GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke area July 11-12

OPEN SHOWS

  • The Bedford County Hunt Club will hold it’s BRHF Summer Fun Show on Sunday, July 12 at the Patrick Henry Girls Home (1039 Brookneal Hwy, Rustburg, Va., 24588). The show, which includes classes on the flat for Hunters, Western, Ranch Riding and Gaited, is sanctioned by the Blue Ridge Horse Force and will be judged by Kenny Davis. Classes will start at 9 a.m. with Open Showmanship.
  • The Pine Spur Hunt Club will hold it’s 62nd annual all-breed horse show on Saturday, July 11, in Vinton, Va. (1049 Pine Spur Road) The show is Blue Ridge Horse Force sanctioned. The show starts at noon and admission is $5 if you aren’t showing. The club also will be hosting a tack consignment sale during the show. Gary Altizer and Faith Copenhaver will judge. The show is a qualifiying show for ASHA-LOUISVILLE, ASHAV HIGH POINT, ASHA SUMMER SHOW SERIES. For more information call Tommy Barron at 540-890-2211
    Pine Spur Hunt Club All-Breed Horse Show.

COMBINED TRAINING/DRESSAGE

  • Roanoke Valley Pony Club’s Fun Frolic Series will be held Sunday, July 12, at Green Hill Park in Salem. RVPC’s Fun Frolic Series is a series of Combined Test and Dressage Show. It is a great way to move up a level or just enjoy showing, with a fun, relaxed atmosphere, and inexpensive entry fees. The series welcomes riders of all levels, from Intro-level to 2nd-level Dressage, Western Dressage, and Combined Tests from Cross-Rails up through Prelim.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

  • The horse center will host Dressage at Lexington on Friday, July 10, through Sunday, July 11.  The USDF and USEF recognized dressage show offers training level through Grand Prix. Friday features Sport Horse in Hand classes. Saturday features an afternoon of musical freestyles. This show is free to spectators. Find the Prize List here for the schedule.

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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.

Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue takes in emaciated mare with foal as it continues storm clean-up

A 5-week-old foal seized by Franklin County Animal Control  with its severely emaciated mother. Photo by RVHR.

The Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue sees a lot of sadness, but as was once again illustrated this week, tragedy and difficulties don’t keep the rescue from helping horses in need.

On June 18, a thunderstorm hit hard at the farm, killing a horse. Daisy, an 8-year-old rescue, was hit by a large piece of tin during the storm. Several other horses also received minor injuries.

Volunteers have been helping the rescue clean up the damage from the storm, and new buildings have been donated. Pine Creek Structures of Rocky Mount made several barns for the facility. A GoFundMe account has been set up to raise money for the clean-up of the facility. As of June 25, the account had raised $3,120 of the $35,000 goal.

Daisy was killed in the storm.
Photo courtesy RVHR.

But even after a blow such as this, the rescue’s work goes on. Franklin County Animal Control seized a mare and foal from their owner on June 24 and  brought them to the facility.

The black Tennessee Walking Horse mare is 18 years old and severely emaciated. The attending veterinarian rated the mare a 1.5 on a body scale of 10. She is 300 pounds underweight and nursing a 5-week-old baby. The foal does not have any obvious conditions but his dam is struggling to produce the amount of milk needed.

An investigation into the case is ongoing.

The rescue reports it is in great need of monetary donations to help cover each horse’s medical bills along with supplies of senior feeds, timothy/alfalfa chopped hay, alfalfa cubes, weight builders, rice bran, legends omega plus (weight builder) beet pulp, canned corn, corn oil and corn flakes. Feeds can be purchased at the following stores that work with RVHR:

  • Moneta Farm in Bedford, Va. (Triple Crown Senior, Omega Plus), ask for Tina at 540-297-5558.
  • Doc’s Feeds in Salem, Va.(Sentinel LS, Sentinel Senior) 540-380-3433
  • Tractor Supply in Rocky Mount, VA. (Sentinel LS, or Senior) 540-334-1109 ask for Trina Beverly

The rescue also could use donations of gift cards from Tractor Supply, Kroger, Food Lion, Wal-mart or Sam’s Club to purchase needed items. For monetary donations, use their online Givedirect or Paypal.  Please note on your donation for “Mare and foal” if desired.

