Author: RoanokeEquestrian

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events this weekend near Roanoke, Va. (April 11-12)

We’ve got the Easter holiday behind us and Spring has taken hold in the region (thank goodness!). Now it’s time for the horse shows to really get into full swing. This weekend is headlined by a horse auction.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

  • The Great American Trail Horse competition and horse sale is this weekend in Anderson Coliseum. The annual auction will be at noon on Saturday and is held for trail horses of all breeds and budgets.  Find a catalog here. Photos/Videos of many of the sale horses can be found here. The unique feature of this sale is the $2,000 added, trail horse competition starting at 7 p.m. on Friday. The competition is open only to the horses consigned in the sale. The top 10 horses will be selected to come back Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. for the finals. Friday will also include demonstrations. See a schedule here.
  • In the center’s East Complex, The Lee Jackson Classic (APHC) will be hosted by the Senandoah-Blue Ridge Appaloosa Association. Judges are Tony Burris, David Johnson, & Gayle Matson-Kozak. The Lee Jackson is the only regional Appaloosa show held in Virginia and offers classes for youth, non-pro, games, heritage, over fences and non-pro walk-trot and ranch pleasure. Find a class schedule here. 

FRANKLIN COUNTY

The Franklin County Equestrian Club will host its Spring Fling Horse Show at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ginther Farm in Sontag. The show is Blue Ride Horse Force sanctioned. Get a class schedule here. Chuck Nifong will judge.

A LOOK AHEAD

Sweet Briar equestrian director moving to Lynchburg College

Sweet Briar College may be closing in August, but it’s riding tradition will stay in central Virginia. Sweet Briar equestrian director Merrilee “Mimi” Wroten will join Lynchburg College as director of riding as the college works to expand its equestrian program. Wroten has been head of the acclaimed program at Sweet Briar since 2011 and before that served as associate director since 1999. She will remain at Sweet Briar until the school closes in August.

“It became apparent that a unique opportunity existed to enhance collegiate riding at a local college, provide continuity of instruction for Sweet Briar students and preserve many of the principles of excellence that the Sweet Briar riding tradition was founded upon,” Wroten said in a Lynchburg College news release on the changes.

Mimi is a USEF “R” judge and holds the ANRC top rider rating. She has judged shows from Georgia to New York. Wroten has coached several award-winning teams, including an individual national champion and national reserve champion in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association; multiple Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion and reserve champion teams; and several American National Riding Committee champion and reserve champion teams.

Lynchburg College is finalizing an agreement with Thistledown Farm to host its equestrian program.

See the news release here.

Wroten posted this message on Sweet Briar’s facebook page March 26.

“Dear Friends,
As we all process our way through the shock of the announcement about our beloved Sweet Briar and move toward addressing the uncertainty of the future, each of us has tried to find a path forward for the ideals and culture that have made Sweet Briar riding so special. It was this pursuit of a way forward that led me to take a call from Lynchburg College Athletics Director Jon Waters. During the call and throughout numerous follow up conversations as Jon shared the Lynchburg vision and hope for expansion of their existing riding program, it became apparent that a unique opportunity existed to enhance collegiate riding at a local college, provide continuity of instruction for Sweet Briar students and to preserve many of the principles of excellence that the Sweet Briar riding tradition has been founded upon. It is for these reasons that I have accepted the position as the Director of Riding at Lynchburg College. I will finish out the semester and my obligations with Sweet Briar College before stepping into my new role as the Director of Riding at Lynchburg College.

As you can imagine, this decision did not come without a tremendous amount of soul searching and research about the Lynchburg leadership and it’s commitment to excellence. As someone who has spent more than half my life in service to the students, horses and community of Sweet Briar, I fully understand how the program has impacted lives for generations. However, with the path that has been laid out for the college, the only prudent course at this time is to move forward with this new endeavor and attempt to maintain as much continuity with staff, horses and instruction as possible.

