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May 01, 2019
Virginia Horse Trials Offers Two New Divisions for May Event
The closing date is fast approaching for the May 23-26 Virginia Horse Trials (VHT) International and Horse Trials at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia. With two new divisions on offer this year, the 2019 spring edition of the Virginia Horse Trials may be the best yet.
Beginner Novice through Advanced/Intermediate divisions, including Modified, are on the schedule this year as well as a debut Starter division with fences set at 2’-2’3”. Starter is the perfect opportunity for newcomers to the sport (both horses and riders) to dip their toes into competition at a world-class facility. International divisions include CCI3*-S, CCI2*-L, and, for the first time at the spring event, a CCI2*-S class.
“We try to make positive changes based on feedback from competitors and add a little something new every year,” Organizer Andy Bowles said. “It was natural for us to add the CCI2*-S to the schedule considering the popularity of the CCI2*-L. And with our schooling shows throughout the year seeing so much success, we’re hoping to see some of the competitors from those shows joining us at the recognized level, from Starter on up.”
Young Event Horse divisions for 4- and 5-year-olds are also available for the next generation of eventing horses to get an educational experience and qualify for the USEA Young Event Horse Championships.
There is something for everyone at Virginia Horse Trials, from the green beans all the way to the professional ranks. Competitors are guaranteed great courses, carefully maintained footing, good food on site, and ample vendors, all on a sprawling facility in the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“We’ve really settled into our rhythm at VHT, and we are excited about everything we are presenting to competitors year after year,” Bowles said. “We have a great team dedicated to putting on the best event possible and giving every horse and rider a great experience no matter what level they compete.”
This is always a large competition with 400+ horses. Don’t wait until the last minute to enter! Closing date is Tuesday, May 7.
Jun 18, 2019
Eventing News
US Equestrian Nominates U.S. Eventing Team for Lima 2019 Pan American Games
US Equestrian has announced the nomination of the following athlete-and-horse combinations to the U.S. Eventing Team, as well as the Reserves for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. Three direct reserve horses have also been named. A direct reserve horse would be an automatic replacement should the original horse on which an athlete was named need to be substituted.
Jun 18, 2019
Education
Ride Between the Flags with Lindsay Wagner
A combination that can be found on almost every cross-country course starting at the Novice level is the coffin combination. As the levels go up, so does the difficulty of the coffin question. The distances become shorter, coffins become bigger, and the terrain becomes steeper - even the name itself sounds intimidating.
Jun 17, 2019
Rules
Rule Refresher: The Dressage Test
The dressage test is the first of the three phases in eventing. Intended to demonstrate "the harmonious development of the physique and ability of the horse," the dressage test contains a prescribed list of movements to be carried out in front of a judge, or judges, and which is then given a penalty score that horse and rider carry through to the end of the competition.
Jun 16, 2019
Technical Merit
Sullivan and Swain Secure USEA Area IX's Charles Owen Technical Merit Award
On Sunday, June 16, Molly Sullivan and Kate Swain were named the two winners of the Charles Owen Technical Merit award for Area IX at Golden Spike Horse Trials.
