five gaited, park, show pleasure driving, and country and show pleasure classes. Brooke Jacobs will judge the show.

Lexington Spring Premiere

Back to back U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) “AA”-rated hunter and jumper shows will be held at the Horse Center beginning with the Lexington Spring Premiere on April 27 through May 1 followed by the Lexington Spring Encore on May 4 - 8. Two evening $25,000 Grand Prix competitions - one on Saturday, April 30 and the second on Saturday, May 7 - and a full line-up of hunter and jumper classes will highlight the twelve-day period. Spring Premiere and Encore classes will begin Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:30 a.m. and on Saturday and Sunday at 8:00 a.m. In addition to the world-class competition, Spring Premiere and Encore competitors will enjoy world-class jumper course designs by Anthony D'Ambrosio, of Red Hook, New York, during the Spring Premiere and Michel Vaillancourt, of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, during the Spring Encore. Hunter exhibitors will compete over top courses designed by Glenn Moody, of Charlottesville, during the Spring Premiere and Richard Jeffery, of Bournemouth, Dorset, England, during the Spring Encore. James Zulia, Leo Conroy, Betsy Perry, Judy Spitzer, Brian Flynn, and Meredith McLaughlin will judge the Spring Premiere and Joseph Dotoli, Matt Collins, Fran Dotoli, Joan Boyce, McLaughlin, and Oliver Kennedy will judge the Spring Encore.

Bonnie Blue National Horse Show

The Virginia Horse Center Foundation's Bonnie Blue National Horse Show in the Anderson Coliseum on May 11 - 14 will feature a wide variety of crowd-pleasing classes for Saddlebreds and Hackneys, plus American Driving Society-approved driving and Morgan and Friesian horse division classes. New this year, the Bonnie Blue will be multi-judged with Kim Cowart, George Knight, Bill Waller, and Lisa Waller serving as show judges. Additionally, the 2005 Bonnie Blue has been selected as a USEF Triple Point Show in the Hackney Harness division. 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. Special events will include a fine antique show featuring dozens of vendors held throughout the show, as well as performances by the Rockbridge Hunt Pony Club Drill Team Friday evening and the Four Seasons String Quartet during the Exhibitors/Sponsor Party on Friday evening. The popular children's stick horse races will be held 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 18 - 22. Last year's Virginia International CCI* drew over one hundred riders representing the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, and Scandinavia, including Olympic medallists and United States Equestrian Team members. In addition, the Virginia Horse Trials will be held concurrently with the three-day event on May 20 - 22. Last year's combined events were attended by more than 400 competitors and organizers Brian and Penny Ross expect this year's events to be even better attended.

“We should have numerous Young Riders attending the CCI this spring, in preparation for the North American Young Riders' Championships, which will be held at the Virginia Horse Center this summer on July 26 - 31,” said Brian Ross, who noted that in addition to the CCI, they are also offering a Concours Internationale Complet division.

After opening ceremonies on Wednesday, May 18, the Virginia International CCI* will feature Federation Equestre Internationale dressage competition beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday and Friday, May 19 - 20; cross-country competition beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, including roads and tracks, steeplechase, and cross-country jumping; and show jumping beginning at 12:00 Noon on Sunday, May 22, followed by awards presentations and victory gallops. The Virginia Horse Trials will begin Friday, May 20, with intermediate dressage followed by intermediate cross-country. Intermediate show jumping, novice, training and preliminary dressage, novice and training show jumping, and preliminary cross-country will be held Saturday, May 21. Novice and training cross-country and preliminary show jumping will be held on Sunday, May 22. Events begin at 8:00 a.m. daily. More information may be found at http://www.vahorsetrials.com.

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 28 - 29. Event 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 levels of riders the opportunity to win.

“There will be around a $40,000 payback for the weekend,” said Manley, who added 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.”

Win More Productions Barrel Race

Barrel racers will return the following weekend, June 3 - 4, for an exciting event new to the Horse Center - the Win More Productions Barrel Race, one in a six national event series to be held around the country in 2005. “Prepare to be amazed,” said the event founders Destry Fleming and Corky Barder. “With $10,000 added prize money, we offer outrageous money for a one day barrel race event. We do our best to make the event as convenient for our competitors as it can be and we want everyone to have fun - that's our main goal.” A Better Barrel Racing-sanctioned event, the Win More Productions Barrel Race will feature a cutting-edge computer system and television monitors situated around the coliseum and Horse Center grounds to allow instant access to current race standings, plus Win More's famous Big and Small Drag T-Shirt Tosses offer contestants and spectators alike the opportunity to win hundred dollar bills and other great prizes. Entry fees will be half price at $45 a race and competitors will have the opportunity to pull four prize checks from one run in open, Women's Professional Rodeo Association, rider age, and horse age division classes. An American Quarter Horse Association sanctioned $500 added jackpot race beginning at 6:30 p.m tops a day of exhibition racing on Friday, June 3. Barrel racing will get underway Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and will continue throughout the day and evening until the last horse crosses the finish line. “We accept late entries the day of the race until the last twenty-five horses run,” said Fleming. For more information, visit http://www.uwinmore.com.

