ELIS GV

I attended the Friesian Grand Nationals this past weekend obviously expecting to see gorgeous black horses with their long manes and tails blowing in the breeze as they thundered around the Virginia Horse Center for what is their world championship show. What I did not expect to find was an event that illustrated what a show could and should be. But that’s what I found Oct. 4 in Lexington.

The announcer was excellent as he quipped jokes and even interviewed the leadline contestants as they awaited the judge’s placings. (Everyone won, as is usual for the class for the littlest equestrians.) And for each class, he announced each horse as it came into the arena, giving each entrance something a little extra flair.

Perhaps the most engaging thing about the show (besides the competitors themselves, of course) was the music, showcasing a sense of humor that they weren’t afraid to use. They didn’t treat the classes like a hushed library, but played music over the sound system that went with the class. For the English Pleasure horses’ animated action, they played “Back in Black” and “Sexy and I Know It” as those proud black horses roared around the arena. It was nothing short of marvelous and you couldn’t help but smile and cheer. Meanwhile, for the next class, a driving class, the tempo changed to the nostalgic croonings of “Unforgettable” as the horses trotted in pulling carriages that were stunning in their elegant charm. Lanterns glowed at the sides, the drivers wore blankets over their legs, grooms sat in the back dressed in spotless finery, and I suddenly felt like I had been transported to another time in a blink of an eye. And during the dead-time of the arena drag, “She thinks my tractor’s sexy” brought a levity that somehow made the interruption less tiresome for those of us sitting in the stands.

For the shows that struggle to balance recognizing winners while also keeping a show moving along, the Grand Nationals seemed to have found a wonderful solution: reserve champion is called first. That horse then proudly goes and receives their ribbon while they call the champion. The others file out as they name the Top 5. Therefore the spectators know exactly who won, but the show still moves briskly along. And of course they have a victory pass for both the reserve and world champs.

I am torn about whether the dinner scheduled on the concourse of the Coliseum on Saturday evening was a plus or a negative. It must have been a wonderful community-building affair for the Friesian exhibitors at the show. But it certainly put a huge 3-hour gap in the day for spectators and I ended up taking my 8-year-old daughter back home to Roanoke rather than stay. I returned that evening while she stayed behind. I’m sorry now that she didn’t see the event.

The Friesian Grand Nationals is not a show I will soon  forget. For 2015 their world championships will be held in Los Angeles, California. But if they swing back around to Virginia again, it is a must-see for all horse lovers in the area. I know I will definitely be back.

More photos from the Friesian Grand Nationals will be posted soon here on The Roundup.

Official show photography was by Jon McCarthy Photography of Tulsa, Okla. Proofs will be posted at https://www.jonmccarthy.com/default.asp

2011 USEF Horse of the Year Sjoerd, the first and Friesian in history to win that honor . Photo courtesy ThreeDayRanch. http://www.threedayranch.com/sjoerd.htm

Virginia Horse Center

The tenth-annual Friesian Grand Nationals are taking over the Anderson Coliseum this weekend. It began Wednesday with Dressage in the morning and trail in the evening. Thursday will spotlight breeding in the morning and afternoon and shift over to driving and pleasure classes in the evening. Friday morning will shift back to dressage and then back to pleasure and driving classes in the afternoon and evening. There will also be a costume class on Friday afternoon. More of the same, including World Championship classes, will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Find a full schedule here.  Watch for photos soon on The Roundup blog.

Costume class participants

Also at the horse center, Therapeutic Riding Assoc. of Va. Fall Horse Show will be held. The annual show for riders with disabilities will feature a variety of classes including dressage, equitation, obstacles, pole bending, costume and United Professional Horseman’s Association classes.

Blacksburg

Walnut Spring Stables on Glade Road in Blacksburg is holding an open show starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. Hunter, over fences, Western, Reining and gaming classes will be offered. The showbill can be found here.

Online:

• The Capital Challenge Horse Show is streaming live from Maryland on the USEFnetwork now through Sunday, Oct. 5.  Hunters are in the spotlight and there are many pony classes through the weekend. Find the schedule here.
• The USEFnetwork is also broadcasting the Paso Fino Grand National Show from the Kentucky Horse Park through Saturday. A class schedule is available here.
• The Miniature Horse World Championship Show from Fort Worth, Texas, is streaming on iEquine.com through Saturday, Oct. 4. Find the class schedule here.
• The Arabian National Breeder Finals in Scottsdale, Arizona, is being broadcast by iEquine now through Saturday. Find the show schedule here.
• The All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio, begins its broadcast on Thursday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 26 on iEquine.com. The show received more than 20,000 horse show entries in 2014 during its three-week schedule. The show will begin with reining this weekend. A complete schedule can be found here. 

Reminder:

There are three huge horse shows coming up on the schedule within easy driving distance to Southwest Virginia. As mentioned above, the All-American Quarter Horse Congress is kicking off Thursday, Oct. 2 and runs through Oct. 26. In Columbus, Ohio, this show is a 6-hour drive and well worth it with unmatched shopping opportunities for all things horse as well as the world-class AQHA competition. Single day admission is $25 PER VEHICLE (Daily parking on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays is only $15) or $70 PER VEHICLE for the entire show.

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is Oct. 9-18 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pa. The largest multi-breed show in the country includes the $85,000 Grand Prix de Penn National and the Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal Final. Admission prices and ticket information can be found here.

The Washington International Horse Show will kick off in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 21.Highlights include the $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix and the prestigious Equitation Finals for junior riders. Tickets are required and can be purchased here.

Hunt Night Monday is full of interesting and entertaining classes. Shown here in perfect harmony are the Hunt Team winners, Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds. Photo ©alcookphoto.com

This weekend is the Virginia 4-H State Championship Horse Show at the Virginia Horse Center. It opens Thursday evening with a Reining qualifier class and Hunter Showmanship in the coliseum. If you like your day watching at the horse show to be broken up by plenty of variety, this is a great place to go watch. Not only have these youth exhibitors from across the state worked very hard to get to the state show, there’s plenty of different types of action going on throughout the day. Even the most hardcore horse show fans can get a little fatigued after hours of the same discipline cantering along in front of them.  But at the state 4-H show there are 4 arenas running at the same time. For instance, on Saturday around noon, the Coliseum will be the site of Western Horsemanship, while in other arenas you can watch Driving, Hunter horses or hunter ponies. Find the full show schedule for more on class times and arenas.

If AQHA is more your cup of tea, you’ll have to travel all the way over to Doswell, Virginia, for the Virginia Bred Futurity at Meadows Event Park, which is just north of Richmond. The stallions involved in the Virginia-bred program for 2014 and last year’s results, including payouts, can be found here. Beyond the futurities there is also a full show. Find the schedule here.

Also on Saturday, the Blue Ridge Eventing Association is hosting an Eventing clinic with Ashley Adams, who has been competing in the top levels of  the sport for more than a decade with an emphasis on starting young horses. The clinic is free to audit and $100 to ride.