Is ACTHA in crisis?

5404386385_aac48e0907_b — *ACTHA runs on the concept of six miles, six obstacles, six judges. Photo by CC.*

“Casual competition, serious fun.”

The American Competitive Trail Horse Association has gained great popularity in recent years, attracting all levels and genres of riders to its obstacle course events. It offers arena and trail challenges across the United States, with some of the proceeds from each ride going to local horse charities. The organization also plays up that its events are a great way to give jobs to horses that otherwise might just stand in the pasture, and therefore also give them value. Legions of people have flocked to this wonderful concept, enjoying their horses and challenging themselves while making new friends along the trail. And plentiful sponsors have flocked to them as well.

But rumors have been swirling about problems at the American Competitive Trail Horse Association.

Hosts are reporting that they haven’t been paid for putting on ACTHA rides. ACTHA staff is reporting that they have been laid off. And riders report that they aren’t receiving year-end awards. In fact, there is a Go Fund Me page set up to help get awards to the riders.

“I am a laid off ACTHA staff member. ACTHA is in the middle of a major crisis. Many competitors never received their year end prizes. I have volunteered my services to embroider the State Top Ten sheets and ship to winners, but these need to be shipped to me and then shipped to each individual competitor. Estimate at this time for shipping alone is $1120.

I have the first box of sheets and hope to start shipping them out this week as the embroidery is finished, but as much as I’d like to pay for shipping myself, I can not do so.

Should we collect more than the amount needed, excess will go from my own account directly to pay for other, as yet unpaid for, awards.

Please give as your own heart desires.”

On ACTHA’s own website, on the FAQ page, in bold lettering it reads “ACTHA LIVES! Details later today (1/20/16).” However, details cannot be found. Efforts to get those details from ACTHA have so far gone unanswered.

The Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, one of ACTHA’s most popular rides in the East, has no ACTHA rides scheduled this year and its rides are scheduled with Equine Trail Sports, which is very similar to the ACTHA model. A search found several other former ACTHA rides that have switched to ETS, and they encourage participants to register with the ACTHA number so that their 2015 points will transfer to ETS. “We will be riding with Equine Trail Sports for the next few rides,” one ride host said of their upcoming events.

ETS confirmed that ACTHA points transfer to their awards system. “Effective 01/01/2016, ACTHA Placement Points earned through 12/31/2015 fully transfer into ETS’s Carrot Award Program.”

However other rides, like with Elite Equestrian Events in Randleman, North Carolina, are moving ahead with their ACTHA rides.

ACTHA’s future does look uncertain. Watch closely to see if they can right the ship.

UPDATE, Feb. 8, 2016: ACTHA ride hosts are reporting that all rides scheduled last weekend (Feb. 6-7), across the U.S., were canceled due to the organization’s lack of liability insurance.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region Feb. 6-7

Stonewall Country Horse Show at VHC

The second in the Stonewall Country Horse Show series is Feb. 5-7 (Friday through Sunday) at the Virginia Horse Center. Jerre Frankhouser and Claudia Roland will judge the USEF “National” rated show. It includes hunter/jumper, equitation and model classes.

Audit Bernie Traurig clinic free at Sweet Briar

Sweet Briar College is hosting a clinic with Bernie Traurig this weekend (Feb. 6-7). The first group starts on Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. and the clinic will go through to 4:45 p.m. on both days. Auditing is free at Rodgers Riding Center.

Traurig has represented the United States Equestrian Team both at home and abroad on many occasions and reached the top of the sport in all 3 of the International Equestrian Olympic disciplines: Show Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing. As a teacher and trainer, he is one of the most sought after clinicians in the country.

BCHA monthly meeting welcomes Scott Stevens

Scott Stevens, of the Rockingham Co-Op, with talk at the Botetourt Country Horseman’s Association on Tuesday, Feb. 2, about nutrition, field maintenance and just what is going on at the Southern States store. The talk, held at Bellacino’s in Daleville at 7 p.m., is free and open to the public. For more information, contact club president Debbie Mooty at 312-8393.

Get ready for Polar Bear Show at Virginia Horse Center

Looking ahead to next weekend (Feb. 13), the Virginia Horse Center will host its annual Polar Bear Horse Show in the East Complex. Stephen Bickers will judge the hunter/jumper show. Casual attire is allowed except for equitation classes.

