Sallie B. Wheeler Hunter Breeding National Championship coming to Va. Horse Center in August

Rainier, seen here with Kenny Wheeler, was named Sallie Wheeler Overall Grand Champion in both 2013 and 2014.
Photo via www.jenniferwoodmedia.com

The Virginia Horse Center has been selected to host this summer’s USEF Sallie B. Wheeler/U.S. Hunter Breeding National Championship — East Coast on Aug. 29, 2015. The show was previously held at the Warrenton Horse Show.
“The Sallie Wheeler has grown, and now we’re going to the next level where this championship is really coming into it’s own,” said Bill Rube, chairman of the Sallie B. Wheeler/U.S. Hunter Breeding National Championship subcommittee.
Sabrina was named the 2012 Sallie Wheeler
Overall Grand Champion. Photo via www.charlotfarm.com
 
The Sallie B. Wheeler/U.S. Hunter Breeding Championship was created to increase awareness of the Hunter Breeding division and provide an arena for handlers, owners and breeders to showcase their talented young horses. It offers championships on both the East and West Coasts, with the same judges officiating at both events and overall grand and reserve grand champion honors presented to the best horses from either location.  
“The Sallie Wheeler Championship is such an important show for the hunter breeding divisions and the hunter breeding programs here in the United States. The organizers and committee behind it have done a phenomenal job of growing it into the highly respected event that it is today, and we’re delighted to be working with them this year,” said John Nicholson, chief executive officer of the Virginia Horse Center.
The show consists of 10 classes on each coast:

Ooh Ah was named the 2011 Sallie Wheeler
Overall Grand Champion. Photo via
www.sterlingsilverstable.com

  1. $1,000 Yearling Colt/Geldings 
  2. $1,000 Yearling Fillies
  3. $1,000 2-year-old Colts/Geldings
  4. $1,000 2-year-old Fillies
  5. $1,000 3-year-old Colts/Geldings
  6. $1,000 3-year-old Fillies  
  7. First and second place from each of the classes will move on to compete in the Best Young Horse Championship Class.) 
  8. $1,000Amateur Handler (Class does not count towards the Best Young Horse Award) 
  9. 3-year-old under saddle ** New for 2015  **
  10. 3-year-old Hunter Hack ** New for 2015 **

Upon completion of both West and East Coast Championships (West Coast Championship will be held Aug. 26 in Del Mar, California)  the officials will compare results from the two Best Young Horse Classes (four horses in total) and determine the Overall Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Best Young Horse. The Overall Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion will be announced at the completion of the East Coast portion of the championships.

To find out more about the 2015 Sallie B. Wheeler/US Hunter Breeding Championships click here.

GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region this weekend (April 25-26)

The horses are preparing for the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park. Photo via Facebook

In the international world of horses, this weekend is all about the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Attending this premiere combined training competition is easily doable from Roanoke via a 6-hour road trip. If you can’t make the trip and still want to watch, it’s also being streamed live on USEFnetwork.com.

The competition gets underway Thursday at 9 a.m. with Dressage and runs through Sunday. Friday will feature more Dressage tests. Cross country will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and the competition closes on Sunday with showjumping at 1 p.m.

If you’re on the grounds, there’s plenty to do throughout all three days at the Horse Park. A full schedule can be found here. Tickets are required to attend the event. Sunday’s showjumping phase is already sold out.

The Kentucky Reining Cup will also be held at the horse park at 6 p.m. on Friday and also will be streaming live.

Of course, for those of us staying closer to home, there are events happening right here as well.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

The Lexington Spring Premiere “AA” show is at the horse center from Wednesday April 22 to Friday, April 26. The hunter/jumper show’s highlights include a $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby at 5 p.m. on Friday evening and $25,000 Rockbridge Grand Prix at 6:30 p.m. Saturday evening.

