On August 21-22, 2010, competitors from across the Northwest United States and Western Canada will gather at the Trac Center in Pasco, WA, to participate in the Festival of the Andalusian, an annual horse show that rotates through different locations in the Pacific Northwest to encourage broad participation.

The show features over 100 classes for Andalusian and Half-Andalusians, highlighting the versatility of the breed, with offerings ranging from halter and showmanship to driving to under-saddle classes in Western, hunt seat, dressage suitability, and show hack, just to name a few.

As the final competition in the four-show Pacific Rim High-Point Championship Series, the Festival marks the last opportunity for competitors who have been racking up points at earlier shows in Western Washington and British Columbia to bring home the coveted artwork and title of Pacific Rim Champion. This high-point series, jointly-sponsored by members of NWAHA in the United States and the Pacific Association of the Andalusian and Lusitano Horse (PAALH) in Western Canada, demonstrates the commitment of IALHA members from both countries to work cooperatively for the benefit of the breed. In prior years, the competition in both the half-Andalusian and Purebred divisions of this series has been fierce, with the results of the final couple of classes at the Festival event determining the winner.

“I remember a couple of years ago it came down to the very last class of the show," explained Festival co-manager Julie Alonzo. "I was tallying up the points as quickly as I could because we wanted to be able to award the artwork right after we handed out the ribbons for the last class on Sunday. That year, two of our members who primarily focus on dressage donned chaps and Western hats for the first time and rode their dressage mounts in Western Pleasure. It came down to which of the two dressage riders and horses made the transition to Western more successfully. The friendly competition and back-and-forth dialogue between the two added an extra layer of excitement to the show."

Show managers emphasize the friendliness of the Festival. "It’s an event where we take the time to make sure people feel comfortable asking questions," Alonzo said. "One of our goals is that when people are heading out the gate at the end of the show, they are already making plans for the classes they’ll enter at next year’s Festival."

Online entry and show information at www.showmyhorse.com. For more information, contact show co-managers Julie Alonzo ([email protected]) or Nancy Thompson ([email protected]).