It’s Move-In Day at 2014 Virginia Quarter Horse Classic!

By: Brittany Bevis

The official countdown to the start of the 2014 Virginia Quarter Horse Classic is well underway. With less than 24 hours left until the competition begins tomorrow, April 10th, at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Show Manager Patrick Kayser is busily making last-minute preparations to accommodate an influx of horses from the recent Martinganza Futurity in North Carolina.

“The show office will be opening up here soon and horses are already arriving on the grounds,” Kayser says. “A bunch arrived on Monday from Martinganza. They just hauled up from Williamston, NC. As of six o’clock this morning, there are 325 horses already here. We anticipate close to 450-500 horses attending, and we’re running at about 550-600 stalls.”

With prior experience managing shows like the Lucky Seven Classic and teaching Equine Event Management courses at the University of Georgia and Middle Tennessee State, it wasn’t long before Kayser started his own equine production company. This is the first year that Kayser’s company, Peak Equine Productions, has managed the Virginia Classic, and he is hoping for a very successful event.

“I think it’s going to be a real balanced show, in terms of entries,” he says. “Obviously, there will be a lot of western pleasure [entries] here, because of the Hylton Maiden, but we will be pulling in some hunter-jumpers over the weekend and reiners. I’m confident it’s going to be very balanced in terms of entries across the board.”

“The trees are in bloom, and we have the jumps set up outside in Wiley Arena. The forecast shows very little rain this weekend, so hopefully we can leave the jumps out there for people to play [with].”

Judges for the horse show will be Tim Abler, Clint Fullerton, Jennifer Leckey, Curtis Reynolds, Jennifer Thompson, and Bruce Walquist. The competition kicks off tomorrow with showmanship, halter, western riding, ranch pleasure, and reining in the Coliseum and working hunter, equitation over fences, jumping, hunter hack, hunter under saddle, and equitation in the Wiley Arena.

The main event will take place Saturday evening with the Hylton Maiden $50,000 3-Year-Old and Over Western Pleasure. At this time, the tentative entry count is at 15 horses. However, it’s important to remember that late registrations will be accepted up to 5:00 pm on April 11th, with an extra $500 late fee. This year, in addition to receiving a whopping check, the owner of the Hylton Maiden winning horse will receive a free breeding to Invitation to Flash, the 2008 AQHA World Champion Performance Halter Stallion and 2008 AQHA Honor Roll High Point Green Western Pleasure Horse.

“I think the premise of it is great,” he says. “Having maiden events is always great for those horses that may not be ready to go to the Congress as a two-year-old. They can stay back and progress at their own pace. If you put up that type of money, someone is going to come play.”

“It’s always good to have some big buzz that gets people excited to go to the horse show. Anymore, it’s hard to find people in the stands at a horse show. I’m assuming on Saturday night, just from looking at pictures in the past, that everybody will be in the stands watching. I’m looking forward to it!”

Also on Saturday evening, the winner of the Harris Versatility Challenge will be crowned. In order to be eligible to win a Harris show saddle, horse and rider teams must compete in three classes: Challenge Western Riding on Thursday, Challenge Trail on Friday, and Challenge Western Pleasure on Saturday. And be sure not to miss The Equine Chronicle Exhibitor’s Dinner on Saturday night before the Hylton Maiden class.

Other special events will include the VQHA Amateur Association’s Bridleless Western Pleasure fundraiser on Friday night. “They will also be doing a fundraiser where people can nominate others, with money, to do karaoke,” Kayser says. “That will definitely be fun to see!”

In addition to the Hylton Maiden class, there are four added money NSBA classes on the schedule: $250 added in 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure, 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure, 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle, and 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle.

Stay tuned to EquineChronicle.com for Gordon’s candid photos and results coming from the show.

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