Virginia Tech rider to represent U.S. in Belgium

callan01 — Callan Curtis is a sophomore at Virginia Tech. *Photo via Facebook.*

Virginia Tech sophomore Callan Curtis has been chosen to represent Team USA in a Student Rider Nations Cup competition in Belgium.

Curtis, of Lovettsville, Virginia, was selected along with Hayley Bowen of the University of Reno and Courtney Welch of UC Santa Barbara to ride at the AIEC-SRNC event on March 25-27.

Fifteen teams from around the globe made up of 45 riders are expected to compete in Dressage and Show Jumping classes.

Curtis rides for the Virginia Tech Hunter team. This will be her first international competition.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region for Jan. 23-24

464153_10150563458626272_537432634_o — Get ready for the world to go white.

There’s a major snowstorm set to hit our area this weekend, starting Friday night and continuing into Saturday, with predictions of 2 feet of snow for our area. But despite the wintry weather, there are still equestrian events that will go on in our area this weekend.

If you want to spend the weekend with your horses, load up now and head for the Virginia Horse Center for the Stonewall Country Horse Show. The show will continue, althoughit will be condensed to one arena. Show manager Leslie Brown said via email, “We have horses on the grounds, and we will continue with the show.”

Also scheduled this weekend:

Equine Demo & Workshop, Jan. 23, B.A.R.N. facility, Buckingham, Va. (11851 W. James Anderson Hwy) The event will post on it’s Facebook page if the event is canceled because of the weather.
Bruno Greber Dressage Clinic, Jan. 23-24, Flanagan Stables, Christiansburg, Virginia (Auditing is $15.)
Lucinda Green Clinic, Jan. 24, GC Equestrian at Penmerryl Farm in Greenville, Va., email gammonlee@gmail.com for registration forms.

Staying home?

And for those of us stranded at home, there’s always online streaming to keep us warm and cozy while the snow swirls outside.

Valle de Bravo: Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North American League will be broadcast life Thursday, Jan. 21 to Friday, Jan. 22, on the USEFnetwork. It can also be seen on the FEI’s live broadcast site. Or check out one of their OnDemand events.
EQsports.net will broadcast the USHJA International Hunter Derby – Showplace Spectacular at 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, from Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois.

Stay warm and stay safe this weekend! And be sure to check our calendar page for upcoming events (you know, after the snow melts.)

Roanoke Valley Horse Show will save by using venue made for horse shows

d9ed4-horsecenter — The Virginia Horse Center will host the Roanoke Valley Horse Show in 2016.

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show will return in 2016, but this time the historic horse show has found a new home in the Virginia Horse Center, the horse center confirmed in a news release Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016.

After 43 years, insufficient funding for the charitable show caused the event to be canceled in 2015. For 2016, the popular horse show will be held from June 20-25 at the Virginia Horse Center, about 40 minutes north of Roanoke in Lexington, Virginia.

The show is a nonprofit event, and the funds raised are donated to health and human service organizations in the region. While the horse show will be moving outside of the area, the event will continue to benefit the Roanoke Valley.

“Unfortunately, we had to cancel last year because we were unable to cover costs,” Mark Hartberger, president of the Roanoke Valley Horseman’s Association said in the news release. “The cost of the Salem venue was just far too expensive. There is nothing wrong with [the Salem Civic Center]; it’s a perfect location, and we made a beautiful horse show. It is just very expensive to hold a horse show on grounds that are not made for horse shows.”

Photos from June 19's afternoon classes at the Roanoke Valley Horse Show — The Roanoke Valley Horse Show was held at the Salem Civic Center for more than 40 years.

Previously, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show was responsible for both the time and expense of installing footing, tent stabling and much more in order to make the horse show a reality. Now, the ability to utilize the Virginia Horse Center facility will not only allow the horse show to continue, it will save event organizers and volunteers time and will enable more money to be given back to the charities which the Roanoke Valley Horse Show supports.

“All of the maintenance, putting up tents, getting the asphalt parking lot ready to put horses on – it is all very time consuming and expensive,” Hartberger said. “The Virginia Horse Center is cared for every day so that we don’t have to worry about any of those things.”

