Category: Horse Shows

Western Pleasure comes with big stakes at Virginia Classic

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A big-stakes western pleasure class will be at the Virginia Horse Center on April 9 as part of the Virginia Quarter Horse Association’s Virginia Classic Horse Show.

The Hylton Maiden 3-year-old and Over class takes place each year at the AQHA show and provides an incentive to wait for outstanding pleasure prospects to mature.

In 2015, the Hylton Maiden paid out $91,500. This year, $50,000 in added money will be put into the jackpot, making the projected payout for 2016 to be $31,500 to the winner, $11,570 for reserve and $8,455 for third. When calculated on a 20-entry average, even 10th place will recoup the $1,500 entry fee. (Click here to download an entry form for the 2016 Hylton Maiden. Click here to use the new online entry system for the 2016 Hylton Maiden.)

In addition to the jackpot, a $6,000 bonus will be awarded to the Highest Placing Intermediate Rider in the class and a $4,000 bonus will be awarded to the Highest Placing Limited Rider.

Judges for the Virginia Classic are Casey and April Devitt, Brad Kearns, Jeff Allen, Rick Christy, and Ryan Kail.

Entries are due by March 12; however, horses may be entered up until Friday, April 8 at 5 p.m. for a $500 late fee.

Past champions have included Taft Dickerson with Made By J (2015), Randy Wilson with Certainly On Sundi (2014), Jay Starnes with Zip By Machine (2013) and Kristy Starnes with Zippin Hot Machine (2012).

 

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.

Unbridled Change harnesses power of horses

Winston Churchhill once famously said, “There’s something about the outside of the horse that’s good for the inside of a man.” A Boones Mill nonprofit, Unbridled Change, is using that bit of wisdom to offer equine-assisted mental health services for children, teens, and adults that need support overcoming obstacles in their life such as trauma, anger management, parenting and bullying.

Horses are a great mirror that reflect back a client’s behaviors, the organization says, allowing for awareness and eventually control and change.

Founder and Executive Director Michelle Holling-Brooks is the only Certified Eagala Advanced Equine Specialist in Virginia and one of only 14 in the country. EAP is a collaborative effort between a licensed therapist and a horse professional working with the clients and horses to address treatment goals. Participants learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses and then talking about feelings, behaviors and patterns.

Unbridled Change offers several different programs to their clients:

  • A ‘Bit’ of Support – Military Services program works with military personnel, veterans, spouses, and their families to help with transitions, stress relief and mindfulness skills, coping skills, parenting skills, mental health therapy for PTSD & MST and also recreational therapy.
  • Take Back the Reins is an equine-assisted psychotherapy program that is designed for children, teens, and adults who were victims or witnesses of abuse or neglect with the aim of breaking the cycle of abuse. 
  • Hoof-prints of a Healthy Herd is an equine assisted psychotherapy program that is designed for parenting and family reunification.  The program works with both the children and the parents to help address the core concepts of a healthy family unit: healthy boundary setting and acceptance, respect, communication and healthy relationship skills.
  • Wranglers is designed for children, teens, and adults who struggling with anger management issues. 
  • “Blazing the Trail of Character” combines hands-on activities with horses and six character development concepts: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. The program is available to area youth groups and schools.
  • Riders Up! is designed for children, teens, and adults who are working on executive functioning skills, fine tuning self-regulation skills, and self-esteem.  

Find a video of Unbridled Change at http://vimeo.com/109596834. 

If you’d like to volunteer.  
Donate.  

Directions to the farm from Roanoke Airport:
Take I-581 South toward Downtown Roanoke.  I-581 will turn into route 220 South toward Rocky Mount, VA .  (581 will merge from a highway to route 220 there will be a Lowes, HomeDepot, Walmart and other box stores when it first merges down).  Stay on 220 for about 10 miles – cross the county line into Franklin Co and the town of Boones Mill.  Just after the light turn an immediate left over the bridge onto Boones Mill Road (at Jack Garst Agency or Southern States).  At the stop sign turn right to stay on to Boones Mill Road.  Go 2 miles and turn right onto White Oak Road.  Go about 1 mile and turn right into the Unbridled Change’s parking lot at the indoor arena site.