While many of the details of the Lynchburg College riding program future are still evolving, the program is very excited about the opportunity to work out of Thistledown Farm in Lynchburg, Virginia. We will work rapidly to develop this facility into a collegiate riding facility with 22 stalls, 4 large fields, 2 large paddocks, 1 small ring, and we will enlarge & cover a ring that will be approximately 120’ x 220’. Lynchburg College is working to acquire approximately 12-15 of the SBC horses to assure the standards of excellence that we have come to expect. Additional resources will be developed as demand dictates.

I am very confident that Jon Waters, Athletic Director and the institutional leadership at Lynchburg understand and respect how special the Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center is to the equine world. In light of this, they have assured me that in the event that Sweet Briar College is open to students and operating a riding program in the Fall of 2015, I would be free to return to lead the Sweet Briar College program with the probability of Lynchburg riders becoming a part of the Rogers Riding Center community.

To my fellow alums and to all of those who have been touched by the greatness of the Sweet Briar riding program, I hope that you will see this as a unique opportunity to continue to serve the central Virginia area and the horse world with the same spirit and ideals that made our program so unique.

I appreciate all that you have done for the Sweet Briar College Riding Program and myself.

Sincerely,
Mimi Wroten”

From Lexington to Lexington, Nicholson officially named CEO of Virginia Horse Center

John Nicholson has been working the the Virginia Horse Center
since May 2014 as a consultant and then interim CEO. He has
now been named CEO.
The Virginia Horse Center announced Wednesday, April 8, that the Foundation Board of Directors has ratified John Nicholson as the new chief executive officer of the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia.
Following his 17-year tenure as the executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, Nicholson joined the Virginia Horse Center management team in May 2014, first as a consultant and most recently as the interim CEO, before officially assuming the CEO office.  
“I’m honored to have been asked to increase my involvement and leadership of the Horse Center as the full-time CEO,” Nicholson said. “Over the past year, the management team has made significant strides in reversing the challenges faced by the horse center, and this is just the beginning. I’m confident in a bright future.”
For the past 10 months, Nicholson has been an active force in executing the Virginia Horse Center’s short-term and long-term business plans and in facilitating the launch of a new era for the facility. Together with Virginia Horse Center Foundation President and Chairman Ernie Oare, Nicholson has been instrumental in assembling a “dream team” of staff to continue the recent turnaround efforts for the facility.  
“It was clearly identified about a year ago that if the direction at the Horse Center was not changed, the ship would sink,” said Oare. “We now have a team of unbelievable people, including Leigh Anne Claywell as the Chief Operating Officer and John Nicholson as the Chief Executive Officer, to help steer the ship in the correct direction and into a bright future. Nicholson brings to the table incredible experience and expertise in this capacity that is completely unmatched.”  
Prior to making the shift from Lexington, Kentucky, to Lexington, Virginia, Nicholson led the Kentucky Horse Park during its rise to prominence on the global equestrian stage, including hosting the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games and procuring the prestigious National Horse Show. The Kentucky Horse Park also bid for the 2018 World Equestrian Games, however lost out to Bromont/Montreal as host city.
“Similar to the incredible transformation that John headed at the Kentucky Horse Park, we strive to transform the Virginia Horse Center into a first-class venue capable of hosting events the likes of the World Equestrian Games,” Oare said. “John knows, perhaps better than anyone, what it takes to get that done, and we are thrilled to have him as part of our team.”
Under Nicholson’s leadership, the horse park steadily transformed into one of the finest equestrian competition facilities in the world. Nicholson oversaw its expansion that included approximately $80 million in capital improvement projects, including the 5,500-seat Alltech Arena, the 7,300-seat Rolex Stadium, new barns, a new $10 million, 8,500-square-foot museum wing; and numerous new buildings within the park’s National Horse Center that are home to an impressive collection of national, regional and state equine organizations.
In addition to expanding the park, Nicholson concentrated on improving its public perception and increasing private sector support.

8 tips for buying a horse at auction

This 2004 Spotted Draft/Quarter cross is scheduled to be sold Saturday, April 11, 2015 in The Great American Trail Horse Sale at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. This is a photo submitted on Facebook for the sale.