This 18-year-old mare was brought to RVHR
by Franklin County Animal Control.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region June 27-28

Riders compete during the first in the Cross View Horse Show Series in May at Green Hill Equestrian Center in Salem.

OPEN SHOWS

  • The Cross View Show Series will hold its second show this weekend at Green Hill Equestrian Center in Salem. Saturday will feature classes for hunters/jumpers and will be judged by Margaret Cornwall, coach of the Ferrum College Equestrian Team. Sunday will feature pleasure, trail and game classes and will be judged by Beth Gouthro. The show is Blue Ridge Horse Force sanctioned.
  • A horse fest at Rural Retreat Fairgrounds will hold several events including a speed show on Friday night and an open show on Sunday.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

  • The center will host the equestrian portion of the Commonwealth Games this weekend.  Competition to include Dressage and Combined Tests, Therapeutic Dressage classes and Western Dressage. New this year to the the Commonwealth Games will be jumpers, vaulting, trail dressage and gaited dressage. This show will be held in the Coliseum.
  • Also this weekend at the center is the Equestrian Vaulting Region IX Championship. Vaulters from all over the East Coast will come together for the annual regional championships. Equestrian Vaulting is described as gymnastics on horseback. It will be held in the East Complex.

CLINICS

LOOK AHEAD

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GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region June 20-21

 

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

  • The center is hosting the Thoroughbred Celebration Horse Show June 20-21 in Anderson Coliseum. The two-day show features Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds in their second careers. Erin Grampp and Judy Spitzer will judge.
  • The Old Dominion Pony Club Show Jumping Rally is set for June 19-21 on top of the hill.
  • In the middle of next week, June 23-24, the center will host the House Mountain Horse Show, a regional schooling show for hunters and jumpers. Peg Seals, Dale Crittenberger and Judy Spitzer will judge.

OPEN SHOWS

The Sprouses Corner Ranch Mid-Summer Evening Horse Show is Saturday, June 20, at 16680 W James Anderson Hwy., Buckingham, Virginia. (About 2-hour drive from Roanoke.) There is an afternoon session that begins at noon and and evening session that begins at 5 p.m. The afternoon session is for hunters, both on the flat and over fences. Trail classes will be at the end of that session. The evening session will include Western, Racking, English Pleasure and Gymkhana classes. The show is Blue Ridge Horse Force sanctioned.

TRAIL RIDING

Virginia Highlands Competitive Trail Ride will be held June 20-21 at Iron Mountain Horse Camp in Ivanhoe, Virginia.  Patrick Regier, DVM from Kansas, and Wayne Tolbert of Tennessee for horsemanship will judge. Camping is available and all breeds are welcome. Register online at http://www.natrc5.org (click on ‘need an account’ — you don’t have to be a member to participate.)

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.

Bucky Reynolds, Jack Towell clinic scheduled for this summer at the Virginia Horse Center

Bucky Reynolds

A rare opportunity to learn from two of the nation’s most notable horseman — renowned trainers Bucky Reynolds and Jack Towell — will come to the Virginia Horse Center on Aug. 24-25 at a clinic titled “How to Improve Your Performance in the Show Ring.”

The clinic will offer sections for riders at 2’6″, 3′, and 3’3″, with each section being offered both days. 
Rider reservations are accepted on a strictly first come, first served basis with a limit of 8 riders persection. Reservations can be made using the reservation form found here.
Each two-hour session will incorporate flat work, jumping exercises and course work. Each session is followed by an open session allowing riders to ask Reynolds and Towell questions as trainers and judges about any aspect of riding and showing. Each session costs $175 per rider or $300 for both days. It includes lunch. Auditors are also welcome to register at $20 per person. An accompanying auditor is free. Space is limited and the deadline is Aug. 7.
Reynolds is a well-known, highly respected hunter/jumper trainer and judge. He has trained and ridden some of the most notable show hunters in the nation including Henry the Hawk, Square Lake, Stocking Stuffer, Garbiel and Gozzi. He also trained national champions in the amateur owners with his sister, Betty Oare, riding Estrella. Reynolds has judged every major horse show in the United States including the National Horse Show, the Devon Horse Show and the Pennsylvania National, and he is a member of the VHSA Hall of Fame.
 