Virginia Horse Center Foundation President Ernie Oare wanted to see the Roanoke Valley Horse Show continue, and he was instrumental in facilitating the move to the Horse Center.

“The historic and traditional volunteer charity horse shows like Roanoke are the kind of horse shows that are very sadly going by the wayside,” Oare said in the news release. “That’s why we’re so happy that we can hopefully help keep it going for years to come. The Virginia Horse Center operation is turn-key for them, which will allow their expenses to be much, much less than they were.”

The horse show is an all-breed horse show offering hunter, jumper, racking, roadster, Saddlebred and western divisions. To learn more about the Roanoake Valley Horse Show and supporting the event in 2016 visit www.roanokevalleyhorseshow.com.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events near Roanoke, Va., Jan. 16-17

We might be still in the middle of winter, but there’s plenty of events to take care of those horse cravings despite the chilly temperatures.

Weekend hightlight: Green Hill Park Equestrian Center near Salem is opening its 2016 season with the first in the Winter Series Fun Shows. On Sunday, Jan. 17, the center will hold a 26-class show beginning at 11 a.m. The classes range from Showmanship and Egg & Spoon to Western Pleasure and the Slow Race (some would argue this is the same class). Nancy Troutman will judge. Call 540-387-6256 or check www.ghpec.org by 9 a.m. Sunday if weather is questionable. A message will be on the answering machine if show is canceled.

Other local weekend events:

Bridgewater College and Glenmore Hunt Pony Club Horse Show, Jan. 16, Bridgewater College Riding Center, Weyers Cave, Virginia (SWVHJA sanctioned)
Jumper Derby: Eventing In Virginia & College Team Challenge Team Challenge, Jan. 16, Virginia Horse Center, East Complex
Ranch Riding Clinic with Steve Meadows, Jan. 16-17, Virginia Horse Center Barn 5 Arena — Ride with Professional Horseman, AQHA Judge and Champion Trainer Steve Meadows.

Online:

More of a fair weather rider who prefers not to shiver while you canter around the arena? The USEFnetwork has lots of events On Demand for free viewing, including the latest George Morris Horsemanship Clinic (although without George Morris). Or hone your Western horse’s training skills using TheHorseTrainingChannel.com. which for a monthly subscription offers access to more than 80 clinics.

Looking ahead? Check out our Calendar page. If we missing an event, please let us know at Roanoke.Equestrian@gmail.com. Check the calendar often for updates as more shows are scheduled for 2016!

Virginia Horse Center to host first USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Team Championship

The Virginia Horse Trials in May at the Virginia Horse Center will host the inaugural USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Team Championship in 2016, the United States Eventing Association recently announced in a news release.

The championship will take place May 26-29 as part of the Virginia Horse Trials. Beginner Novice through Advanced/Intermediate levels will be offered as well as CCI1* and CIC2* divisions. All affiliated schools are encouraged to attend and compete for the title of Intercollegiate Champion.

“The Virginia Horse Trials have hosted challenges that include colleges and universities for a number of years. First under the leadership of Brian and Penny Ross, and now under Andy Bowles,” USEA CEO Rob Burk said. “As the birthplace of Intercollegiate Eventing Team Competition it only seemed fitting to award the inaugural USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Team Championship to this top-class facility and event.”

Each team in the Championship will consist of three or four members. Only three individual scores will count toward the collective team score, so teams of four will have one a “drop” score. Schools may send multiple teams, and each team may consist of riders competing at different levels. To account for differences in level difficulty, a coefficient system has been put in place.

The team with the lowest collective score wins. Top teams will be recognized and presented with prizes in a collegiate awards ceremony at the end of the competition.

“I am very honored to have been chosen as the inaugural USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Team Championship, as part of our ongoing commitment to team competitions we will be adding a dedicated member of staff during the Event, to assist in the smooth running from entries to results and the overall experience of the teams,” said Virginia Horse Trials Organizer Andy Bowles.

Although this Championship Event will determine which college or university team will be named the 2016 Intercollegiate Champions, collegiate individuals will still be recognized for year-end points accumulated throughout the season.

Virginia Horse Trials: Upholding Tradition and a Focus for the Future

Roanoke Valley Horse Show returns in 2016!