The Great American Trail Horse sale is this Saturday (April 11, 2015) at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va., and I’m already drooling over a couple of the horses to be offered. Auctions can be a lot of fun and get your heart racing with excitement. But it’s important to not let the fast-talking (really fast), ringmens’ yells, and falling gavel make you have buyers’ regret later. Here are some tips before you sign up to bid.

  1. Set your budget. But at the same time don’t allow a few hundred dollars stop you from getting your dream horse. Do not allow a battle of egos during the bidding make you spend more than you wanted or more than the horse is worth.
  2. Look the horse over closely. Don’t just pick the horse out of the catalog. Make sure that you go to see them in person. Obviously evaluate the horse’s conformation. But also look for scars or bumps on the head and neck. This could indicate that a horse has been in a wreck of some kind, which could mean the horse is prone to panic. Make sure you can see the horse’s hooves. Deformities and poor hooves can be hidden in sawdust in the stall. Watch it being ridden. Be suspicious of anything the consigner seem unwilling to get on during the sale preview.  (The Great American Trail Horse sale’s trail competition is a great chance to see sale horses in action. The competition starts at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Top 10 horses will perform in the finals Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m.)
  3. Have a few horses in mind. There may be someone else who really wants Hip No. 28. So be prepared to have a backup (or two) later in the sale. 
    MR. HICKORYS STARLIGHT (AQHA) is Hip No. 39 in the sale.

  4. Be aware if the auction considers all sales are final. (Most do) Some unscrupulous sellers may drug a horse to make them seem quieter than they are. (The Great American Trail Horse sale does offer a return policy if the horse turns out to be unsound within 5 days of the sale.) Watch out for horses that aren’t excited by their new surroundings in a similar manner to the other horses. That may be an indication that they have been drugged.
  5. Do not wait too long to bid. Sit down several horses before the one you are interested in and let the ringman know when you are interested in a horse so he can watch for your bid. Jump in when the bidding starts to slow. That usually means you have reached the reserve. 
  6. Don’t make a big show of bidding. Just let your ringman know. It’s better if other bidders don’t know who they are bidding against.  
  7. Be aware of common budgets. Many people may have set a budget for themselves of, say, $5,000. It may be worth going a bit over that number to get a horse. $500 increments and $1,000 increments are common budget limits. If a horse is at $2,800, it may be worth bidding $3,000, skipping right over $2,900 so that you hit that budget amount and psych out the other bidder.
  8. Remember that there is some risk involved in buying a horse at auction. What you see at an auction may only be a small glimpse of that horse. The horse may have vices or medical problems that didn’t appear at the auction. And you aren’t going to be able to try out a horse for yourself like you can during a private sale. During a private sale you can return to see the horse on different days and often try them several times. When you purchase via an auction you are getting a much smaller glimpse of that horse’s behavior. Many horseman believe that horses end up at auctions for a reason. While that is not always the case, buyers should always be on the lookout for problems. Know and be comfortable with the conditions of the sale before you buy. They usually are listed in the sale catalog.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events this weekend near Roanoke, Va. (April 11-12)

This 2011 AQHA sorrel mare, Lacey, will be one of the horses to be sold (Hip No. 28 in the sale) at the Great American Rail Horse Sale on Saturday.

We’ve got the Easter holiday behind us and Spring has taken hold in the region (thank goodness!). Now it’s time for the horse shows to really get into full swing. This weekend is headlined by a horse auction.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

  • The Great American Trail Horse competition and horse sale is this weekend in Anderson Coliseum. The annual auction will be at noon on Saturday and is held for trail horses of all breeds and budgets.  Find a catalog here. Photos/Videos of many of the sale horses can be found here. The unique feature of this sale is the $2,000 added, trail horse competition starting at 7 p.m. on Friday. The competition is open only to the horses consigned in the sale. The top 10 horses will be selected to come back Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. for the finals. Friday will also include demonstrations. See a schedule here.
  • In the center’s East Complex, The Lee Jackson Classic (APHC) will be hosted by the Senandoah-Blue Ridge Appaloosa Association. Judges are Tony Burris, David Johnson, & Gayle Matson-Kozak. The Lee Jackson is the only regional Appaloosa show held in Virginia and offers classes for youth, non-pro, games, heritage, over fences and non-pro walk-trot and ranch pleasure. Find a class schedule here. 

