On the Road with Equus Now! The 2015 New Albany Classic

The latest stop for the Equus Now!  mobile rig was at the New Albany Classic.  This is a show like no other! Every year, we are so thrilled and honored to be the ONLY mobile unit at this event, which raises so much for the Columbus Center for Family Safety and Healing. We enjoyed seeing our regular customers and welcomed so many new ones who not only came to shop, but also came to learn more about this sport that we love so much. And it was also a wonderful feeling to be able to donate one hundred percent of our proceeds to the Center for Family Safety and Healing. So, a big thank you goes out to everyone who made a purchase – you all made a difference!

This year, the Classic started out for us on Saturday with a fabulous reception at the store welcoming Meg Banks, a famous blogger who was here to cover the Classic. Meg came right off the plane from Florida to Equus Now!, and from 4 – 5:30, our guests all had a chance to meet Meg and have their picture taken with her or get an autograph. Bucky, the New Albany Classic mascot was there for photo opportunities, AND local New Albany Classic 2015 riders Ali Wolff and Andre Mershad showed up and were available for photos and to talk about their success stories. 2014 local New Albany Classic rider Gabriella Mershad also came to join in on the festivities. The store was packed and there was a line to meet Meg, who was so gracious to everyone. There was food and drink, and lots of pictures taken! We gave out goodie bags with lots of great stuff in them to the first 100 customers and they went fast. There were 20 New Albany Classic general admission tickets given away. The biggest give away of all was 2 VIP passes to the Classic. At the end of the night we did the drawing and the lucky winner was Fin Mueller! Fin and his family were new customers to the store, so what an exciting opportunity for them! Congratulations Fin! What a great way to end the party! It was certainly a lovely event and a great opportunity to meet Meg Banks.  Even Gracie got a picture with Meg!

Be sure to follow Meg for the latest updates on the A circuit on  Instagram (MEG_AT), Facebook (followmegat), and Twitter (@meg_at_). Plus,  check out her blog!

But wait….. There’s more!!

After a wonderful pre show reception with Meg Banks as our guest of honor, the mood was set to continue on with the main event the New Albany Classic. The mobile rig, chock full of stuffed ponies, puppies, and of course, Breyers, was moved to the Classic the Friday before the event and set up in the perfect spot. How cool is it to be right next to Jurassic Park and the High Walk!

On the morning of the Classic, we quickly went to work organizing everything to get ready for the crowds. The awning was pulled out and quickly began to resemble a carnival with all of the stuffed animals clipped to it.

We also had Breyers galore, which filled up three tables outside and several shelves inside. The weather was perfect, with a slight chill in the air, but we were prepared with new Fall sportswear from Ariat and Noble Outfitters.

But this day wasn’t about new sportswear, it was about families. There were enough happy faces around to last a lifetime! And that’s why the New Albany Classic is not just another horse show – it’s a family event, from which 100% of all proceeds are donated to the Center For Family Safety and Healing. From the concert, to the rides, to the food trucks, and of course, to the horses, there was something for everyone to enjoy.  There were kids with their faces painted like their favorite animal or super hero. There were zip line rides, petting zoos, incredible food trucks, and some of the most talented horses and riders in the world. It was a great day indeed!

The 125,000 Invitational Grand Prix was like no other. Close to thirty horse and rider teams competed for the Authentic Cup, named in honor of Abigail Wexner’s brilliant jumper, who had been retired at the New Albany Classic just a few years ago. The course, as always, was strategically designed and set on a well manicured grass field in a stadium like setting.  The seats were filled with eager spectators for the main event. Two of Central Ohio’s own competed this year, Ali Wolff and Andre Mershad, both from New Albany. Ali, in her third Classic, and her horse Casall were fresh off of an exciting second place finish in the Welcome Classic at the Gold Cup. Andre and his horse Man and Black, in his first Classic, made history by being the youngest rider ever to compete in the Invitational.  David Beisel of Goshen, Ohio, who is well known in the Columbus area, also competed on Harlow Investment Enterprises LLC’s  Call Me Hannes. All riders rode very well, but in the end, it was between Beezie Madden and Breitling LS and Irishman Conor Swail and his horse Simba De La Roque who finished with in seconds of each other.  Swail bested Madden’s time over the eight jump course by a thrilling one second to win the Authentic Cup for the Irish for the second year in a row. Congratulations Conor Swail and Simba De La Roque on winning the 18th annual New Albany Classic!