OPEN SHOWS

The Franklin County Trailblazers Horse & Pony Show is Saturday at Ginther Farm in Sontag, Va. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the show starts at 9 a.m. Chuck Nifong will judge. The show will include hunter classes on the flat and over fences, gaming classes such as barrel racing and the flag race and western pleasure and horsemanship classes. Find a show bill here.

A LOOK AHEAD

Photo by Bedford Hunt Club

Virginia Classic Photos from Sunday’s classes

The Virginia Classic closed on Sunday under cloudy skies, but classes ended before the rains hit and the last horse had left the arena by 1:30 in the afternoon. Here are some photos from the closing classes.

Novice Youth Western Pleasure

Riders were asked to drop their horses’ bits for the judges
at the end of the Sr. Western Pleasure Class.

A big yawn to close a long weekend at the show.

AQHA Virginia Classic Photos

Kristy Starnes and Its All Over won the Green Hunter under Saddle on Saturday afternoon out of 11.

The weather could not have been better for Saturday at the Virginia Classic AQHA show at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va. The show opened Thursday and runs through Sunday. Saturday saw a wide variety of classes, including hunter hack, working hunter, hunter under saddle, equitation, all capped by the Hylton Maiden 3-Year-Old and Over Western Pleasure on Saturday evening.

The over fences classes saw about 3-4 entries per class, with some only pulling a single entry. But the Green Hunter Under Saddle class saw 11 and the Hylton Maiden saw numbers in the 20s.

Taft Dickerson and Made By J, a 3-year-old bay mare by Machine Made, won the Hylton Maiden and a check for $32,762.50. Steve Reams and Southern Comfort Zone was second. See photos and complete results of the Hylton Maiden Class from the Equine Chronicle.

The show continues under cloudy and increasingly rainy conditions today.

PHOTOS FROM SATURDAY


GET YOUR HORSE FIX: Equestrian events in the Roanoke region this weekend (April 18-19)

It’s horse show season! There’s no shortage of events this weekend around the area if you need to go out and spend some time with your (or someone else’s) horses after a long workweek. 

POLO

Courtesy of Facebook

The Polo Club at Virginia Tech will host The “Mercedes Cup” Polo Exhibition on Sunday, April 19 at noon to 4 p.m. at the Alphin Stuart Livestock Arena at 500 Plantation Road on Virginia Tech’s campus. The exhibition will feature a polo match against University of Virginia, a wine tasting, outdoor games, and booths where other campus organizations will showcase their clubs. Halftime will include the tradition stomping of the divots and an on-foot race. The attire is “Foxfield Races” where the bigger the hat, the better. There is an admission fee: Entry Fee: $2, Wine Tasting (over 21): $5

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

The Virginia Classic (AQHA) show will be held April 16-19 at the horse center in Lexington, Va. Judges will be Nancy Sue Ryan, Larry Hansch, Lynda Danielson, Karen Watters, Kelly McDowall and Suzy Jeane. Show highlights include the Hylton Maiden $50,000 3 and over western pleasure class (Saturday), Tim Kimura trail classes and Amateur Ranch Riding $250 added money. Get a show bill here.

Western Pleasure at the 2010
Virginia Classic.

HORSE AUCTION

Hollins Horse Sale (471 Lee Highway), April 18, Hollins Stockyard, Tack at 1 p.m., horses at 6 p.m. Sale by C&H Sales, who are expecting horses consigned from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and possibly a few from Florida. Hollins Stockyard is at 471 Lee Hwy, Cloverdale.

OPEN SHOWS

  • Walnut Spring Stable will host a Spring Fling Horse Show on April 18 starting at 10 am in Blacksburg, Va. The show includes a variety of hunter classes both over fences and on the flat but does not include any Western classes.
  • Bedford County Hunt Spring Horse Show is April 18-19 at Randolph College Riding Center on Hawkins Hill Road in Lynchburg. Saturday’s classes are recognized by the Southwest Virginia Hunter Jumper Association. Sunday’s show offers Blue Horse Force recognized classes plus a division for Field Hunters. Saturday will be judged by Krista Penny Hodgkin. Sunday’s show will be judged by Nick Caputo. Both days feature classes both on the flat and over fences for hunters but no Western classes.