FRANKLIN COUNTY


The Franklin County Equestrian Club will host its Spring Fling Horse Show at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ginther Farm in Sontag. The show is Blue Ride Horse Force sanctioned. Get a class schedule here. Chuck Nifong will judge.

A LOOK AHEAD

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events this weekend (April 4-5)

This weekend most people will set aside for the Easter Bunny as he/she spreads sugar highs and colored Easter eggs to children everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you can’t mark the holiday with horses, too, on this spring weekend.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

  • The horse center is hosting Saddlebreds at the Old Dominion Saddlebred Futurity Show on Saturday and Sunday in the East Complex. The show will be judged by Jessie Richardson of New Jersey.  Find a prize list and schedule here. 

HORSE HEALTH

The Botetourt County Horsemen’s Association welcomes Virginia Tech’s Dr. Scott Pleasant to discuss current health concerns for horse owners on April 7 at Bellacino’s in Daleville. The talk is free and open to the public.

ONLINE

The Longines Global Champions Tour in Miami Beach.
(Photo via GCT Facebook page)		  

A LOOK AHEAD

    Mustangs star of the show at Virginia Horse Festival

    Madison Shambaugh and her mustang Terk.  Photo via Shambaugh’s Facebook page.

    What happens when you take a wild mustang, a young woman with a dream of training horses, a gorgeous dress and remove the bridle? MAGIC.

    The Extreme Mustang Makeover competition March 28 ended on a windy, cold note at the The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia. But one freestyle routine in particular shone through the icy winds to steal the crowd’s heart.

    Six-year-old mustang Terk and his trainer, Madison Shambaugh, of Indiana were awarded Overall Reserve Champion, Fan Favorite, Rookie award and Young Guns (18-21 yr old) award after this bridleless freestyle routine. “We didn’t have enough points in our score system to give you what you deserve for your freestyle tonight.” Shambaugh wrote she was told by Judge Mike Jennings. Terk received 60/60 points for his freestyle on behalf of both judges. (The second judge was Mike Baker of Salem, Va.) The crowd certainly loved it and were cheering wildly and pounding their feet on the bleachers after the performance. As many were wrapped in blankets that night, her sleeveless dress deserved it’s own applause.

    Keep in mind just a little more than 100 days ago these mustangs had never been touched. Shambaugh then purchased Terk in the public auction of the mustangs after the competition.

    Shambaugh is a full-time student at Purdue University.  She wrote for CavolorUniversity.com of Terk: “Terk was an incredibly fast learner from the start. He was smart, sensitive, and athletic. By 30 days he was already riding without a bridle.”

    Shambaugh also wrote how nervous she was about her freestyle routine, particuarly a flying lead change without a bridle that he had only started to get in training. “By the end I was in tears. It was a very emotional experience for me to have this formerly wild horse go from a state of complete fear and mistrust to the realization that he would do anything for me. He gave me his heart that night– his whole heart. It was an absolutely amazing feeling as his trainer and teammate.”

    See her full story here.

    Shambaugh wrote on Facebook after her performance:
    “I may have helped to bring out the best in Terk, but he also brought out the best in me. I came to learn that this whole event was not about winning a ribbon, a buckle, or a check. I know this sounds cliche but it is so true…We did not ride tonight to be labeled champions. We rode for the mustangs waiting to be adopted and deemed untrainable. We rode for horses everywhere who are misunderstood. We rode to show people the relationship they can have with these animals. And we rode for everyone who has lost hope in their dreams.”

     Other photos from the competition:

    Kacie Eicholtz and Montague “Monty” placed fourth overall.
    Eicholtz bought Monty after the competition. Photo via EMM Facebook page.