GET YOUR FIX: Horse events in the Roanoke area Jan. 17-18

We just had our first messy snowfall and the recent single-digit temperatures here in the Roanoke Valley may have you feeling a bit fuzzy, but that doesn’t mean the horse world has ground to a stop. And now when your own horse activities may have slowed down for the winter is when you just might need that horse fix the most. Here are this weekend’s activities, plus some things to look forward to.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

  • The Stonewall Country Horse Show: This show is USEF “A” rated Hunter and Jumper horse show. This event is owned and operated by the VHCF and managed by Leslie Brown and will be held in the Anderson Coliseum and the East Complex arena. Judges are Phoebe Sheets and Downing Nyegard. Find a schedule of classes on the prize list. Note: Braiding is optional in all classes and divisions. The show will open Thursday at 7 a.m. with Working Hunter classes all day in the Coliseum. On Friday, Working Hunters will be in the Coliseum and Jumpers in the East Complex. Saturday will feature Children’s Hunters and Amateur Hunters in the Coliseum for the morning and afternoon with Open and Junior Working Hunters toward the end of the day. The East Complex will host pony hunters and short stirrup classes throughout the day with much the same schedule layout for Sunday as well. This show benefits the VHCF, an facility that has become incredibly important in the Virginia’s horse industry. This show will repeat on Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the VHC.
  • Winter Schooling: If you are simply seeking for a great place to ride during the winter months, the Virginia Horse Center is open for schooling through March 1. Call the Stable Office at 540-464-2966 for reservations.

FARTHER AWAY

  • Maryland Horse World Expo: (4 hour drive from Roanoke) The Horse World Expo will return to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland, this weekend. (4 hour trip from Roanoke) Daily admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children aged 6-12. Younger than 6 are free. The Expo includes seminars, clinics, demonstrations, stallion avenue and parade of breeds, and of course shopping. This year’s speakers include Roxanne Bowman on saddle fitting, Olympian (Eventing) Stephen Bradley, Dana Bright on Driving, Kenny Harlow on training and AQHA judge and auction manager Mike Jennings on Buying and Selling horses. For a full list of speakers visit www.horseworldexpo.com/MDbios.shtml.
  • Kentucky Hunter Jumper Association Clinic featuring Bernie Taurig at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky on Monday. (5 1/2 hours drive from Roanoke)
  • Dressage Clinic with Britta Johnston, Understanding, Starting and Perfecting the Flying Change: A lecture discussing the flying change will begin at 12:30 p.m., Saturday at Capriole Farms in Catlett, Va. (3 hours drive from Roanoke) Horses working on flying changes will follow. Rides: $90 for a 45 minute lesson $20 for day stall, limited number. Auditors: $10.

  LOOK AHEAD

ONLINE

  •  Watch the 2015 George Morris Horsemaster Session on demand at USEFnetwork.com.

Virginia 4-H State Horse Show Photos

The Virginia 4-H State Horse Show was recently held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va. The Roundup was there on Saturday to take photos of the event. Here are some of the photos with more to be posted in the coming days. If you’d like a copy of a photo, feel free to contact dilewin@gmail.com.

Get your horse fix: Sept. 27-28

VIRGINIA  HORSE CENTER

  • The American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia will hold their 2014 horse show at the  Virginia Horse Center Sept. 25-28. A full schedule of classes for Saddlebreds, Hackneys and Friesians will be offered, as well as UPHA Classics, futurities and Academy classes. Prize book with class schedule can be found online.
  • Also this weekend at the Virginia Horse Center, the Glenmore Hunt Pony Club will hold its fundraiser show for hunters and jumpers in the Wiley and Northern arenas. Find a class list here online. 

FRANKLIN COUNTY

The Franklin County Equestrian Club’s annual open horse show will be held Sept. 27 at Ginther Farm in Rocky Mount. The show will offer a mix of Western, English and game classes. Find directions and a class list here.

ROAD TRIP

The North Carolina Quarter Horse Association is holding the Tar Heel Classic this weekend at the Hunt Horse Complex in Raleigh, North Carolina. That is just under 3 hours of driving from Roanoke for top AQHA competition just before Congress.

ONLINE

Photos from the Virginia Color Classic

The Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va., hosted the Virginia Paint Horse Club’s Color Classic Horse Show and Futurities Sept. 6-7. While a traveling snafu of one of the judges slowed things down a bit on Saturday, a replacement was found until she could arrive. However halter classes didn’t finish until about 2 p.m. in hot and sticky weather, making it a long day for everyone. Below are some photos taken at the event: