Tour Beautiful Virginia Farms!

The VHCF and the Equestriennes are pleased to announce the second annual Barn Tour to be held Saturday, October 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy autumn in the Shenandoah Valley while touring Middlebrook and Staunton's most beautiful stables.

Tour each destination at your leisure with a detailed map, including riding schedule, beekeeping demonstration, descriptions of the farms, and other points of interest.  Boxed lunches are available at the Middlebrook General Store and several farms will provide picnic areas.

Tickets are available at the Virginia Horse Center, the Middlebrook General Store, Hamilton-Robbins in Lexington, The Emporium in Staunton, or by calling 540-464-2950. Tickets can also be purchased online through a secure payment process at www.HorseCenter.org/Events/October-2012/2013-Barn-Tour. 

Tickets are $25 for adults until Oct 4 and $10 for children 15 & under. Tickets are $30 the day of the Barn Tour. The Tour will go on, rain or shine!

Trimble's Mill Farm

Trimble’s Mill Farm is the first suggested stop on the tour. Built in 1885, it is the subject of the book, See You in a Hundred Years, written by Logan Ward, the former owner of Trimble’s Mill. The 1910 bank barn houses rescued race horses and Connemara ponies. Participants can also visit North Mountain Outfitters, which rekindles the cowboy way of life by offering day or overnight trail rides in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This offers a firsthand look at horses and the chance to book your own unique wilderness adventure.

Grey Gable's Farm

Grey Gables Farm, the next stop on the tour, spreads across 227 conserved acres and is the home of Polyface Farm cattle, the Mary Baldwin College Riding Club and Team, and a personalized riding instruction program. From there, the tour continues north to Cedar Creek Stables, a large riding facility that houses the therapeutic riding program, Ride with Pride, and unique Knabstrupper horses.

Coming down the home stretch, participants will stop by Meadow Walk Bees. Meadow Walk features a substantial bee yard, forest walk, Cabernet Franc trail vineyard, dog paddock and breathtaking pastures. As an added bonus, participants can also visit Bill Heizer Stables to watch demonstrations by a nationally recognized Saddlebred rider and trainer.

All funds raised will benefit the Virginia Horse Center’s Turn up the Lights campaign to upgrade the lighting in the Anderson Coliseum. By replacing the lighting fixtures with more energy-efficient options, the Virginia Horse Center can save over $30,000 annually in electricity costs. The Equestriennes, a dedicated group that supports the Virginia Horse Center, raised more than $4,000 from last year’s Barn Tour for the Lighting Campaign. 

Baroque Games Review. The Journey Has Begun!

The first official Baroque Equestrian Games & Gala were held at the Horse Center on August 30 - 31. It was a magical gathering, where all embraced a passion for the artistry and elegance of historic Classical horsemanship, and gained deeper appreciation for the Classical horses that make it all possible.

More than two dozen horses and riders entered the Games and participated in the Gala, traveling from Florida to Vermont, and even from Ontario, Canada.  The East Complex arena was decorated with lavish artwork and inspiring quotes from the old Masters.  Winners of the competition received product awards along with cash prizes.

Jos Sevriens, originally from the Netherlands and a graduate of the French School of Equitation at Saumur, served as judge for the inaugural Games, and his wisdom and insights were treasured. He offered open remarks after each rider completed a pattern to give encouragement and critique and to educate spectators.

Bruno Gonzales and Tina Cristiani Veder, co-founders of the Games, along with Jos Sevriens and Patricia Norcia gave lectures and demonstrations over the two day show, helping to bring greater understanding about the Classical principles, and the conformation and balance that allows horses to excel at higher collection.

On Friday night, the Grand Gala, an equestrian theatrical production, traced the history of man’s unique union with the horse.  About 400 spectators attended and were enthralled by the star-studded performance featuring horses and well-known professional riders from the US, Canada, and Europe, decked out in lavish costumes and elaborate tack. The Gala was created to help benefit and bring awareness to HoofBeats Therapeutic Riding Center.

Great appreciation goes out to everyone who volunteered, attended, competed or participated – this triumph belongs to all of us!

If you are interested in learning more about this exciting new journey back to the historical foundations of Classical horsemanship, join the Baroque Games for upcoming clinics, seminars, schooling shows and competitions. Visit www.BaroqueGames.com for information. We hope to see you soon!

4-H State Championships join us this week!

Please join us for the 4-H State Championship Show this week, September 12-15. More than 450 youth from across Virginia will compete in many disciplines, including reining, driving, pleasure, dressage, hunter, saddle seat, and showmanship.

4-H strives to teach leadership, citizenship, and a vast array of life skills. “We use horses as a tool to learn life skills, such as teamwork, decision-making, and leadership skills,” says Celeste Crisman, Extension Equine Specialist and manager of the Championships.

In addition to riding divisions, 4-H students may enter art, photography, horse judging and hippology contests. The Championships also offers fun activities for the 4-H youth with clinics, a stall decorating contest, ice cream social, and freestyle drill team performances.

Youth riders began preparing for the Championships in May, when they had to declare a project animal and begin keeping careful records of their training progress and financials, such as all expenses and depreciation costs. Competitors must also pass a horsemanship skills test to enter the Championships.

For more information, please visit the 4-H website.

Standing for head, heart, hands, and health, 4-H uses more than a century of experience in youth development programming to build strong, confident leaders.    Through school-based, after-school, and community clubs as well as camp settings, 4-H members pledge to build a better community, country, and world.