Jack Towell (right) with son Hardin
Towell is one of the only trainers in the country to train a champion or reserve champion in every division at the year-end fall indoor horse shows. He has been named the Leading Junior Hunter Trainer of the World Champion Junior Hunter Rider association. Towell’s students have been named Best Child Rider at Devon and the fall indoor shows 18 times. He has trained the overall High Score Pony Hunter at the U.S. Pony Finals and the overall champion at the U.S. Junior Hunter Finals. Towell also judges some of the most prestigious horse shows in the country and has twice trained Brunello, ridden by daughter Liza Boyd, to the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. His son, Hardin, is a successful grand prix rider currently based in California.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region June 13-14

Arabian Western Pleasure, photo via Flickr, Creative Commons.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

The center will host the Blue Ridge Arabian Classic beginning Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, June 14. The show is Arabian Horse Association rated, USDF rated and USEF “A” rated Arabian, Half Arabian and Dressage horse show. Karen Homer-Brown and Donnie Bullock will be the judges for halter and performance. Meg Rhodes and Gegi Winslett will judge hunter and over fences. Carol Bishop and LeaAnn Hansen will judge Dressage. The show will encompass the entire facility.

OPEN SHOWS

  • The Franklin County Equestrian Club will continue its Gymkhana Saddle Series on Friday evening. The show starts at 6 p.m. at Dove Valley Farm in Henry, Va. (11918 Henry Road, Henry, Va.)
  •  Franklin County Trailblazers 4-H Horse Show will be held Saturday, June 13, at The Ginther Farm in Sontag, Va. This show was rescheduled from April. This show includes classes for both Hunter, Western Pleasure, Ranch Riding, Trail and Gymkhana classes. Chuck Nifong will judge.
  • Memory Hill will hold the second in its series of horse shows on Saturday, June 13 at 905 Old White Bridge Road, Waynesboro. The show, which are SWVHJA and VHSA Associate sanctioned, features classes for hunters both over fences and on the flat. John Martin will judge.

CLINICS

  • A Ranch Roping and Ranch Riding Clinic, will be held Saturday, June 13, in Raphine, Va. (435 Lofton Road). All levels are welcome. Riding participants must already be registered, but auditors can pay at the gate. $10. Clinicians include Julie Stanley, George Propst and Scott Talley.
  • Register now:  The Trail Horse Clinic & Challenge with Perfect Partners Equine will be held Aug. 13-16 at the Ivanhoe Show Grounds, 527 Trestle Rd, Ivanhoe, Va. Thursday’s  Trail Horse Clinic from 3 p.m.to 6 p.m. will focus on ground skills and liberty using obstacles. Friday’s trail horse clinic  from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. focuses on riding skills with obstacles. Saturday and Sunday will feature a trail horse competition with three classes (In-Hand Obstacle Class, Trail Course Obstacle Class over 3-5 miles of trail, Trail Pleasure Obstacle Class in arena) in four divisions. Registration and prices.

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.

USEF offering $1,000 college scholarship

With ever-rising college costs, finding scholarships is becoming more and more important for students. For those who will either continue riding in college with an intercollegiate riding team or who are pursuing a equestrian-related degree, there is a $1,000 scholarship up for grabs through the United States Equestrian Federation.

To qualify, applicants must:

  • be a graduating high school senior
  • active USEF member
  • riding with an intercollegiate riding team or pursuing an equestrian-related degree.

Applicants must write a 1,000 word essay on one of three topics:

  • Explain how the sport of equestrian has helped you reach your goals so far.
  • Explain how you plan to continue your involvement in equestrian sport during college.
  • Explain your future career goals after college.

Deadline to submit your application and essay is July 1. One winner will be chosen Aug. 1.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region this weekend (June 6-7)

OPEN SHOWS

  • POSTPONED: The New London Horse Show Series kicks off June 6 at 9 a.m. in a new location: Coyote Crossing Cattle Company, 4178 Headens Bridge Road in Bedford, Va. The open show includes halter, Western and Hunter pleasure and equitation, Ranch Horse halter and performance classes, mini classes, gaited and added-money classes in Western Pleasure, English Pleasure and Ranch Pleasure classes. Billy Prother is scheduled to judge. The series includes four shows with the next one scheduled July 18.
  • Stone Bridge Equestrian Center is also holding a horse show Saturday, June 6, at their farm in Natural Bridge. The show is for hunters and jumpers both on the flat and over fences. Robin Wood will judge. Find their prize list here.
  • Lead Mines Rescue Fun Show, will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, at the Foster Falls Horse Complex in Austinville, Va. The show includes Pleasure,Game and Fun classes including a Costume Class and Egg & Spoon. There is an entry fee for spectators to this show.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

The center will host the Virginia Presidential Paso Fino Horse Association Show on Friday, June 5 through Sunday June 7 in the East Complex.  Rogelio Moreno and Robbyn Young will judge.

