GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Calendar of equestrian events near Roanoke Nov. 21-22

Weekend highlight: The Bedford County Hunt will hold their Fall Horse Show at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Randolph College Riding Center in Lynchburg, Va. Leslie Prillaman will judge. The show is Blue Ridge Horse Force sanctioned. The show will include classes both over fences (2′ to 2’9″) and on the flat.

ALSO THIS WEEKEND:

 LOOK AHEAD

Like Roanoke Equestrian on Facebook for continued updates on horse shows in the area. Have a show coming up? Contact us at Roanoke.Equestrian@gmail.com to add it to our calendar.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Calendar of equestrian events near Roanoke Nov. 14-15

Weekend highlight: The Virginia Horse Shows Association Championships will be held Nov. 12-15 at the Virginia Horse Center. Dedicated this year to the memory of J.T. Tallon, the hunter/jumper show starts Thursday and will be judged by Walter J. Lee and James Toon. The year-end double point show is for members of the Virginia Horse Shows Association who have competed in at least five associate member shows during the 2015 show season.

HORSE SHOWS

TALKS/CLINICS/TRAIL RIDES 

  • Rockbridge Hunt Club Fall Hunter Pace, Nov. 15, Staunton, Va.
  • CANCELED Horse Head Wreath Workshop, Nov. 14, Blue Ridge Public Library. Build your own custom horse head wreath. Instructor Dee Kegley. November 14 at the Blue Ridge Public Library at 10 a.m. $50 for BCHA members, $55 non-members. Includes the pattern so you can make more. Contact Dedi Spradlin (bilju@yahoo.com or 5 four 0. 353-8579 no later than noon on Friday, Nov. 13, to claim your spot. 

 LOOK AHEAD

Like Roanoke Equestrian on Facebook for continued updates on horse shows in the area. Have a show coming up? Contact us at Roanoke.Equestrian@gmail.com to add it to our calendar. 

Franklin County Equestrian Club hosts competitive trail ride in Rocky Mount

The Franklin County Equestrian Club held a competitive trail ride on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Waid Park in Rocky Mount. The club had 26 riders tackle the trail and also held a Truck N Treat for the little ghosts and goblins on Halloween.

Following are photos from the trail ride that have been posted to the club’s Facebook page. If you’re interested in participating in the next competitive trail ride, the club will hold another — also at Waid Park — on Dec. 26.

Meanwhile, the club will also hold two more shows in November:
 


The Magic of Creativity: Costumes at Cross View show brought imagination alive

Merlin’s Magical Apprentice won the Costume Class at Cross View’s Halloween Show on Oct. 31.

Some of them wore wigs. Some of them wore beards. And another wore whiskers.

Those key pieces of Halloween costumes weren’t found on the children walking door to door that night; they were found on the horses in Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Cross View Horse Show’s Costume Class at Green Hill Equestrian Park.

The details were the best part of each and every costume. Some made you laugh out loud as they walked by. One perfectly matched a horse’s name (Merlin’s Magical Apprentice) and another fit the costume to the animal (Shrek came dressed with a furry-eared donkey.)

The amount of imagination, creativity and plain work that goes into that class is quite impressive. Here are some photos from this year’s class. The wizard, Merlin’s Magical Apprentice, took first place, but all of the participants were truly winning entries.

Cross View wraps up 2015 series with Halloween show

Beautiful fall colors and temperatures made the last show of the 2015 Cross View Show Series one to savor at Green Hill Equestrian Center near Salem, Virginia.

Classes had good sizes on Saturday, Hunter Day, and just as with the other shows in the series, the competition was low-key.

While formal show wear was appropriate, it was not required. The series appears to be the perfect place to season your horses and riders without the stress of a big horse show. There was a class for everyone: from very beginner riders in the coached classes and leadline to the jumper classes with fences over 3 feet for advanced riders.

There were plenty of smiles on the showgrounds, although there appeared on Saturday afternoon to also be a little grumbling that things were running more slowly than some wanted. But for the most part, exhibitors seemed to joke with one another both in and out of the arena and the show was kept light-hearted.

Saturday’s show was followed on Sunday by an Open Show that included classes for Western, Gaited breeds and more.

And of course no Halloween show would be complete without a Costume Class. Check back for photos from the class later this week. Meanwhile, find photos from the other classes Saturday below.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Calendar of equestrian events near Roanoke Nov. 7-8

Weekend highlight: The Southwest Virginia Hunter Jumper Association Finals will be held Nov. 6-8 at the Virginia Horse Center in Anderson Coliseum. The 27th annual horse show includes the Medal Finals and a $1,000 International Hunter Derby. Dale Crittenbe of Aldie, Va., Paddy Downing-Nyeg, of Burnsville, N.C., and Catherine Ellis of Warrenton, Va., will judge. 

