ACTHA rumors continue to swirl, website gone

The Amercian Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA), which has been going through financial difficulty for some time but has promised they were back on track and would have rides again this spring, has taken down their website and disconnected their phones.

One member says on Facebook: “According to the buzz on the FaceBook, ACTHA Ride Host Network Group, the website is gone, the people are gone and right up to the last minute they were automatically renewing memberships and taking people’s money for rides that were still on the books, but never going to happen. A class-action suit is possibly coming. An organization that is 8,000 strong would survive if the people in charge had been up front about the problems. Word on the street is that ACTHA tried to sue Equine Trail Sports and lost, costing them a fortune. I don’t know if this is true, but that is gross mismanagement of funds, as members were never told about it, and we thought funds were going to pay the ride hosts and the horse charities. Money, pride, and corruption, once again ruins a very good organization.”

While those rumors are not confirmed, the organization’s Facebook page, which has more than 50,000 “likes,” or people following it, shows post after post of people complaining that their credit cards were being charged for canceled rides and for annual membership fees. Many were also complaining of their inability to get in touch with anyone at the organization.

Another member posts on the ACTHA Facebook page: “Total Scam. They have charged my credit card two times without my authorization. I had a one year membership. I have emailed them and called them. Now their phone is disconnected.

I bet there are more people that they have done this too.”

The website’s disappearance and disconnected phones leave little hope that the organization will be returning to the trails anytime soon.

For related posts:

 

JT Tallon to be honored at IHSA Nationals in Kentucky

J.T. Tallon

 Two great Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) equestrian team coaches will be recognized for their service and contributions to college riding and the horse industry on Saturday during the 44th IHSA National Championships, May 5-8, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington: the late James T. ‘JT’ Tallon (Southern Seminary, Randolph Colleges) and Lori Cramer (Miami University of Ohio).
JT Tallon is remembered as a pioneer in the development of college riding in Virginia, spending two decades coaching at Randolph-Macon Women’s College before retiring in 2011, and after nearly a decade coaching Southern Seminary (for Women) became the winningest hunt seat coach in its IHSA history. IHSA executive director Bob Cacchione has pledged a Zone 4 scholarship in the name of the former equestrian director, who will be remembered for coaching perhaps the most successful IHSA team of all time – Southern Seminary for Women in Buena Vista, VA, first as assistant to Russ Walther and later as head coach, taking ‘Sem’ to eight IHSA National Champion team titles in the 1980s, a streak that remains unmatched to this day. Tallon was a true fixture of the Virginia and college horse industries as a coach, trainer, course designer and judge. “Hunter courses are like Muzak in an elevator,” the posthumous recipient of the 2016 IHSA Pioneer Award once said. “You know it’s there but it should never call attention to itself.”

Cramer will become the 23rd recipient of the IHSA Lifetime Achievement Award, presented since 1993 to recognize the longstanding commitment of its coaches. Cramer is an IHSA alum of the University of Findlay who went on to coach Findlay to the IHSA Collegiate Cup team national title in 2001. Originally from New Jersey, she graduated from University of Findlay with an undergraduate degree in Business and Equine Studies and Master’s in Business Administration and later became director of English Equestrian Studies there, coaching the University of Findlay team during her four years there to the national title and two reserve national titles, as well as never finishing out of the Top Five. She coached the Ohio State IHSA hunt seat team to first in their Region and a rally at Zones; and served (for the first six years of her tenure) as head coach for the Miami Equestrian Team before currently serving as adviser to its coaches in addition to heading renovations and building projects at the stables. She is an IHSA Zone 6 Chair, sits on the USHJA Board of Directors and in December was recognized with the USHJA Presidents Distinguished Service Award.

Virginia Horse Festival welcomes Secretariat descendant for birthday bash

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Groundshaker is a great-great-granddaughter of Secretariat and the last racehorse bred by Secretariat’s owner Penny Chenery. Photo by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

The second annual Virginia Horse Festival is being held April 1-3 near Richmond, Virginia, at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, and this year the festival will welcome a equine guest with a special tie to the park.

