What Happens In Vegas, Doesn’t Always Have to Stay in Vegas….
(Las Vegas, Nevada) This year, it was no secret that the Las Vegas Silver Dollar Circuit was a success! In and out of the arena the positive reviews poured in from exhibitors on a well executed show. The stall numbers were in the 700 range and the entries near 11,000!! Arenas finished early, results were efficient, and the staff was accommodating. Wrap that up in a nice Vegas package and you have one heck of a horse show!
Keith McDonough, owner and trainer at Palm Desert Quarter Horses, was one of many to applaud the schedule. “We like being able to focus on just the amateur and then just the open.” Having the amateur and youth classes at the start of the show and the open at the end allowed his customers to come over the weekend to compete. “There are the obvious benefits to being in Vegas, and the weather doesn’t matter. There is no need to bear the effects of the heat or the rain when you can warm up, show, stall, and sleep under one roof at the South Point.”
Leslie Lange, AQHA’s Most Valuable Horsewoman in 2015, also had accolades for the show. “My favorite thing about the show this year had to be the class size. We had great classes top to bottom in Halter, Ranch Riding, and Western Pleasure. Everything was bigger. Last year, we had 100 runs in Western Riding; this year we had 140, so it was significantly bigger. Yet, the horse show has managed to schedule the classes so that we are done at 6 or 7 at night so that we can go and enjoy the amenities of South Point.”
Karen Graham, owner and trainer at Graham Performance Horses, mirrored Leslie sentiments about the schedule and the class size. “Everyone had a great time. I thought the demeanor of the whole show was fun!” With over 165,000 page views from over 123 countries on the Silver Dollar live feed, viewers were able to absorb the fun ambiance of the show and witness world class competition.
Show Director Jan Bruner sets a standard for Silver Dollar that the exhibitor comes first. “Showing horses is discretionary, and our exhibitors are our customers. If we, as show managers, don’t make it fun and productive, people may give up showing horses and go buy a boat. If you’re looking for a great atmosphere with a plethora of accessible entertainment for everyone in the family, where you can have a ‘horse show vacation,’ make sure you write down next year’s dates: February 23 through February 28. No one in the family will want to miss this one. It’s a well known fact that this is the one horse show that show husbands, wives, and families want to attend.”
This is one “secret” that Vegas doesn’t have to keep under wraps. In fact, remnants of the good time was seen all over Sun Circuit as exhibitors rode around on the mini motor bikes and Blue Ribbon saddles they won and carried their drinks to the arena in their Yeti coolers. The 2017 Silver Dollar was one for the books. If you were there, you understand. If you weren’t, we bet we’ll see you next year!
