It’s horse show season! There’s no shortage of events this weekend around the area if you need to go out and spend some time with your (or someone else’s) horses after a long workweek.
POLO
Courtesy of Facebook
The Polo Club at Virginia Tech will host The “Mercedes Cup” Polo Exhibition on Sunday, April 19 at noon to 4 p.m. at the Alphin Stuart Livestock Arena at 500 Plantation Road on Virginia Tech’s campus. The exhibition will feature a polo match against University of Virginia, a wine tasting, outdoor games, and booths where other campus organizations will showcase their clubs. Halftime will include the tradition stomping of the divots and an on-foot race. The attire is “Foxfield Races” where the bigger the hat, the better. There is an admission fee: Entry Fee: $2, Wine Tasting (over 21): $5
VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER
The Virginia Classic (AQHA) show will be held April 16-19 at the horse center in Lexington, Va. Judges will be Nancy Sue Ryan, Larry Hansch, Lynda Danielson, Karen Watters, Kelly McDowall and Suzy Jeane. Show highlights include the Hylton Maiden $50,000 3 and over western pleasure class (Saturday), Tim Kimura trail classes and Amateur Ranch Riding $250 added money. Get a show bill here.
 |
| Western Pleasure at the 2010 Virginia Classic. |
HORSE AUCTION
Hollins Horse Sale (471 Lee Highway), April 18, Hollins Stockyard, Tack at 1 p.m., horses at 6 p.m. Sale by C&H Sales, who are expecting horses consigned from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and possibly a few from Florida. Hollins Stockyard is at 471 Lee Hwy, Cloverdale.
OPEN SHOWS
- Walnut Spring Stable will host a Spring Fling Horse Show on April 18 starting at 10 am in Blacksburg, Va. The show includes a variety of hunter classes both over fences and on the flat but does not include any Western classes.
- Bedford County Hunt Spring Horse Show is April 18-19 at Randolph College Riding Center on Hawkins Hill Road in Lynchburg. Saturday’s classes are recognized by the Southwest Virginia Hunter Jumper Association. Sunday’s show offers Blue Horse Force recognized classes plus a division for Field Hunters. Saturday will be judged by Krista Penny Hodgkin. Sunday’s show will be judged by Nick Caputo. Both days feature classes both on the flat and over fences for hunters but no Western classes.
COMBINED TRAINING
The Green Hill Equestrian Center in Salem is hosting the Roanoke Valley Pony Club Spring Frolic on April 19. The Combined Training Show from has Intro to Preliminary divisions and will be judged by Gabriele Hooton. Gammon Castellvi will also hold a cross country clinic on April 19 as part of the Spring Frolic. Pre-registration is required.
A LOOK AHEAD
 |
| Courtesy Bedford Hunt Club |
- Lexington Spring Premiere “AA,” April 22-26, Virginia Horse Center
- Franklin County Trailblazers Horse and Pony Show, April 25, 9 a.m., Ginther Farm, Sontag, Va.
- Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, April 25-26, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Ky.
- Lexington Spring Encore “AA,” April 29-May 3, Virginia Horse Center
- Ranch Horse Gathering, May 2-3, Revo, Va.
- Bedford Hunt Club Hunter Pace, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 3, Sweet Briar College, See flyer here.
- Bonnie Blue National Horse Show, May 6-9, Virginia Horse Center
- Franklin County Equestrian Club Gymkhana Saddle Series, May 8, Never Too Late Stable, Wirtz, Va.
- Pine Spur Hunter Show, May 9, 1049 Pine Spur Road, Vinton.
- Hear the Beat Open Horse Show, May 10, Virginia Horse Center
- Cross View Horse Show Series, May 16-17, Green Hill Equstrian Center, Salem, Va.
- Bedford Hunt Club Hunter Pace, June 6, The Cedars, Goode, Va.
- Roanoke Valley Horse Show, June 15-20, Salem Civic Center, Salem, Va.
- Micheal Lyons Performance Clinic, Saturday, June 27, Walnut Springs Stables, Blacksburg. $175 to ride, $25 to audit. Limited spaces are available. (336) 267-1086
- Clinton Anderson Walkabout Tour, Aug. 22-23, Virginia Horse Center, Lexington, Va.
Roanoke Equestrian 