Groundshaker,  a great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Secretariat, will be on hand for a special birthday celebration for the Triple Crown winner, who was born at The Meadow Event Park in 1970. Efforts are underway to eventually welcome Groundshaker as a permanent resident at The Meadow.

 

Penny Chenery, Secretariat’s owner and daughter of Meadow Stable’s founder Christopher T. Chenery, said it was only fitting for Groundshaker to play this role in the ongoing preservation of The Meadow’s heritage.

“Groundshaker needed a new job and a new home,” said Chenery. “She is the last horse I
bred and raced, so her stay at The Meadow will bring our story full circle. As we mark the 80th anniversary of my father’s founding of Meadow Stable in 1936, Groundshaker will be a living, breathing, beautiful thread to that treasured past.”

Her link to Secretariat comes through her dam, Cotton Anne, who is a granddaughter of Terlingua, one of Secretariat’s best daughters and the dam of Storm Cat. Groundshaker is 5 years old.

The Secretariat birthday celebration will include autograph signings with Secretariat’s biographer, Bill Nack; Otto Thorwarth, who portrayed Secretariat’s jockey Ron Turcotte in the Disney movie; former exercise rider Charlie Davis; and Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery, who owned Secretariat. There also will be narrated tram tours of the farm, a “Paddock Party” to welcome Groundshaker and a “Memories of The Meadow” anniversary party with the Secretariat team.

The paddock party and Meadow anniversary event require separate tickets, which can be purchased on the horse festival website until 11:59 p.m. March 27.

The Meadow will soon launch a fundraising campaign to build a functional barn and pasture fencing for Groundshaker, and to eventually restore the 1930s-era Meadow Stable barns listed on the state and national historic registers.

Other notable events during the horse festival include a Colt Starting Challenge, during which eight trainers will gentle and ride a previously unridden horse. As they work with the horses Friday and Saturday, they will explain to audiences how they are gentling the colts. On Saturday night during the finale, the trainers and horses will navigate a judged obstacle course to determine the winner.

The festival will also include the Southern States Parade of Breeds, which highlights different breeds of horses, including draft horses, mules, Paint horses, Paso Finos, Rocky Mountain horses, Tennessee Walkers and Thoroughbreds. The parade will be held Friday night.

The festival features more than 100 clinics, demonstrations and seminars, and over 60 retail vendors offering shopping and food.

Festival hours are 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County, Va., is the birthplace of Secretariat and home to the State Fair of Virginia. The Meadow is owned by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which is committed to preserving Virginia’s rich agricultural heritage and ensuring that the property thrives as a regional event and equine venue.

Taft Dickerson rides Best on the Rocks to win Dave Higgins Memorial trophy

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Taft Dickerson and Best on the Rocks accept the Dave Higgins Memorial trophy.

Taft Dickerson and Best on the Rocks won more than a Green Western Pleasure class on Sunday at the Virginia Quarter Horse Association’s Spring Breakout horse show at the Virginia Horse Center. They also won the chance to be part of honoring the late Dave Higgins, a VQHA hall of fame member who died last year after a car crash.

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Taft Dickerson and Best on the Rocks lopes down the rail during the Green Western Pleasure class.

The VQHA honored the former show manager by awarding the Dave Higgins Memorial Trophy to the winner of the Green Western Pleasure class.

Dave Higgins, show manager of the association’s annual Virginia Classic horse show, died last year after being involved in a wreck on the way home from the April show. He later died of his injuries.

Best on the Rocks performed with a good cadence and pleasant expression throughout the class to unanimously win the class of eight under all four judges. He later that afternoon would also tie to win the Sr. Western Pleasure class.

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Each competitor was asked to drop their horse’s bit for inspection by the judges.
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The Green Western Pleasure lineup.
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Horses lope down the rail.
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A roan lopes on the rail.

Ranch horses are star of AQHA Spring Breakout at Virginia Horse Center

 

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Ranch riding has become one of the most popular classes at AQHA shows and it’s no different at the Spring Breakout in Lexington, Virginia in March. The more natural gaits, and emphasis on working tack instead of silver and sparkles seems to be attracting a new group of riders to AQHA shows.

