Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 11, 1990 TAG: 9005100111
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ELAINE VIEL SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The show, which opens May 24, has been moved up because of conflicts with horse shows in nearby Bluefield, W.Va., and North Carolina, according to manager Stan Crigger.
With this permanent change to a spring show, Crigger said, "We'll be one of the first horse shows of the season now."
The change in dates has already shown a change in the expected number of entries in the show. Crigger said the 1989 show drew about 500 entries, and that currently "based on information on stall rentals, entries are ahead" of last year.
T.C. "Bud" Walsh, New River Valley Fair manager, agrees with Crigger about the advantages of moving up the horse show date.
"We kept conflicting," Walsh said, and the change will "be better for everybody concerned."
Walsh added that the change will also benefit the New River Valley Fair by allowing the fair to "extend from one week to nine days."
Crigger said that to draw entries for the show, advertisement were placed in several trade association publications and that more than 500 programs have been mailed out to prospects.
This show, Walsh said, "is one of the larger AAAA shows." The New River Valley Horse Show is a AAAA member of the Appalachian Horse Show Association, affiliated with the Racking Horse Breeder Association of America.
During the three days of the show, May 24-26, $7,000 will be awarded in numerous classes. Among those classes, Crigger said that the barrel races are the most popular.
Another class that Crigger said many people enjoy is "Lead Line." During this event, '"teeny, tiny guys . . . if they are big enough to sit on a horse," ride in to the arena with a parent or handler leading.
Crigger said many of the older kids who will be exhibiting in the youth classes got their start in horse shows via the lead-line class.
Other classes will include Western halter, plantation horse, speed race and walking horses.
Crigger said one of the best features of the New River Valley Horse Show is that while drawing many enmtries from those who compete in horse shows through the season, this event also makes an effort to have plenty of "classes for local people."
He said that it is not always easy to maintain that balance, but that doing just that is important.
While most of the entrants are from Virginia, the show draws well from North Carolina and West Virginia.
Judging this year's show will be Don Harris of Simpsonville, Ky., and Danny Kiestler of Statesville, N.C.
Of Harris, who will judge the saddlebred and Western horses, Crigger said "we are fortunate to have him. He comes to us with great credentials." Besides being highly qualified according to Crigger, Harris is nationally known on the horse show circuit.
Kiestler will be the judge for the racking and walking horse classes.
Danny Anderson of Pulaski and John Beahm of Draper will be ring masters for the show. C.W. Porter of Max Meadows will be the announcer; Joe Phipps of Abingdon will be steward; Dr. Tom Bibb of Christiansburg, veterinarian; Rick Burgess of Pulaski, farrier; and Lisa Worrel of Hillsville, photographer.
The show will begin at 6 p.m. on May 24 and 25 and at 5 p.m. on May 26, when championships will be decided and trophies awarded.
The show will be held at the New River Valley Fairgrounds in Dublin, and it is sponsored by the New River Valley Recreation Association.
by CNB