Joe and Penny Most’s Perfect Partner Equine, which holds clinics, trail obstacle challenges, equine excursions and retreats throughout the U.S., will hold a series of six trail horse events in 2017. Two of those events will be right here in Southwest Virginia along the New River in Ivanhoe.

The events are designed specifically for trail riders to have fun on their horses.

The PPE Trail Horse Challenge & Clinic Weekend will be held from June 8-11. Trail horse workshops and obstacle challenge classes will be available along with group activities and miles of trails along the beautiful New River.  The Trail Horse Challenge & Clinic Weekend will be repeated Aug. 3-6.

Held at the Ivanhoe Show Grounds at 527 Trestle Road, the event is open to all breeds and all disciplines and no memberships are required to take part. Thursday and Friday will feature a trail horse clinic and workshops.

Trail Horse Riding Clinics include using the same basics, cues for going forward, backing up, emergency stops, and giving to the bit, as does the regular Rider’s Clinic. It also addresses such things as “jigging” on the trail, crossing streams and bridges, and problems that arise while riding with other horses. The added pleasure of this Clinic is to enjoy the beauty of the out-of-doors and our wonderful location.  

• Thursday 2:30pm-6pm  Trail Horse Ground & Handling Workshop will focus on building respect on the ground, managing tools and liberty skills.  All horse owners at some point will need the skills to be able to work with their horse at liberty (no halter, no lead).  
• Friday AM 9am-12:30 pm  Trail Horse Riding Workshop focusing on refinement  while building better body control, confidence & safety on the trail. 
• Friday PM  2:30pm-6pm  Trail Horse Riding Workshop focusing on navigating & mastering trail obstacles.  Doing simple things very well. 

Registration is required and horses should have trail experience.

The Trail Horse Competition will consist of two parts in 4 divisions (All Breed  Adult & Youth (youth 6-18yrs); AQHA Adult & Youth (youth 6-18yrs):

1. Obstacle Challenge Course (consists of 6-8 obstacles with different levels of challenge for the trail horse)
2. Trail Patterns Class (consists of a pattern with transitions, speed control & some obstacles. 

The weekend will also include a Meet & Greet campfire, Barn Party Potluck and trail riding.

Primitive camping is available with room for tie lines or portable fencing. RV Hookups and stalls/pens are available 2 miles from the event.

Costs:

• Workshops $100.00 per rider per session (3 different sessions available)
• Challenge Course Classes $35.00 per rider/per horse
• Grounds/Office fee per rider $25.00 for entire weekend.
• A grounds fee of $25 will be charged to all riders.

For more information, go to their website by clicking here. Or find them on Facebook.

The footing in Ring 1 at Green Hill Park Equestrian Center has suffered water damage from the recent rainfall. Before the footing can be replaced the rocks must be removed. There will be a rock pickup work day on Tuesday, January 31, starting at 3:30 p.m. at the park. Please email tamlanichols@verizon.net if you can help.

The Green Hill Park Equestrian Center has been working to improve the footing at the facility. The five-phase plan began last fall with regrading Arena 2 at a cost of $25,000. The project received $5,000 in Roanoke County Capital Improvement Incentive Fund grant money. Donations also are being collected for this phase. There are a few options for donating to the project advertised in 2016.

By Phelps Media Group, Inc.

The Stonewall Country Horse Show I, a four-day show that benefits the Virginia Horse Center Foundation, concluded its first week of competition with hunter and jumper riders claiming titles in many of its numerous “A” rated divisions.

The championship title in the Junior Hunter Classic and the reserve championship in the Large Junior Hunters was awarded to young rider Mary McDaniel, who trains with Anne Garnett Wheeler of Rose Mount Farm. McDaniel and her mount Cala Millor clinched the victory after an already successful 2016 show season where the pair claimed the Zone 3 Hunter Championship in the Younger Large Junior division.

Mary McDaniel and trainer Anne Garnett Wheeler with Cala Millor at the Stonewall Country Horse Show I. Photo Courtsey of Anne Garnett Wheeler

“Cala is an elegant, dependable mare that is a joy to ride,” Wheeler said. “We are headed to Ocala for the Winter Circuit and looking to qualify for Devon in the spring.”

Jamie Auletto and Carla, owned by Suzanne Auletto of Briar Hill Farm in Tabernacle N.J., took home the blue in the Amateur Owner Classic.

Cismont Manor’s Shakespeare and Jason Berry took the tricolor in the Conformation Hunter division. Owned by Douglass and Kenny Wheeler, Jr., Cismont Manor has been the home of numerous top hunter horses.

“Shakespeare loves to perform at shows and is very business-like when preparing for his classes,” said Kenny. “Jason has his own stable and drives more than an hour each way daily to ride mine.  He is a perfectionist and works hard for me.”

The High Performance Green Hunter tricolor was awarded to Chris Wynne of Breckenridge Manor and Devoted, a 12-year-old Chestnut Gelding owned by Victoria Skelding.

“Devoted is a horse that we’ve had now for three years. We brought him along in the pre-greens and now he is doing the First Year Green Hunters, or 3’6″ Green as it is called now. We brought him as a 2-year-old in Europe, unbroken, and we’ve had the whole journey with him which has been exciting,” Wynne said. “He puts a lot of effort into everything he does and a lot of times it makes him the winner of the class. We are very blessed to have seen him develop since he was a 2-year-old, that is something that just never happens anymore.”

The Stonewall Country Horse Show II, Feb. 2-5, will offer “A” rated hunter and jumper classes, schooling classes, and USHJA Outreach classes. The affordable schooling and Outreach classes give exhibitors the ability to school their younger horses before the start of summer season.

In addition to the Outreach classes, Stonewall Country II will provide junior equitation competitors the opportunity to earn valuable points in the WHIS, ARIAT, and the THIS Children’s Medal. Some of these classes can qualify a junior rider for the Amy Tlvisaker Reistrup Equitation Challenge, hosted each year at the Lexington National Horse Show.

The Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue will hold its Third Annual Save A Horse, Taste Some Bourbon event April 8 from 7:30 to 10:30 at the Kazim Shrine Ballroom on Campbell Avenue in Roanoke. The funds raised through this event are used to support RVHR operations.

RVHR is seeking volunteers to help with silent auction tables, guest check-in, and food. If would like to help, please contact Dawn Caldwell at dcaldwell@rvhr.com.

The cost to attend the event is $17 Advance or $22 at the door.  The event will feature music from The YES Movement, heavy Hors d’oeuvre, a beer and wine cash bar and silent auction.

Healing Strides of Virginia in Boones Mill has announced Winter Open Arena Nights every Saturday afternoon this February.

The 120 x 70′ indoor arena will be open to the public from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. with up to eight spots available each day. The cost is $30 for 1 hour. Four riders will be given spots during each hour. Flatwork only will be available from 3-4 p.m., while jumping will be allowed from 4 to 5 p.m. Riders may arrive 30 minutes prior to their reservation and are asked to be off the property by 30 minutes after the close of their session. Helmets are required and longing must be done in the outdoor arena only. Reservations are required. Call 540-334-5825 with questions.

Up to date Coggins, Rhino/flu vaccines (will be confirmed with vet) and payment in full are required prior to admittance onto the property.