The 3rd Annual Sport Horse National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Sport Horse Nationals) returns to Lexington, VA, September 21-25, with the addition of a pleasure carriage driving division for Arabians, Half-Arabians and Anglo-Arabians. Classes include pleasure driving working, pleasure driving reinsmanship and “pick your route” obstacles. All driving competition will take place on Wednesday, September 21st.
Show entries may consist of single or multi horse hitches. All driving classes will be judged according to the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) pleasure driving specifications. The judge for the driving division is Francine Dismukes, an “R” rated judge in both the Arabian and Andalusian/Lusitano divisions, and a trainer based in Luling, TX. Qualifications for pleasure driving have been waived for 2005 Sport Horse Nationals.
The pleasure driving working class is judged primarily on the ability and suitability of the horse to give a pleasurable drive. In reinsmanship, the driver is judged on his or her skills and ability. The judge may select individual entries to perform a workout, in which they demonstrate a specific gait the judge calls for, as well as perform figure eights or other tests. Pleasure driving horses must halt, rein back and work both directions at the walk, slow trot, working trot and strong trot.
The “Pick Your Route” Obstacles class is driven over a course of obstacles (paired markers) with no set route. After passing the starting line, the driver shall proceed through each obstacle to the designated finish line, choosing his own route. Each obstacle is to be negotiated once and only once, but may be approached from either direction. This is a speed class with placings determined by completion time. Course faults such as missing or knocking down an obstacle are scored as penalty seconds and are added to the driver’s elapsed time.
The Sport Horse Nationals is the only national single breed competition focusing specifically on sport horse disciplines and catering to sport horse exhibitors. All horses competing are Arabians, Half-Arabians or Anglo-Arabians registered with AHA or the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry. The Sport Horse Nationals is produced by the Arabian Horse Association, Aurora, CO, (303) 696-4500.
For more information on Sport Horse Nationals, including scheduling and news, please visit www.arabianhorses.org/competitions/nationalevents/sporthorse/2005. Sport Horse Nationals prize lists and entry forms will be available for download in April.