The day ended with a mad rush for the last stuffed ponies and Breyer horses that we had left. As we packed up, we all talked about what a great day we had had. We were honored to be a part of this wonderful day for a wonderful cause. Special thanks go out to the Equus Now! New Albany Classic Team who volunteered their time- Julia Bowen, Kitty Amorose, Arielle Smith, Brian Wolfe, Jamie Barkhau,(who also volunteered her truck), and Rosemary Staeck. You all rock! Thanks also go out to Lisa Hinson and the team at Hinson Limited Public Relations for making the weekend run so smoothly. We don’t know how you do it! And to Abigail Wexner, whose vision and compassion for others that has turned into this spectacular event, we thank you.

The Equus Now! Mobile rig made its next stop at Equivents at Far and Away Farm, September 25-27. Gracie was working at Equivents. She wasn’t at the New Albany Classic because she was up way past her bedtime the night before! (A Princess always needs her beauty sleep!) Stay tuned for more blog posts! Until then, get out, get on, and go horse show!!

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Check out our FACEBOOK page for more photos from the Pre Show Party and the New Albany Classic!

On the Road with Equus Now! Delaware Labor Day Classic – (9/4/15 – 9/5/15)

The latest stop for the  Equus Now! Mobile rig was the Showtime Series at Delaware Labor Day Classic. The rig was loaded up with new Fall merchandise from Joules, Asmar Equestrian, Ariat, and Noble Outfitters.  Even though it was one of the hottest weekends of the year, it was all very popular.  We started the show on Friday with Hunter Breeding. It was wonderful to see all the future champions as they went through each class.  We had a visitor from Tennessee come all the way to Central Ohio to show case his beautiful horse.  Brandon L. Gibson and Aqua Point went back home with the honors of Best Young Horse! Congratulations Brandon!  We hope we see you again soon!

As the day went on, the hot sunny weather suddenly became stormy, typical for Central Ohio.  The show had ended for the day, but, the rain started just in time for schooling.  Gracie and I were stuck in the rig for about 45 minutes and I heard that there were some who started schooling at 8:00!  Now that is dedication!

By Saturday, the rain had stopped, but the humidity was up.  Everyone had great attitudes as they went about the show.  The judge had very kindly waived hunt coats for the rest of the day.  Through out the day we saw lots of winners and had lots of fun.  The rig became a play ground for lots and lots of kids, which was so much fun!  We had a pool, which was intended for Gracie and her friends to play in, but I think it was more wishful thinking on my part. Try as I may, I will never get Gracie to like the water!  Instead, it became a kiddy pool, and at one point I was even seen taking a partial dip!  We had lots of fun with bubbles, with Jackson and June leading the bubble parade!   We also gave away four tickets to the New Albany Classic which were generously donated by Hinson Public Relations.  They were won by Jordan Koenig.  Congratulations to Jordan!

There was an awesome Silent Auction, from which all proceeds went to the Stephanie Spielman Cancer Fund for breast cancer research.  Thank you to all of those who donated so many great items.  Your generosity helped to raise more funds for research to find a cure for breast cancer.  On Saturday, Nira Pullien, from OSU brought the Mobile Mammography Unit to the show and gave educational guided tours of the state of the art facility.  If you didn’t get a chance to see it, make sure you do. It’s amazing.

We saw some milestones reached at this show.  Marilyn Ransom, who has been showing lightly this summer, was Reserve Champion in Intermediate Adult Hunter Division aboard Street Magic.  Great job Marilyn!  Lisby Roberson has been working hard with her horse Skippin’ Chruch and it has paid off as she was Champion in the Low Thoroughbred Hunters.  Way to go Lisby!  Jenna Rieder has also been putting in some serious mileage over the summer which has paid off! She was Champion in the Intermediate Adult Equitation Division!   Yay Jenna!!!!  June Hunkins and Blackie showed that they are rising stars in the show ring by winning the Lead Line class.  We’ll be keeping an eye on June as she makes her way up the ranks!  Mica Rose Frank did very well as she moved from a pony to a horse.  We wish her well with her new team mate, Alligator Rose!