COMBINED TRAINING

The Green Hill Equestrian Center in Salem is hosting the Roanoke Valley Pony Club Spring Frolic on April 19. The Combined Training Show from has Intro to Preliminary divisions and will be judged by Gabriele Hooton. Gammon Castellvi will also hold a cross country clinic on April 19 as part of the Spring Frolic. Pre-registration is required.

A LOOK AHEAD

Courtesy Bedford Hunt Club

Ranch horse market appears healthy at Great American Trail Horse Sale

Shez Available won the $2,000 trail horse competition but did not reach the reserve required
to buy her during the sale.

The Great American Trail Horse Sale showed the demand for well-broke, working horses is high with several bidders topping $8,000 to get the horse they were dreaming of at the sale. While the winner of the $2,000 obstacle course competition, Shez Available, turned out to not be quite so easy to get; although bidding reached $13,000, the reserve was not met for the 2011 sorrel mare.

Champs Leo Starlight, a 2010 AQHA dun gelding
sold for $17,500.

Horses that had training in reining or ranch horse classes seemed to go for the highest prices. Mr. Hickory’s Starlight, a 2007 sorrel AQHA gelding who placed fourth at the Region 10 Championships in Reining sold for $11,000. Champs Leo Starlight, a 2010 Dun Gelding with experience as a ranch horse and in ranch horse competition sold for $17,500. Stock-type horses seemed to sell better than the gaited ones. A 2009 sorrel molly mule sold for $8,600.

Not all sold for such high prices. For the time I was there I also saw a few horses go for less than $1,000 and a well-broke 13 hand pony went for $2,200. There were definitely horses for different tastes, riding ability and uses. For the most part I thought the prices were high, although it’s great to see that well-broke comes at a price. All the more incentive to invest in training for horses to ensure their future and value.

Stardust, a 2008 crossbred mare, who rides and drives sold for $5,000.

Phil Emmett, one of the ringmen, works to spot bids during the sale.
Hey What Ya Doing, a 2008 AQHA buckskin gelding, sold for $5,500 at the sale.

VIDEO

Below is a video of the trail class winner, Shez Available, being bid on during the auction.

Great American Trail Horses hit obstacle course before auction [PHOTOS]

One of the sale horses steps up onto the wooden bridge.

The Great American Trail Horse Sale kicked off Friday night with what amounts to a demo of sale horses that goes above and beyond any demonstration ever given before a horse auction.

Horses were pitted against a variety of obstacles in the Virginia Horse Center Coliseum just moments after the announcer touted each horse’s various attributes. Talk about walking the walk. Nothing like talking about how well broke a horse is and how he’ll go anywhere as you face off against a wobbly wooden bridge with logs thrown across it as potential bidders look on. Get through that ok? Then a few obstacles later you’ll have to pass a campsite, complete with campfire and fake deer. Thankfully after you cross a path of fallen logs, you’ll find an outhouse to groundtie your mount outside as you go inside. Then, if your horse did indeed wait for you, you throw him on the horse trailer to close the course.

The Top 10 scores will come back at 9:30 a.m. Saturday to compete for $2,000 in prize money. After that, the horses will be auctioned off at noon.

These mules were part of the third obstacle.

Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue treating pony attacked by dogs

The spring has been a busy month for horses in need. The Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue, located at 1725 Edwardsville Rd. Hardy, Va., has been hit hard by horses needing sanctuary.

The latest to come through the facility’s doors is Andy, a 2- to 4-year old pony gelding who was attacked by a group of dogs. He had numerous puncture wounds on his hind quarters, both rear legs were swollen and bloody and his tail was ripped down to the numb, the Rescue says.

Within the past 30 days, the rescue has taken in seven starving horses, four sheep and have had two placed horses returned. Fifty-eight rescue horses are being cared for by RVHR at one of their two facilities.