     

    Nate Eicher and Doc Holliday were the 2015 Virginia Extreme Mustang Makeover Champions.
    Photo via EMM Facebook page.
    Nate Eicher and Doc Holliday.
    Photo via Eicher’s Facebook page.

    WEEKEND UPDATE: Equestrian news roundup

    Courtesy of Road to the Horse

    ROAD TO THE HORSE

    Chris Cox blew away the competition to win his fourth Road to the Horse title in Lexington, Kentucky. Cox scored 2,600, Jim Anderson 1,689 and Trevor Carter 1,656. Road to the Horse had a $100,000 purse this year, it’s richest so far.

    The colt-starting competition takes three horse trainers and clinicians and puts them up against each other for the esteemed title of Road to the Horse World Champion.

    Competitors choose a horse out of a group of 3-year-old untouched quarter horses. Competitors were judged not only on a final test of skill, but how they get that result, using natural horsemanship methods.

    SHOWJUMPING

    Photo by Mollie Bailey
    |  Chronicle of the Horse

    McLain Ward won the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix, the finale to the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, on HH Carlos, a 13-year-old Zangersheide. Only three horses made the jump-off round: Ward, Georgina Bloomberg on Lilli and Daniel Bluman on Conconcreto Sancha LS. No one was able to leave all the fences up in the jumpoff, but Ward had the fastest time.

    HUNTERS

    Tori Colvin atop Vaillero, a 7-year-old Zangersheide, won the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Darcy Hayes riding Say When came in second. Mindful and Kelly Farmer, who won the opening round of the derby fell to 16th place overall.

    AQHA

    High point winners were announced from the Silver Dollar Circuit. High point overall senior horse was  Blazinmytroublesaway, ridden by Rusty Green and owned by Katie Green. Highpoint junior horse went to  Aint Gota Lot, ridden by Bradley Ost and owned by Belik Family Trust. The high point amateur was Huntin For Fun and Brittany Lofton Morgan.

    EVENTING

    Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials cross-country will be a “very different” experience for riders, with the course being run in the opposite direction to normal. The change will see all the major combinations tackled in the opposite direction. Course designer Mark Phillips told Horse and Hound magazine that it was “time for the change” after three years of a similar course.


    California Chrome in Dubai. Photo by Steven Cargill/racingfotos/Rex

    HORSE RACING

    Reigning horse of the year California Chrome was upset by Prince Bishop in the $10 million Dubai World Cup. California Chrome is now going to ship to Royal Ascot where plans are to race the 4-year-old colt in June.
    Meanwhile, the road to the Kentucky Derby is in full swing.

    • Materiality remained undefeated in winning th Florida Derby. Materiality,  by Afleet Alex, is trained by Todd Pletcher. Upstart ran second.
    • International Star scored a come-from-behind victory in the Louisiana Derby. Stanford was second by a neck. War Story finished third.
      Mubtaahij easily won the $2 million UAE Derby in Dubai by 8 lengths.

    Sweet Briar equestrian director moving to Lynchburg College

    Merrilee “Mimi” Wroten gives instruction.  Photo by Sweet Briar College

    Sweet Briar College may be closing in August, but it’s riding tradition will stay in central Virginia. Sweet Briar equestrian director Merrilee “Mimi” Wroten will join Lynchburg College as director of riding as the college works to expand its equestrian program. Wroten has been head of the acclaimed program at Sweet Briar since 2011 and before that served as associate director since 1999. She will remain at Sweet Briar until the school closes in August.

    “It became apparent that a unique opportunity existed to enhance collegiate riding at a local college, provide continuity of instruction for Sweet Briar students and preserve many of the principles of excellence that the Sweet Briar riding tradition was founded upon,” Wroten said in a Lynchburg College news release on the changes.

    Mimi is a USEF “R” judge and holds the ANRC top rider rating. She has judged shows from Georgia to New York. Wroten has coached several award-winning teams, including an individual national champion and national reserve champion in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association; multiple Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion and reserve champion teams; and several American National Riding Committee champion and reserve champion teams.