The main event of the show was the Ride For The Ribbon Classic.  One hundred percent of the entry fees went to the Stephanie Spielman Cancer Fund, in honor of Stephanie Spielman, who lost her battle with breast cancer. Before the Classic, we were treated to a tasty Italian dinner thanks to Carl and Judy and The Warehouse Italian Dinners.  If anyone wants the recipe for the meatballs, be sure to see Carl.  They were very good!  There were thirty eight entries in total and the competition was fierce.  Lisa Schaffner and Social Register rode in their first ever hunter derby and got great scores.  Great job Lisa, you should be proud of yourself!  Riders competed at three different height levels. They were scored on their first round, and if the score was high enough, they were invited back to do a handy round. The highest combination of the two scores for the entire class was the winner. This year’s winner of the Ride For The Ribbon Classic was Sarah Santisi and her lovely horse Jackson. Great job Sarah!  Following closely behind Sarah was Charlotte Clark and Rio’s Jubilee.  Well done Charlotte! At the end of the evening, once again, we were treated to the “Neigh, Neigh Dance”, by Jaxon Arthurs and Katie Rankin.  This is becoming a wonderful tradition at Showtime, indeed!   Thank you to all who participated in the Classic.  You are all champions riding for a great cause!

Thank you Carl, Judy, Chris, Maureen and the entire Showtime staff for putting on yet another successful show.  Thanks also go out to Stealaway Inc. and Angela Moore for sponsoring the lovely breakfast on Sunday, always a nice treat at Showtime.

And last but never least, thank all of you who attended this show.  You are the reason we love this sport and what we do.  You are all champions!

The next stop for the Equus Now! Mobile rig was the New Albany Classic.  Stay tuned very soon for the Blog Post! Until then, get out, get on, and go horseshow!

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Leading Equestrian Blogger to Cover the New Albany Classic

Meg Banks is an equestrian and a full time blogger from Wellington, Florida.  On her blog, “Meg At…” she takes her followers behind the scenes of A-circuit hunter/jumper shows, sharing stories and capturing moments that make the equestrian world special.

Meg will attend and cover the 18^th annual New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix and Family Day, reporting from behind-the-scenes at the country’s #1 Specialty Equestrian Event as designated for the past three consecutive years by the North American Riders Group.

In addition to her coverage of The Classic on September 20^th, Meg will meet fans at central Ohio’s hunter jumper tack and apparel destination, Equus Now!, 8956 Cotter Street, on Saturday, September 19^th from 4-5pm.  Photos with Meg, ticket giveaways, a VIP ticket raffle, social media promotions and more will be available for everyone attending the meetup with Meg.

 

Keep connected with Meg, The Classic and Equus Now!

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On the Road with Equus Now! – Showtime Summer Classic (7/17/15 – 7/19/15)

The next stop for the Equus Now! mobile rig was The Showtime Series at Delaware Showtime Summer Classic. The feature of this show was the Last Chance Corral Classic. Even though it was hot, everyone had great attitudes, especially when Carl and Judy broke out the ice cream! Always a nice treat! This was the biggest show to date this season for Showtime. We saw lots of out of town riders at this show. Riders from Pittsburgh, Toledo, and Indiana, to name a few, came out in force. It was great to see Kathryn Wells, and her group of riders and parents. Kathryn has been coming from Elkhart, IN, to support Showtime for many years, and has been a loyal Equus Now! customer from The very beginning. Thanks for all of your support, Kathryn!

So many riders who have been out of the Show Ring for years came out to complete. Julie Gunn has been a customer at Equus Now! for a few years. She came into the mobile rig to buy a hair net. We talked for a while, and it was then that I figured out that it was her first horse show. I told her that she was going to do very well because she didn’t seem nervous at all. Well, Julie went out and showed and got some great ribbons. She came by the rig with a big smile on her face to tell me how she had done. It always makes me smile when I see someone’s eyes light up when they tell me about their horse and the great time they had! That’s one of the best parts of my job. Bravo Julie!

The main event of the show, of course was The Last Chance Corral Classic. 100% of the entries Went to support The Last Chance Corral, an organization dedicated to saving the lives of discarded nurse foals and homeless horses. The evening started out with a wonderful barbecue dinner cooked by chef Carl. There was a silent auction with all sorts fabulous items that were generously donated by various Last Chance supporters. Then, there was the parade of horses that had been adopted from Last Chance and had gone on to new careers. Also included in the parade were a few horses as well as foals who were available for adoption. After the parade, people took their seats to watch several riders compete in the Classic. The course was set at three different heights – 2’3″,2’6″,and 3’0. Each rider was scored on their first ride and anyone with a high score came back for a second trip. The winner was determined by the judge who combined the two scores of each rider from each division. This year’s winner, for the second time in a row, was Jacob Harris and his awesome pony Hillcrest “Lego” Red and Blue. His ride was flawless and you can tell this young man means business! The Jake and Lego team have become a force to be reckoned with and have proven that hard work really does pay off. This young man is one to watch! Congratulations Jake!