HUNTER PACE

 Bedford Hunt Club will host a Hunter Pace on Saturday June 6 at The Cedars in Goode, Va

TRAIL RIDES/MISC.

  • The Kanawha Valley Arena Resort will host Saddle up for Shriners, June 5-7, Hillsville, Va.:
    Sponsored by Hill Billy Kazim Shriners in Hillsville Virginia,weekend admission is $25 per rider which includes dinner and live entertainment on Saturday night. All non-riders are welcome Saturday night for dinner and live entertainment for $10 per person. The ride leaves Saturday at 10 a.m. Dinner will be served on Saturday at 5 p.m. and includes barbecue, hamburgers and hotdogs. Live entertainment is by Dixie Breeze.
  • CANCELED   Southern VA draft horse and mule show, will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6, at Pine Spur Hunt Club in Vinton, Va. Classes are open to all drafts, half-drafts, donkeys and mules. All proceeds benefit Astride with Pride therapeutic riding program.
  • Ride the beautiful George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Augusta Springs, Va. Wildwood Farm and The Mane Street will hold a one-day trail ride. Choose between a 5-mile trail, an 8-mile trail or an 11-mile trail. All trails will be well marked and you may ride at your own pace. Easy access to the parking area on private land. Cost for the day is $30 and includes lunch. All proceeds will benefit Ride With Pride, Inc., a therapeutic riding program and veterans in the Augusta County area.  Call (540) 292-1654 for directions.
  • Bull Pasture Mountain Ranch will host its annual “Snow in June” trail ride Friday, June 5, through Sunday, June 7, in McDowell, Va. (About 2-hour drive from Roanoke.) A portion of the proceeds will go to McDowell Volunteer Fire Department. Friday will start with a 2 to 3-hour ride, followed by an authentic cowboy dinner. Saturday will start with breakfast, and then choose between a short (2-3 hour) or a long (5-5 1/2 hour) ride. Visit the ranch’s website for more details.
  • Iron Mountain Horse Camp will host a trail ride Saturday, June 6, at 10 a.m. in Ivanhoe, Va.
  • The Rockbridge Hunt is hosting a Poker ride on Sunday, June 7, in Brownsburg, Va. Riders will set their own pace on a well-marked and shady course at West Airslie farm 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!

 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.

A need for speed at the Virginia Barrel Classic

Pure speed was at the center of last weekend’s action at the Virginia Horse Center. The Virginia Barrel Classic turned up the volume and rocked the Coliseum. The only lull in the action came during the regular drags of the footing, which was done every three horses. With $10,000 in added money up for grabs, good footing was a priority. Loud, upbeat music accompanied each run, adding to the excitement of the show. Here are some photos of runs made on Sunday afternoon.

Hear the Hoofbeat Horse Show raises money for therapeutic riding

Tucked in a corner of the Virginia Horse Center, the Hear the Hoofbeat Horse Show shuttled in many riders for their first shows for the Western portion of the open show Sunday afternoon, while experienced riders also took to the arena to raise money for the Hoofbeats Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

The Western classes begin at 1 p.m. at the Hear the Hoofbeat series in the Northern Arena. Unfortunately, that meant the hot summer day was at its most unforgiving when Western riders began their classes. But there were plenty of hardy riders willing to put on their hats, and a few their chaps, although generally it was more casual than that. I was able to stay only for a short while as the Western classes got underway.

The show generally ran smoothly, although a separate exit gate would have served them well as congestion at the in-gate caused some problems.

The show was sanctioned by the Blue Ridge Horse Force, Franklin County Equestrian Club and was a 4-H qualifying horse show. Ben Nicely was the judge.

The next Hear the Hoofbeats horse show will be held Sept. 6 at the horse center.

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