    Lynchburg College is finalizing an agreement with Thistledown Farm to host its equestrian program.

    See the news release here. 

    Wroten posted this message on Sweet Briar’s facebook page March 26.

    “Dear Friends,
    As we all process our way through the shock of the announcement about our beloved Sweet Briar and move toward addressing the uncertainty of the future, each of us has tried to find a path forward for the ideals and culture that have made Sweet Briar riding so special. It was this pursuit of a way forward that led me to take a call from Lynchburg College Athletics Director Jon Waters. During the call and throughout numerous follow up conversations as Jon shared the Lynchburg vision and hope for expansion of their existing riding program, it became apparent that a unique opportunity existed to enhance collegiate riding at a local college, provide continuity of instruction for Sweet Briar students and to preserve many of the principles of excellence that the Sweet Briar riding tradition has been founded upon. It is for these reasons that I have accepted the position as the Director of Riding at Lynchburg College. I will finish out the semester and my obligations with Sweet Briar College before stepping into my new role as the Director of Riding at Lynchburg College.

    As you can imagine, this decision did not come without a tremendous amount of soul searching and research about the Lynchburg leadership and it’s commitment to excellence. As someone who has spent more than half my life in service to the students, horses and community of Sweet Briar, I fully understand how the program has impacted lives for generations. However, with the path that has been laid out for the college, the only prudent course at this time is to move forward with this new endeavor and attempt to maintain as much continuity with staff, horses and instruction as possible.

    While many of the details of the Lynchburg College riding program future are still evolving, the program is very excited about the opportunity to work out of Thistledown Farm in Lynchburg, Virginia. We will work rapidly to develop this facility into a collegiate riding facility with 22 stalls, 4 large fields, 2 large paddocks, 1 small ring, and we will enlarge & cover a ring that will be approximately 120’ x 220’. Lynchburg College is working to acquire approximately 12-15 of the SBC horses to assure the standards of excellence that we have come to expect. Additional resources will be developed as demand dictates.

    I am very confident that Jon Waters, Athletic Director and the institutional leadership at Lynchburg understand and respect how special the Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center is to the equine world. In light of this, they have assured me that in the event that Sweet Briar College is open to students and operating a riding program in the Fall of 2015, I would be free to return to lead the Sweet Briar College program with the probability of Lynchburg riders becoming a part of the Rogers Riding Center community.

    To my fellow alums and to all of those who have been touched by the greatness of the Sweet Briar riding program, I hope that you will see this as a unique opportunity to continue to serve the central Virginia area and the horse world with the same spirit and ideals that made our program so unique.

    I appreciate all that you have done for the Sweet Briar College Riding Program and myself.

    Sincerely,
    Mimi Wroten”

    GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events this weekend in the Roanoke region (March 28-29)

    The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia, which is the farm where Secretariat was born,
    will host the Virginia Horse Festival this weekend.

    FRANKLIN COUNTY

    The Franklin County Equestrian Club will host a competitive trail ride at 10 a.m. Saturday at Waid Park in Rocky Mount. Registration at 9 a.m. Participants are instructed to meet in the top parking lot at the baseball field. The ride is about 2.5 miles long and will include 5 or more obstacles.

    BLACKSBURG

    The Advantage Ranch Community Horse Show will be held at Advantage Ranch, 4190 Dori Del Hills Blacksburg. It is Blue Ridge Horse Force sanctioned. Contact Deb Dyer at 540-230-5698 or email debdyer@advantageranch.com for more information.

    VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

    The horse center will be hosting the Virginia Starter Horse Trials  on Sunday with schooling on Saturday

    ROAD TRIP

    The Virginia Horse Festival is this weekend at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Va.  — the birthplace of Secretariat. The festival features clinics, demonstrations, shopping, a Mustang Makeover competition (including an auction of event participants Saturday evening) and more. Tickets are available in advance online or at the gate. Find the schedule of events here.

    A LOOK AHEAD