But wait! There’s more! During the day on Saturday, Katie Rankin and Jaxon Arthurs came in to the rig to buy sunglasses. We only had lady’s sunglasses,so I thought maybe Jaxon was buying them for his sister or mother. Well, I was wrong; they were buying them for their production of the “Neigh Neigh dance”! As the Classic ended and the victory gallop was under way, Jaxon ran out into the middle of the ring and started it off. Katie, who finished sixth, was in the middle of her victory gallop, but quickly jumped off and joined Jaxon while still holding onto her patient pony, Black Eyed Pea. She was able to hand her pony off to Sarah Ash, her trainer, so the two could present the audience with their awesome routine. And what a performance it was! Such a great way of showing team spirit! Thank you, Katie and Jaxon for putting a big smile on everyone’s faces. You two rocked it! We can’t wait to see what they’ll be up to the next time!

Earlier on Saturday was the Ann Grossman Memorial Mini Prix. The Mini Prix was named as a memorial to Ann Grossman, a trainer who had taught and was loved by so many. This year’s winner was Madison Landis and her horse Coasting. Congratulations to Madison who is also having a banner year at Delaware. We are all very proud of you!

The show ended up raising close to $ 20,000 for Last Chance Corral. Thank you to all of the riders and spectators who contributed to help make this happen. Thanks go to Davina Beck and Judy Brentlinger for arranging for and collecting donations. As always, thanks go out to Carl, Judy, Chris, and Maureen, whose tireless efforts are the glue the hold this show together and keep it running smoothly. This was this biggest Showtime show so far this season, and it just continues to get bigger and bigger. If you are planning on attending the Showtime Labor Day Classic, make sure you get your stall reservations in early, because this show is filling up.

The next stop for the Equus Now! Mobile Rig will be at Far and Away Farm for the August Equivents, the weekend of the 14th through the 16th. This show is also filling up fast so get your stall reservations in now. Until then, get out, get on, and go horse show! We’ll see you at Equivents!

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***For more information about the Last Chance Corral, visit their website here.***

On the Road with Equus Now! – July Equivents (7/10/15 – 7/12/15)

The next stop for the Equus Now! Mobile Rig was at Far and Away Farm for the July Equivents show.

As always, this is a lovely venue for a horse show, even with the weather we’ve been having lately.

Friday started us off in ring one with the hunters and led into the jumpers by the end of the day. Ellen Jennings dominated the Baby Green Hunters with Rio Ruisseau, by winning almost every class in the division. Way to go, Ellen! Friday was also a very special day, because it marked the return to the show ring for Kim Tarnapoll. Kim and her beautiful boy, Becoming, got some good ribbons for their first time in the ring together. When asked how long it had been since she had shown last, Kim said, “14 years.” She hesitated for a bit, then said,” no, I meant I was fourteen years old, the last time I had shown!” You should be very proud of yourself, Kim! I know we are proud of you!

Saturday was a lovely day, especially because it wasn’t raining! It was also Hunter Derby day! The Hunter Derby was the last class of the day, so there was plenty of excitement before that. Davina Beck brought Trueman back to the Show Ring to do the 3 foot Adult Amateurs. It was great to see a beaming Davina come into the rig to tell me that he was champion, which totally made the whole horse show for her. Welcome back Trueman! Bravo to the both of you!

In the Jumper Ring – The $ 1500 NAL/WIHS Children/Adult Jumper 1.10m Stake showed some fierce competition!  It was won by Mollie Kowalchik aboard Sincerely Yours. Right behind her in Reserve, was Liza Reid, from Cincinnati and Rentier. Liza was sporting her new SamShield helmet she had just bought from the rig! Congratulations to both of you!

The highlight of this show, as always, was the $1500 Equivents Ltd. Hunter Derby. This is the event that people traveled from Pittsburgh and Cincinnati for. It’s also a great class to watch. Mike Howell did a stellar job designing a challenging and fun hunter course. All in all, there were thirty entries, young and old, competing for the winners share of the prize money, which paid back to eighth place. The winner was Sara Santisi aboard Jackson. Sara not only won the winner’s share of the purse, she also won the beautiful Equine Couture cooler, donated by Equus Now! Great job Sara! Following closely behind Sara for the reserve spot, was Grace Pruchnicki and Jay – Z. It was Grace’s first ever Hunter derby, and to finish second out of thirty competitors is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations Grace!

Sunday started out with, you guessed it, RAIN! Thanks to Noble Outfitters, Ovation, and Ariat, we were well equipped to accommodate those who didn’t have rain gear. Although, Jesus, one of the jump crew guys, had started a trend with a rain coat designed by Hefty. Very ingenious Jesus!