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The Roanoke Valley Horse Show, which was canceled last summer, is back on the schedule for June 20-25. But you won’t find it by looking at the calendar for the Salem Civic Center. This year, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show is scheduled to be held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia.

The show has just recently received approval to be held by the required horse show associations and can now move forward with planning and fundraising for the event, Roanoke Valley Horsemen’s Association board member Lynda McGarry told the Botetourt County Horsemen’s Assocation on Jan. 5 at its monthly meeting.

McGarry said there are plenty of changes in the works for the horse show, including dropping admission charges for spectators. The show will continue to be a multi-breed event.

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show facebook page also announced the new show location on Jan. 3: “New Year- New Location! The RVHA is excited to announce that the 2016 Roanoke Valley Horse Show will be held at the Virginia Horse Center June 20-25 2016! This could not have been possible without the help and dedication of our Show Chairman, Stacey Wright, managers Steve Kildow and Andrew Ellis and other members of the show committee. Although we will be at a new location, the Roanoke Valley Horsemen’s Association is committed to keeping this horse show’s charitable contributions coming back to the Roanoke Valley and traditions of southern hospitality at the top of our priority lists! Please mark your calendars to join us!”

Young cross country course designer sought to mentor under Nicholson

Virginia Horse Trials organizer Andy Bowles (left) and FEI course designer John Nicholson. Photo by Brant Gamma | Via VHT

The Virginia Horse Trials announced in December an opportunity for a young Cross Country Course Designer who is starting their pursuit of Course Designing, but if you want a shot you’ll have to act fast.

The VHT is looking for an enthusiastic new cross country course designer to take over our Horse Center side cross country course which caters for BN to Prelim classes under the mentorship of our recently appointed FEI Course Designer John Nicholson from New Zealand for an initial 2-year period.

Nicholson is a well-recognized international designer who designs in numerous countries around the world and who this year was the course director for the FEI International Course Designers Seminar in Ireland, which focused on designers from all over the world.

The winning candidate will be expected to be on site for about 10-14 days prior to the events working alongside Nicholson and the builders. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered by VHT and a small fee may be negotiated for the right candidate.

Applications must be submitted by Jan. 8. (Friday!) Applications should include the following:

Cover letter
Equestrian Resume
A brief outline on your thoughts on modern
cross-country-course designing and ideas on how to improve the presentation of courses.

Mail applications to Virginia Horse Trials, 3455 FM 731 Burleson, TX, 76028

Applications will be reviewed by an independent panel with a phone interview, then a final selection will be made by this panel and the Executive Director of VHT. Final appointment will be made by the
end of January 2016.

Additional information about the application and selection process can be found at Course Designer Mentor Program.

Extreme Mustang Makeover coming to Virginia Horse Center

7497363006_637c470eb1_o — *Courtesy BLM*

The Extreme Mustang Makeover is scheduled at the Virginia Horse Center on August 26-28.

This wild horse training competition will offer two divisions: Youth, ages 8-17, will compete with a mustang in-hand and adults, ages 18 and over, will ride their assigned mustang in preliminary classes to compete for a spot in the top 10 freestyle finals.

After being selected to compete at an Extreme Mustang Makeover event, a trainer picks up a Mustang that has been virtually untouched by humans. With approximately 100 days to gentle, halter break and saddle train the Mustang before the competition.

Horse and rider teams compete in preliminary classes that include evaluating the horse’s ability to maneuver through patterns and/or trail courses.

After the preliminary scores are tallied, the highest-placing horses are chosen to compete in the finals. Trainers have 4 minutes to present a freestyle performance to showcase their Mustangs’ abilities and talents.

The winner of last year’s Mustang Makeover at the Virginia Horse Festival.

The event will award $25,000 in cash and prizes. All adult mustangs will be available for adoption via auction. Bureau of Land Management representatives will be on site to approve interested adopters.

The entry deadline is March 28. Mustangs will be picked up April 29-30 in Knoxville, TN

A Mustang Makeover competition was held last year at the Virginia Horse Festival at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia.

The Mustang Makeover competition’s is an effort by the the Mustang Heritage Foundation to promote the Mustang’s versatility, trainability, and worth as an equine companion. Over 5,000 American Mustangs have been adopted through the Mustang Heritage Foundation since 2007. The foundation will hold 10 Extreme Mustang Makeover competitions this year.