Some of their recent arrivals include:

Doc. Photo via RVHR Facebook page.
  • Gigi — Tennessee Walker mare, possibly in foal and about 250lbs underweight. Turned over by her owner after she had financial issues and could not care for her 4 horses.
  • Doc — Tobiano paint stallion about 150 lbs underweight. Turned over by her owner after she had financial issues and could not care for her 4 horses.
  • Patrick — 9 month old colt at least 100 pounds underweight. By Doc and out of Gigi. 
  • Tonka — 30-year-old Arabian cross mare from who is extremely underweight and is blind in her right eye. Seized by Berkeley West Virginia Animal Control from her past owner due to starvation.
    Patrick. Photo via RVHR Facebook page.
  • Carmel — 24-year-old quarter horse mare. Seized by Berkeley West Virginia Animal Control from her past owner due to starvation.
  • Elly — 20+ year old Thoroughbred mare about 300 pounds underweight. She was released to RVHR when her owner gave her away for free to another women. This new owner brought her directly to us knowing she could not care for her in the way she needs. 

 

Carmel. Photo via RVHR Facebook page.

HOW TO HELP

RVHR funding is from public donations and small grants.

  • A Pledge of just $25.00 a month will feed one horse for a week. You can donate online here. 
  • Or a simple way to help is to link your Kroger card to the Rescue. It does not take your fuel points and discounts but can pay off big for the charity. Click here to learn how to set it up. With just 62 people signed up, from September 2014 to November 2014 raised $1,781.57, so it can definitely make a difference.
  • Volunteers are always needed.

“Save a Horse Taste Some Bourbon”

This Saturday, April 11, at the Roanoke City Market Building’s Charter Hall, “Save a Horse Taste Some Bourbon” will feature food, live music, a silent auction, door prizes, a 50-50 raffle and bourbon tasting. Proceeds from the event will go toward raising funds for a used track loader to help clean barns. Tickets are $30 per person in advance or $40 at the door.

From Lexington to Lexington, Nicholson officially named CEO of Virginia Horse Center

John Nicholson has been working the the Virginia Horse Center since May 2014 as a consultant and then interim CEO. He has now been named CEO.
John Nicholson has been working the the Virginia Horse Center
since May 2014 as a consultant and then interim CEO. He has
now been named CEO.

The Virginia Horse Center announced Wednesday, April 8, that the Foundation Board of Directors has ratified John Nicholson as the new chief executive officer of the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia.

Following his 17-year tenure as the executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, Nicholson joined the Virginia Horse Center management team in May 2014, first as a consultant and most recently as the interim CEO, before officially assuming the CEO office.
“I’m honored to have been asked to increase my involvement and leadership of the Horse Center as the full-time CEO,” Nicholson said. “Over the past year, the management team has made significant strides in reversing the challenges faced by the horse center, and this is just the beginning. I’m confident in a bright future.”
For the past 10 months, Nicholson has been an active force in executing the Virginia Horse Center’s short-term and long-term business plans and in facilitating the launch of a new era for the facility. Together with Virginia Horse Center Foundation President and Chairman Ernie Oare, Nicholson has been instrumental in assembling a “dream team” of staff to continue the recent turnaround efforts for the facility.
“It was clearly identified about a year ago that if the direction at the Horse Center was not changed, the ship would sink,” said Oare. “We now have a team of unbelievable people, including Leigh Anne Claywell as the Chief Operating Officer and John Nicholson as the Chief Executive Officer, to help steer the ship in the correct direction and into a bright future. Nicholson brings to the table incredible experience and expertise in this capacity that is completely unmatched.”
Prior to making the shift from Lexington, Kentucky, to Lexington, Virginia, Nicholson led the Kentucky Horse Park during its rise to prominence on the global equestrian stage, including hosting the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games and procuring the prestigious National Horse Show. The Kentucky Horse Park also bid for the 2018 World Equestrian Games, however lost out to Bromont/Montreal as host city.
“Similar to the incredible transformation that John headed at the Kentucky Horse Park, we strive to transform the Virginia Horse Center into a first-class venue capable of hosting events the likes of the World Equestrian Games,” Oare said. “John knows, perhaps better than anyone, what it takes to get that done, and we are thrilled to have him as part of our team.”
Under Nicholson’s leadership, the horse park steadily transformed into one of the finest equestrian competition facilities in the world. Nicholson oversaw its expansion that included approximately $80 million in capital improvement projects, including the 5,500-seat Alltech Arena, the 7,300-seat Rolex Stadium, new barns, a new $10 million, 8,500-square-foot museum wing; and numerous new buildings within the park’s National Horse Center that are home to an impressive collection of national, regional and state equine organizations.
In addition to expanding the park, Nicholson concentrated on improving its public perception and increasing private sector support.