TRAIL RIDES/HUNTER PACES

  • BCHA Hunter Pace, Nov. 8, at Belle Haven Estates (5300 Lithia Road) in Buchanan, Va.  Four divisions will be offered: Open, Hunter Pleasure, Trail and Gaited Trail. Registration will start at 10 a.m. with the first open riders going out at 11 a.m. Teams are to be made up of two to four riders. Ribbons will be awarded to the top 6 teams in each division. Adults, $35; Juniors, $25 Dress is informal with helmets required.
  • Rockbridge Hunt Poker Ride, Nov. 8 at Broadview Ranch. Riders will set their own pace on a well-marked and shady course at the beautiful Broadview Ranch and the surrounding farms and woodland. During this untimed ride, you’ll pick up five playing cards along the route and submit your poker hand to the Casino Master at the end of the ride. The best Poker hands win cash prizes! Start 9 a.m., last riders out at 11 a.m. on a 6-8 mile course. All riding disciplines are welcome.  Entry fees (includes lunch): $35 Adult rider, $25 Junior rider (under 18). Lunch will be served until 2 p.m. Awards: Best six hands win cash. 1st $50, 2nd $40, 3rd $30, 4th $20, 5th $10, 6th $5. Questions? Contact: Hugh Brown at brownhh@jmu.edu. Directions: Take Interstate 81 North to Exit 180 – Route 11 North at Natural Bridge. At top of exit ramp turn left onto Route 11 North. Travel about 7 miles. Turn left at the Route 11 bypass/Rt 251 intersection (traffic light). Proceed about 5 miles. Cross bridge over Buffalo Creek & immediately turn left on Cedar Hill Church Road (Route 675). Go 1 mile.At “T” (no stop sign) turn right onto Zollmans Mill Road. Go 1/10th mile road ends at Broadview Ranch. Follow signs for parking.

CLINICS/TALKS

REGISTER NOW

  • Horse Head Wreath Workshop, 10 a.m. on Nov. 14 at the Blue Ridge Public Library (For more information or to register contact:  Delila Spradlin at bilju@yahoo.com, Only 15 spots will be available. $30 deposit required to reserve space.)

 LOOK AHEAD

Like Roanoke Equestrian on Facebook for continued updates on horse shows in the area. Have a show coming up? Contact us at Roanoke.Equestrian@gmail.com to add it to our calendar. 

Happy Halloween

October comes to an end today and that means it’s time to break out your costumes for Halloween! In honor of the holiday, here are photos from the Costume Class at the Connemara Horse Show at the Virginia Horse Center last August. It was a bit warmer that day than the chill we have in Roanoke today, but these riders had a head-start on their Halloween.

“Picasso”

“Mardi Gras”

“50 Shades of Grey”

Virginia Horse Center improvements plan approved

The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors approved a capital improvements plan at the Virginia Horse Center that includes a plan to develop youth sports fields and a tractor pull area at the park, on the northeast side of Va. 39.

A soccer/lacrosse field would go in the vicinity of the existing tractor pull grounds. The new tractor pull area would give a more permanent home to the Rockbridge Farm Bureau’s tractor pull, an event that draws thousands of spectators. A 131-space parking lot and terraced seating for spectators would also be constructed. Another ball field could potentially be developed adjacent to the first one. No lighting is planned for the ball field, and the parking area would be gravel.

The plan calls for a blanket usage agreement between the Horse Center and Rockbridge County, with sub-agreements among the various other organizations. Ongoing maintenance would have to be addressed in the agreements.

John Nicholson, VHC’s executive director, also on Monday requested permission to move forward with a capital improvements plan by taking out a $450,000 loan with Cornerstone Bank. Excess proceeds from a 1 percent lodging tax instituted last year would be used to pay back the loan over a five-year period.

A revised capital improvements plan presented by Nicholson calls for spending $25,000 for water pipes assessment and repairs, $20,000 for well water usage for ring maintenance and dust suppression, $150,000 for competition surface maintenance and renovation, $65,000 for roadway repair and renovation, $50,000 for facility painting, $25,000 for stall repair, $15,000 for cyber renovation and expansion, and $100,000 for general maintenance and contingency.

Headed for a costume class? 10 horse Halloween costume ideas

Halloween is right around the corner, and that means it’s the season of the Costume Class. If you’re having trouble coming up with something to turn your faithful steed into something new, check out these 10 costumes that are sure to turn heads and bring smiles to the faces of everyone you see.

