The Roanoke Valley equestrian community has been giving back to help one of their own after an accident in May left farrier and longtime 4-H volunteer Rex Brown unable to work.
Bowman was helping Roanoke 4-H Extension Agent Leslie Prillaman secure 4-H camp horses for the W.E. Skelton 4-H Center when the horse Brown was riding flipped over backward and landed on top of him. Brown suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken vertebrae and a fractured foot.
A GoFundMe account has been created to help pay Brown’s bills for the many months he will be off work, and to help with his hospital bills. Prilliman wrote as part of the GoFundMe page, “This is a man that never asks for anything, but is ALWAYS the first to offer his help, his time, his wisdom, his humor, his resources.”
On June 6, Prillaman wrote “Rex Update! Rex was at home today — and was getting his dog back this afternoon! He said is continuing to get stronger. He is so appreciative of the support he has received from friends-and wanted everyone know how thankful he is for all of the notes, calls and continued support.”
Aaron and Mallory Vale lost their Florida home to a fire on Friday, June 3.
On Friday, June 3, Aaron and Mallory Vale of Morriston, Fla., lost their home to a fire. While no people were injured, they lost their beloved dog, Roo, and many priceless items such as photos, trophies and heirlooms.
Aaron Vale has been a fixture at the Roanoke Valley Horse Show for many years, winning the $50,000 Grand Prix of Roanoke 12 times. Vale has more than 170 Grand Prix wins and over $3 million in prize money throughout his illustrious riding career.
A GoFundMe account has been created to help raise money for the family.
Devon Olivier and Karisma riding Training for the University of Georgia Red team USEA/Shelby Allen Photo
Nine teams from eight colleges and universities competed in the inaugural United States Eventing Association Intercollegiate Championship on May 26-29 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. The title came down to a nail-biting finale with the first and second place teams separated by less than a point. University of Georgia’s Red Team moved ahead of the overnight leaders, Clemson University, on the final day of competition to ride away with the top spot with a combined score of 99.06.
Georgia’s team was made up of seniors Emily Cox, Kaityn Ruff and Devon Olivier in the training division and sophomore Emily Cardin in the novice division. They held second place after their dressage and show jumping phases on Saturday. Cox, Olivier and Cardin had the lowest collective scores, giving them the win after three double clear cross-country runs.
Alex Peterson and Willie Wiggins riding in the CCI* for Clemson University USEA/Kate Boggan Photo
Clemson University saw some unfortunate rails for their CCI* combinations which set them back in the rankings, but the Tigers still finished as the reserve champions. Clemson’s team was made of seniors Samantha Hay and Anna Fogerty, junior Sarah Pyne and sophomore Alex Peterson.
Auburn University finished in third on a combined score of 105.27. Team members Andrea Glazer, Sallie Johnson and Kayley Bush competed in the training division and Lydia Kennedy rode in the novice division.
In addition to walking away with top honors and as many prizes as they could hold thanks to the Intercollegiate Program’s generous sponsors, the University of Georgia girls also claimed the coveted Spirit Award for showing the most school pride throughout the weekend. “We went all out,” said team president Emily Cox. “We wore all our matching gear and we did something special for cross-country — we covered our horses in paint.”
University of Georgia riders could be spotted across the hillside at the Virginia Horse Center with the famed “Georgia G” painted across the rump of each horse.
“Overall this team has so much spirit. We’re all there for each other, and we each had somebody waiting at the finish line for us on cross-country, and it was just great team spirit all together,” Cox elaborated. Team members earned refunded entries from the Virginia Horse Trials for their impressive show of school spirit.
This inaugural championship brought together students from across the East Coast for a weekend of great riding, school spirit and competition. Event organizer Andy Bowles was thrilled with the outcome of the weekend commenting, “I’ve officiated at young rider championships all around the world, and the camaraderie I saw here rivals those events.”