Steve Meadows and KR Justa Spark were Circuit Champions in the All Age Ranch Pleasure class. The Novice Amateur Circuit Championship went to Dun Resolved It All and Dana Laney, while the Amateur Circuit Championship went to Julie Rogers and Gunner Got Out.

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Julie Rogers and Gunner Got Out were Circuit Champions in Amateur Ranch Riding.

Saturday also included Hunter classes including Hunt Seat Equitation.

Western Riding was also shown on Saturday.

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Bonnie Blue National Horse Show tightly restricts photography

If you’re going to the Bonnie Blue National Horse Show on May 11-14 at the Virginia Horse Center, leave your camera at home. The prize book for the USEF-rated show  states that commercial photographers are limited to press photographers only. How do you know if you are a commercial photographer? The prize list states that “cameras with detachable lenses or lenses of more than two inches are prohibited. Any lenses greater than two inches is considered professional equipment and is not permitted in the arena buildings or into the competition arenas to include seating areas.”

Press passes will be issued by the horse show office after press photographers sign an agreement stating that they won’t sell the photographs under any circumstances.

Professional photographers may not record the event with any kind of camera, or video
equipment. (I’m not certain how they decide that you are a professional photographer using your iPhone illegally.) This policy will be strictly enforced. Violation of the policy may result in removal from the show grounds. Commercial photographers found violating this policy will be accessed a $1,000 fee and escorted off the grounds.

The show is celebrating its 30th year. The policy is not unique is just this show but to all AHA national shows.

Here is the policy as it was written and published in the show’s Prize List:

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO
Photographs will be taken by Doug Shiflet during the sessions and will be available directly through him. Video will be provided by Richfield Video. Arrangements may be made before the session or by calling 1-800-345-2429.
Commercial Photographers at all national shows are limited to PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY. Press photographers (anyone taking pictures for newspapers or periodic publications ) will be required to sign an agreement stating that they will abide by official Bonnie Blue Nationals Horse Show rules and any photographs they take are to be used for editorial purposes only and are NOT TO BE SOLD under any circumstances. Only one press pass will be issued per publication. Once an agreement has been signed, an official BBN Press Pass will be issued. Press passes can only be obtained from the horse show office. Cameras with detachable lenses or lenses of more than two inches are prohibited. Any lenses greater than two inches is considered professional equipment and is not permitted in the arena buildings or into the competition arenas to include seating areas. The official show photographers are exempt from this policy. Professional photographers may not record the event with any kind of camera, or video equipment. This policy will be strictly enforced. Violation of the policy may result in removal from the show grounds. Commercial photographers found violating this policy will be accessed a $1000 fee and escorted off the grounds.

Looking for Bonnie Blue National photos? Visit Doug Shiflet’s page by clicking here.

Related links:

Horse show photography: When spectators decide to break out a camera

House Mountain Horse Show provides spring warm-up

A week of perfect March weather led into the House Mountain Horse Show on March 12-13 at the Virginia Horse Center. On Sunday afternoon classes were full, if not overflowing, with entries. Here’s a slideshow of photos from Sunday afternoon in the horse center’s Coliseum where Intermediate and Academy Hunters were competing.

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GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region March 5-6

 

The daylight is sticking around longer, the temperature outside has crept up a bit, and the equine events in the Roanoke region are heating up too.

Weekend highlight: Green Hill Park Equestrian Center will host it’s GHPEC Winter Series II, on Sunday, March 6. The show will also include a used tack sale (no fee to set up a table!) Richard Toms will judge. The show will start at 11 a.m. and is Blue Ridge Horse Force sanctioned.

Also this weekend:

Get ready for these events March 12-13

 

 

Support Virginia Horse Center on Amazon

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The Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia, sits on 600 acres and includes a 4,000 seat coliseum, eight barns, 19 show rings and cross country and carriage driving courses.
If you want to support the Virginia Horse Center and shop via Amazon, be sure to sign up for the Amazon Smile program.
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