1. Little Bo Peep and her “sheep”

2. The rocking horse with spoiled child. Don’t forget the lollipop!

3. Every little girl’s fantasy: the unicorn and fairy.

 

4. Dragon horses. Fire not included.

 

5. Seeing spots with 101 Dalmations.

 

6. Elegant ballerinas, with one extra large tutu.

 

7. The doctor is in. The crutches are a nice touch.

 

8. Who needs a horse?

 

9. Bring back the ’50s with poodle skirts

 

10. Everyone’s favorite reindeer (after Rudolph, of course.)

 

You don’t have to horse show to show off your horse around Roanoke

Riders during the Glenmore Hunt Club hunter pace.
Photo by Glenmore Hunt Club.

When many people think of equestrian competition, they think of the classic horse show. Requirements for fancy clothes, fancy tack and even a fancier horse leave many horse owners feeling disheartened and left out of competition with their equine partners. However, there’s more out there in the equestrian community than riding in an arena in front of a judge. Here’s examples of some of the upcoming events outside of a show ring.

HUNTER PACES

This event is held on a pre-set course cross country. A optimal time is set based on a “hunting pace.” Riders go out in groups and ride the set course at their own pace. Hunter paces offer different divisions depending on the host of the hunter pace. Some divisions are likely to require jumping, and other divisions do not. Usually the attire is casual with helmets required. The teams coming closest to the optimal time receive prizes.

Two hunter paces are coming up soon in the Roanoke area.

COMPETITIVE TRAIL RIDING

Any doubt of the popularity of trail riding is quickly put to rest with a trip to the Great American Trail Horse Sale at the Virginia Horse Center in the spring. Good trail horses are in hot demand and competitive trail riding is becoming more and more popular. Competitive trail riding is held over a trail with the goal of demonstrating partnership between horse and rider. There are many different sanctioning organizations for competitive trail rides. Rides that involve judged obstacles usually have staggered starts of groups of riders. Rides can be short or more than 100 miles, depending on the competition and organization. Some rides are to test the horses’ physical fitness, while others use obstacles to the judge the horses’ willingness, training and partnership with their riders as they negotiate obstacles along the trail.

Some of the organizations holding rides in the Roanoke area include:

Rider performs the “Hat Pick Up” obstacle. In this series, the judge
will toss a hat on the ground near the horse and hand the rider a stick
and ask therider to retrieve the hat from the back of the horse.
Photo via Facebook.
  • ACTHA: While there are no rides scheduled close by for the remainder of the year, this organization has held rides at local venues including Roanoke County’s Explore Park, the Virginia Horse Center and the Craig County Fairgrounds in the past. Rides can also be found a little further away including The Biltmore in Asheville, N.C.  A calendar can be found at the association’s website. ACTHA is casual competition on the trail. The competition has few rules and focuses on safety and fun. ACTHA offers two different types of trail challenges, the Competitive Trail Challenge (CTC) and the Arena Obstacle Challenge (AOC).  The trail is an easy 6 or so miles, and it has a minimum of six obstacles. Arena obstacle challenges are held in an arena and offer participants the challenge of navigating obstacles normally encountered on the trail, but in the confines of a safe arena or field. There are 4 divisions depending on experience level and prizes are awarded. The horses earn points that stay with them for life, adding to their value. ACTHA provides guidelines to ensure all events have the same basic structure as far as the competition, but ride hosts add their own twist, making each one special and unique. Hosts are encouraged to promote fun, friendship, and education mixed in with enjoying horses in a safe environment. It’s a great way to meet new people, learn, and just enjoy a weekend with horses. All breeds and disciplines are welcome. The cost to participate ranges from $35 to $78. 
  • Franklin County Equestrian Club holds competitive trail rides at Waid Park in Rocky Mount. They include two upcoming rides: Oct. 31 and Dec. 26. The Oct. 31 ride will include a Costume Contest and Truck N’ Treat from 2-3 p.m. These rides are about 2-and-a-half miles with five obstacles. Cost is $5 or $15 with lunch.

POKER RIDES

Riders set their own pace on a well-marked cross country course. During the untimed ride, riders pick up five playing cards along the route. The best Poker hands win cash prizes. The Rockbridge Hunt is hosting a Poker Ride on Nov. 8 at Broadview Ranch on Sunday, Nov. 8. Best six hands win cash. (1st $50, 2nd $40, 3rd $30, 4th $20, 5th $10, 6th $5.) Ride starts at 9 a.m. with the last riders out at 11 a.m. All riding disciplines are welcome. Entry fees (includes lunch): $35 Adult rider, $25 Junior rider