Andalusian and Lusitano Show

We are proud to welcome the Virginia Classic Regional Championship Andalusian and Lusitano Show this weekend, Aug 30 - Sept 1.  These unique breeds compete in In-hand, Dressage, Equitation, Western, and Driving classes.

On Saturday, Costume, Heritage, and Native Tack & Attire classes begin at 7:30 p.m with a parade of Traditional and Native Tack and Attire.

The Andalusian horse, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse, has a long history as a war horse, the preferred riding horse among European royalty and nobility, and in mounted Spanish bullfighting. Due to this breed’s iconic stature, they are often used in art and films, including Gladiator, Braveheart, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Despite their powerful build, Andalusians are usually docile and sensitive. This breed is intelligent and responsive, and therefore is popular in classic dressage, trick riding, and driving.

The show begins on Friday morning at 8:30 with In-hand and Breeding classes. Dressage, Equitation, and Pleasure classes begin on Friday afternoon, and again on Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m.

The ERAHC promotes harmony and goodwill among the community of Iberian horse owners by organizing annual shows, clinics, educational and social events. Iberian horses, named for the Iberian Penninsula in western Europe, were identified as early as 450 BCE. After several centuries of breeding lighter Oriental horses with heavy European breeds, kept in careful records by Carthusian monks, the Andalusian became a distinct breed in the 15^th century.

The Lusitano shares much of the same history as the Andalusian breed. In 1966, the Portuguese and Spanish stud books split, and the Lusitano was given its name after the ancient Roman name for Portugal.