8 tips for buying a horse at auction

The Great American Trail Horse sale is this Saturday (April 11, 2015) at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va., and I’m already drooling over a couple of the horses to be offered. Auctions can be a lot of fun and get your heart racing with excitement. But it’s important to not let the fast-talking (really fast), ringmens’ yells, and falling gavel make you have buyers’ regret later. Here are some tips before you sign up to bid.

  1. Set your budget. But at the same time don’t allow a few hundred dollars stop you from getting your dream horse. Do not allow a battle of egos during the bidding make you spend more than you wanted or more than the horse is worth.
  2. Look the horse over closely. Don’t just pick the horse out of the catalog. Make sure that you go to see them in person. Obviously evaluate the horse’s conformation. But also look for scars or bumps on the head and neck. This could indicate that a horse has been in a wreck of some kind, which could mean the horse is prone to panic. Make sure you can see the horse’s hooves. Deformities and poor hooves can be hidden in sawdust in the stall. Watch it being ridden. Be suspicious of anything the consigner seem unwilling to get on during the sale preview.  (The Great American Trail Horse sale’s trail competition is a great chance to see sale horses in action. The competition starts at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Top 10 horses will perform in the finals Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m.)
  3. Have a few horses in mind. There may be someone else who really wants Hip No. 28. So be prepared to have a backup (or two) later in the sale.
    MR. HICKORYS STARLIGHT (AQHA) is Hip No. 39 in the sale.

  4. Be aware if the auction considers all sales are final. (Most do) Some unscrupulous sellers may drug a horse to make them seem quieter than they are. (The Great American Trail Horse sale does offer a return policy if the horse turns out to be unsound within 5 days of the sale.) Watch out for horses that aren’t excited by their new surroundings in a similar manner to the other horses. That may be an indication that they have been drugged.
  5. Do not wait too long to bid. Sit down several horses before the one you are interested in and let the ringman know when you are interested in a horse so he can watch for your bid. Jump in when the bidding starts to slow. That usually means you have reached the reserve. 
  6. Don’t make a big show of bidding. Just let your ringman know. It’s better if other bidders don’t know who they are bidding against.  
  7. Be aware of common budgets. Many people may have set a budget for themselves of, say, $5,000. It may be worth going a bit over that number to get a horse. $500 increments and $1,000 increments are common budget limits. If a horse is at $2,800, it may be worth bidding $3,000, skipping right over $2,900 so that you hit that budget amount and psych out the other bidder.
  8. Remember that there is some risk involved in buying a horse at auction. What you see at an auction may only be a small glimpse of that horse. The horse may have vices or medical problems that didn’t appear at the auction. And you aren’t going to be able to try out a horse for yourself like you can during a private sale. During a private sale you can return to see the horse on different days and often try them several times. When you purchase via an auction you are getting a much smaller glimpse of that horse’s behavior. Many horseman believe that horses end up at auctions for a reason. While that is not always the case, buyers should always be on the lookout for problems. Know and be comfortable with the conditions of the sale before you buy. They usually are listed in the sale catalog.