Many schools met here for the first time, sharing strategy and tips for the weekend and beyond. “It was cool to see the whole collegiate atmosphere and to compete with [the other teams]. It’s really fun to be able to stable with them, and all of the colleges talked through courses together. We all really wanted everyone to do well,” Cox said.
Next year’s Intercollegiate Championship is slated to return to the Virginia Horse Trials next year, and all affiliated colleges and universities are asked to send teams. The weekend was made possible by the sponsors of the Intercollegiate Program, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Ride Safe, Fleeceworks and the Virginia Horse Trials.
To account for differences in level difficulty, each rider’s score is multiplied by a coefficient appropriate for their level, and then the individual scores are added together to determine the team score. Only the best three individual scores will count towards the team score, so teams of four dropped one score.
Halter. Showmanship. Leadline. Coached classes for new/young riders. Classes for beginner riders. English Pleasure. Western Pleasure. Ranch horses. Trail. Miniature horse jumping. Miniature horse trail. English equitation. Stock seat equitation. Speed. Racking. There was a class for every kind of horse at the Cross View Rock & Roll Open Horse Show.
Just along for the ride with your horse-crazy companion? (Or like my daughter, dragged along with your mother.) There was stuff for you, too! Corn hole and roping practice was a fun diversion from the horses going round and round.
Gillian Davis won the day’s Go As You Please Jackpot class on her red roan quarter horse gelding, The Roan Rangger (registered AQHA as VS Red Solo). And they were winners in many other classes throughout the day and won the Western high point award under judge Ken Davis.
Turnout was good for the show, with many English youth classes with more than 10. Adult riders typically saw 3 or 4 entries. The Western Pleasure classes were a bit smaller, with between 2 and 5 entries, typically. However, the Ranch horse classes had over 5.
The Cross View Show Series will continue on June 25-26 with the Aloha Shows. Katie Jackson, owner of Sneek A Peek Farm in Spotsylvania, Virginia, will judge the hunters on June 25 and Beth Gouthro of BMG ShowHorses will judge the open show.
The Cross View Horse Show series opened Friday night at Green Hill Park Equestrian Center in Salem with a special jumpers edition, which then rolled into Saturday’s Hunter/Jumper show.
Despite rains that fell overnight, the show had a nice turnout with about four to five riders in the morning hunter divisions. More horses began to mill about the show grounds at lunchtime for the afternoon divisions, and by then the sun was shining and the temperatures were warming.
The arenas seemed to actually benefit from the overnight rains. While there were puddles here and there, the wet weather kept the sometimes-hard Green Hill Park footing softer than on a typical day.
The show continues Sunday with an Open horse show that includes classes for hunters, gaited, western, ranch and more.
Jason Berry and Cobalt Blue R. Photo by Teresa Ramsay Photography
Jason Berry was on top of his game May 6, 2016, claiming three of the top four spots in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. He picked up the victory aboard Cobalt Blue R with a score of 185.0. Elizabeth Bailey and Acido 7 scored the second place spot with a score of 173.5, while Berry also placed third and fourth on IAmWhatIAm and Attila, respectively.
Berry imported Cobalt Blue R, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Oak Ledge Farm, last year. Everything came together for them in the derby class. “For the handy tonight he was just on it.” Berry said “From the time I picked up the canter it was like they put the jumps where I needed them to be. He was super easy to ride for that.”
A Virginia native, Berry was enthusiastic about his win at the Virginia Horse Center. “It’s definitely our home show,” he expressed. “It’s great to win a class here, it’s great to have this facility in your backyard. They have a great indoor Coliseum where they had the class tonight. To have the weather that we’ve had, pouring down rain for the last few days, the option of having a good class no matter what the weather is the best thing about the Virginia Horse Center!”
Manuel Torres and Christofolini H gallop to the final fence of their winning jump-off round.
Manuel Torres put in two clean rounds to win the George L. Ohrstrom Grand Prix on Saturday, May 7, 2016, as part of the Lexington Spring Encore horse show at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia.