Seventh Annual Virginia Walking Horse Celebration and Atlantic Regional Futurity

Gaited horses from as far north as New York, as far west as Ohio, and as far south as South Carolina and Tennessee will compete during the Seventh Annual Virginia Walking Horse Celebration and Atlantic Regional Futurity on Friday and Saturday, June 10 - 11. The two evening shows will begin nightly at 5:00 p.m. and will feature Tennessee Walking, Racking and Spotted Saddle horses competing in flat-shod and performance classes, as well as Atlantic Regional Futurity classes. More information may be found at http://www.virginiacelebration.com.

Mason Dixon Spectacular Paso Fino Show and Futurity

That same weekend, the smooth, powerful four-beat gait, regal carriage, and unmatched beauty of the Paso Fino horse will be showcased during the Mason Dixon Spectacular Paso Fino Show and Futurity on Friday through Sunday, June 10 - 12. Los Caballos de Paso Fino, or the horses with the fine step, flourished in Puerto Rico, Colombia and other Latin American countries but were virtually unknown in the United States until after World War II when Americans began importing Paso Finos from Puerto Rico. During the Mason Dixon Spectacular, Paso Fino horses will compete in a show line up that includes Bella Forma, Performance, Pleasure, and Classic Fino division classes, plus specialty and youth classes. Sharon Londono will judge the Friday show, Kelley Cox will judge the Saturday show, and Nicanor Miranda will serve as the futurity judge. Classes will begin daily at 8:00 a.m. More information may be found at http://www.masondixonpfha.org.

Sixteenth Annual Shenandoah Valley Classic and Shenandoah Valley Classic Championships

The following week, hundreds of Arabians and Half-Arabians from the eastern third of the country will arrive at the Horse Center for the Sixteenth Annual Shenandoah Valley Classic and Shenandoah Valley Classic Championships on June 16 - 20. As one of the largest events in Arabian Horse Association Region 15 - second only to the Region 15 Championships held annually at the Horse Center in July - the Shenandoah Valley Classic is a major qualifier for the 2005 Region 15 Championships, Youth Nationals and U.S. Nationals. Show classes will begin Thursday and Friday at 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The Shenandoah Valley Classic Championships will begin Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Youth Championship classes will be held Monday beginning at 8:00 a.m.

Mid-Atlantic Morgan Horse Show

The Mid-Atlantic Morgan Horse Show - known as the Mid-A - will celebrate its 50th anniversary at the Virginia Horse Center on June 22 - 25. Over two hundred classes will be offered covering a wide variety of disciplines: English pleasure and pleasure driving, park saddle and harness, in-hand, western pleasure, hunter pleasure, hunter over fences, dressage, carriage and a large sport horse division. “The Mid-Atlantic Morgan Horse Show is looking forward to a successful show at the Virginia Horse Center. We are excited to be hosting our 50th anniversary in Lexington,” said Mid-A show representative, C.P. Staley. Three show sessions will be held daily - a morning session beginning at 8:00 a.m., an afternoon session beginning at 1:00 p.m., and an evening session beginning at 7:00 p.m. Todd Trushel will judge the hunter and western pleasure classes; Phil Fountain will judge the in-hand, park, pleasure driving, and English pleasure classes; Mickie Bowen will judge the carriage classes; and Sally O'Connor will judge the dressage classes. More information may be found at http://www.midamorgan.org.

Old Dominion Pony of the Americas Show

Pony of the Americas are returning to the Horse Center for the first time since the year 2000 for the Old Dominion Pony of the Americas Show on June 24 - 26. The weekend will feature two shows beginning at 8:00 a.m. daily - a warm-up promo show on Friday, June 24 followed by the regional show on Saturday and Sunday, June 25 - 26. According to show manager Bernice Callahan, the regional show weekend will draw between 100 and 150 ponies from New York to Florida and as far west as Ohio and Michigan to compete in a wide variety of halter and performance classes. “Competitors as well as spectators enjoy the versatility of these ponies. They go from an English pleasure pony to a hunter-jumper to a western jogger to a fast gaming pony in and around barrels,” said Callahan, who noted that competitors often range from five to sixty-five years in age. “We compete but having fun, forming new friendships, and sharing our love for spotted ponies are most important at all our shows.”

The month of June wraps up at the Horse Center with the House Mountain Horse Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 28 - 29. This Southwest Virginia Hunter/Jumper Association sanctioned show will include a full line-up of hunter and jumper classes, which will begin daily at 8:00 a.m.

For a full listing of all of the events scheduled at the Virginia Horse Center this year, visit http://www.horsecenter.org or call 540-464-2950.