Torres, a five-time Olympian for his native country of Colombia, rode Christofolini H, owned by Andrea Torres Guerreiro, to the win. Torres now operates Santa Catalina Farm in Waterford, Virginia.
Final placings in the $30,000 George L. Ohrstrom Grand Prix
A young participant gives her pony a hug during the ground phase of the natural horsemanship clinic.
A participant works on moving her horse’s forehand.
A participant listens to George Shaefer.
George Schaefer works with Tamla Nichols horse.
Karen Corvin works with her horse, Whiskey.
George Schaefer bends this horse’s head, patiently waiting for the horse to move his hind end.
Karen Corvin works with Whiskey.
Natural Horsemanship morning ground session.
Susan Byrd and Rain.
Whiskey
Clinician George Schaefer
Gabi Hooten works with her horse during the morning ground session.
George Shaefer demonstrates using his own horse during the clinic.
Tamla Nichols listens to George Schaefer speak on natural horsemanship techniques.
Gabi Hooten works with her horse.
If you wanted to get out for the day with your horse but not face the pressure of a horse show, the Botetourt County Horseman’s Association’s first Lunch & Learn event was a perfect spring outing.
While the weather was a little bit cool and misty, about 25 riders and their horses came out of Green Hill Park Equestrian Center to ride with local clinicians. George Schaefer taught both morning and afternoon Natural Horsemanship sessions. Gabi Hooten worked with riders on Classical and Western Dressage, and Dedi Spradlin offered jumping critiques and spoke about hunter etiquette. Some riders also used the trails at the park.
The day also included a lunch of grilled hotdogs with sides, and a chance to catch up with friends, look over used tack for sale.
BCHA is planning another Lunch & Learn event Oct. 1. Contact BCHAHorseClub@gmail.com for more information or if you are interested in being a clinician.
Below are more photos from the day. Click on a photo to make it larger.
Karen Corvin and Whiskey
A horse waits at the trailer.
Dressage
Western dressage session
Judy Sanders listens during the afternoon session of Natural Horsemanship.
JoAnn Dester
George Schaefer works with a Rocky Mountain Horse.
Tamla Nichols takes part in the Dressage clinic.
JoAnn Dester works with her horse.
Judy Sanders
George Schaefer demonstrates.
JoAnn Dester asks her horse to give.
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George Schaefer demonstrates.
Carol Bernstein
Carol Bernstein and Judy Sanders
Judy Sanders
Carol Bernstein
Dressage session
Mounted Natural Horsemanship
Karen Corvin
Tamla Nichols
Dressage session
Gabi Hooten instructs the Dressage session
Gabi Hooten instructs the Dressage session
Tamla Nichols
Gabi Hooten talks to riders in the Dressage session.
Karen Corvin
George Schaefer gets his clinic participants ready to mount.
Mary Lisa Leffler riding Bling Bling. Photo by Teresa Ramsay Photography
Mary Lisa Leffler and Bling Bling are kicking off the spring show season in winning form at the Virginia Horse Center. After earning a win in Ocala and a win in Atlanta, the duo can now add winning the $30,000 Rockbridge Grand Prix during the Lexington Spring Premiere to their growing list of accomplishments.
Leffler and Bling Bling’s double clear performance in the Saturday night’s highlight event was strong enough to earn them the top honors. “We’re still a new partnership,” Leffler said. “I know she’s fast and she’s clever. She turns and burns, so for me, I could jump all those jumps on angles and not have to worry.”
The pair went fourth in the order, and Leffler did not have a chance to watch anyone go before her in the jump-off. She knew that the first few of riders had rails, and her quick wit combined with her horse’s agility sent them straight to the top of the leaderboard, while last year’s winners, Brooke Kemper and Classified, ended up in second place.
Leffler has been competing at the Virginia Horse Center for as long as she can remember. She said, “It’s just one of my favorite events. Their hospitality — they try so hard, the evening Grand Prix. They really put on a good horse show.”
“The best part of the whole thing was that my sister drove my parents down, so they got to see their horse finally go,” Leffler continued. “So having them there and winning was great!”
In the hunter ring, it was Joy Janouskovec that went home with top honors. Janouskovec and her mount Walk the Line won Friday night’s feature class, the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, besting a field of 21 competitors.
Joy Janouskovec and Walk the Line
Photo by: Teresa Ramsay Photography
The competition at the Virginia Horse Center continues this week, hosting the Lexington Spring Encore on Wednesday through Sunday, May 4-8. The Spring Encore will boast many exciting events, featuring both the $30,000 George L. Ohrstrom Grand Prix and the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby.
The $30,000 George L. Ohrstrom, Jr. Grand Prix will be held on Saturday, May 7, in the Anderson Coliseum arena. Along with the winning presentation, there will be a Groom’s award presentation to the groom of the winning mount. Guests are also invited to join the course designer, Mr. Anderson Lima of Sao Paulo, Brazil, for a course walk before the class.
The $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby will take place Friday, May 6, at 5 p.m. in the Hilltop arena. In honor of the Virginia Horse Center’s 30th Anniversary, there will be a “Celebrate 30” Wine & Cheese Party held at the Hilltop ring. The party will begin at 5:30 p.m. and run until the conclusion of the derby.
Thirty-five years ago, riding atop Ginger in that old H.S. Lebman saddle as my dad leads us around the driveway at our family’s farm. About 6 years later, Ginger would become my first show horse.
My love of horses was one of the best traits I inherited from my parents. Both my mom and dad grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and had limited access to horses until they graduated from high school and college. But as soon as they could, they went in the search of the horses they longed for.
Teaming up with an owner of a riding business in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, they learned about horse care while taking other city kids on trail rides. They spent hours and hours in the saddle every day. They spent more hours after riding feeding and caring for the animals. And then, sometimes after the sun was down, they spent many more hours bringing in hay from the fields.
I grew up with intoxicating stories (at least for a horse crazy little girl) of the horses and rides they took. But one story I never got to hear was the one of my dad’s saddle. And probably, he didn’t know the story it had to tell. It was just the old saddle that he loved.
After my father’s passing just last summer, one of the last things I pulled out of the barn at my family’s farm and threw into a moving truck was my dad’s old saddle. It had sat there for a decade since the last time my dad was able to settle into its well-worn seat. Alzheimer’s took my dad away from his beloved farm, his memories erased one by one by the cruel and devastating disease. When I look at that old saddle, I can’t help but succumb to a swell of my own wonderful memories of my dad and all the early morning trail rides we often took. Up and down mountains and across mountain creeks, it’s out there with him that I truly learned to ride. It wasn’t the fine-tuned riding I would do for the show arena, but it was that kind of riding that made me a horsewoman: connected to my horse and the world around me.
Just a week ago, I pulled that saddle out of its Virginia storage and after dusting it off, I saw the name stamped behind the cantle, “H.S. Lebman, 111 South Flores St., San Antonio, Tex.”
My dad’s old saddle sits in storage
H.S. Lebman, 111 S. Flores St. San Antonio, Tex.
My dad’s old saddle sits in storage.
It would seem that Lebman was a well-known saddlemaker, but not necessarily because of the saddlery. Lebman was also a gunsmith. He was frequently asked by his customers to secure unusual weapons, including the Thompson submachine gun built by Colt, which at the time could be ordered through the mail and purchased at gun or hardware stores. Soon, Lebman began customizing Colt pistols and other small arms weaponry, including conversion into fully automatic weapons. Some of his famous, or infamous, customers included mobsters Baby Face Nelson, John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd.
Today a H.S. Lebman saddle is displayed in The Museum of the Horse. They are said to be rare saddles that are “bull stout, heavy and well made, but yet a pleasure to ride in.”
I have no idea what I’m going to do with my dad’s old saddle. But it is forever connected with the fondest of memories of my childhood and forever connected to the best man I ever knew. It will always have a home with me, and possibly once again on the back of a horse. They just don’t make them like they used to.
Roanoke Equestrian 