The rain ended, the sun came out and everyone went on to finish the show with great attitudes. Thanks go out to Jennifer, Mike, Peter and the entire staff at Equivents for putting on another great show. The hard work of the entire team really shines through – the event ran like clockwork. The next Equivents, Ltd show will be the weekend of August 14. As always with this show, the stalls fill up quickly, so reserve them as soon as you can.

The next stop for the Equus Now! Mobile Rig will be at the Showtime Summer Classic at the Delaware Fairgrounds. The feature will be the Last Chance Corral Classic. If you haven’t reserved stalls, do it now. The word is out! Central Ohio Horse Shows rock!

I think we have started a trend here in Central Ohio. At every show so far this year, there has been at least one person returning to the ring after some time off. Will you be next? I hope so! See you at The Showtime Summer Classic! Until then, get out, get on, and go horse show!

On the Road with Equus Now! – New Vocations Charity Horse Show (7/3/15 – 7/5/15)

The next stop for the Equus Now! Mobile rig was The New Vocations Charity Horse Show, at the Delaware Fairgrounds, July 3-5. The weather was great and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s independence – by honoring America’s horse, the Thoroughbred.
This was the biggest New Vocations show so far and I can only see that it will continue to get bigger and bigger. Competitors and spectators from as far away as Illinois came out to support this wonderful charity. Riders competed on Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, and other breeds in both Hunter/Jumper and Dressage classes.

Every year, New Vocations does a wonderful thing by recognizing the “War Horses”. These are horses that have been retired and adopted after a long career on the race track. During this great parade of champions, each horse was recognized for a different milestone. There was the horse that had earned the most on the track, the horse that had traveled the furthest, and the oldest horse, who was an amazing twenty nine years old, just to name a few. It was an amazing moment.

There was lots of excitement as we saw many riders return to the ring after some time away. The mother-daughter duo of Julia Bowen and Sarah Hallowell each took home some great ribbons. Sarah rode her pony Greenbrier in the jumpers as well as the hunters, and took home two Reserve Champions and one Champion. Julia, after many years away from the show ring, showed us that consistent, hard work really pays off. She rode Jess Anderson’s retired Thoroughbred Keel, and was Reserve Champion in the hunters. Bravo Julia! You should be very proud of yourself!  Marilyn Ranson also returned to the hunter ring aboard Street Magic and brought home some nice ribbons. Congratulations Marilyn!

Another Congratulations goes out to Madison Landis! Madison won the Hunter Classic- way to go Madison!

Connie Coultrap and her dog Francie shocked us, in more ways than one, when she showed up to the show. We hadn’t seen Connie at a show for quite some time. This time, instead of showing in the hunter ring, Connie opted for the Dressage ring! It was great to see Connie and her lovely horse looking so great together. Now, if Francie could just stay away from electrical plugs!

Although the weather was nice, there were still remnants of the wet show from two weeks ago. The mud made parking rather difficult. Rose Staeck, the owner of Equus Now! borrowed her husband’s Mini Van for the day & yes – you guessed it!  All I can say is, thank God there were a bunch of STRONG fathers and boyfriends around to help get it out! (Where is that pesky 4-Wheel Drive Button when you need it!)

One of the best moments was when I saw a customer bring home the Champion ribbon, wearing the PIKEUR Sarissa Coat she just purchased that morning! That made my day!

The weather was great and the show was a tremendous success. Special thanks go out to Clare Barlow, Amy Alison and the hard working horse show team from New Vocations. You all really made a difference in keeping the horse show running smoothly. Thanks also goes out to Anna Ford for going out there and making New Vocations the success that it is. You have made a difference by increasing awareness of the versatility of retired race horses. Most of all thank you to all the riders and spectators whose entries and contributions were all donated to New Vocations.

The next stop for the Equus Now! Mobile Rig was the Equivents at Far and Away Farm on July 10-12. Stay tuned for the lowdown on that show in the next “On the Road” entry! Until then, get out, get on, and go horse show!

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On the Road with Equus Now! – Showtime Series Equus Now! Classic (6/19/15 – 6/21/15)

The Equus Now! Mobile Rig traveled back to the Delaware Fair Grounds for the 2015 Equus Now! Classic.  This is one of our FAVORITE Horse Shows of the Season!

The weather was not the most cooperative – I don’t think I have ever been to a horse show that had to deal with so much rain! It was a great weekend for ducks, for sure!  Those who stuck it out handled it very well. The showing continued even though at one point, I could barely see ring one from where the rig usually sits! There was nothing we could do about the rain, so everyone went on about their business with great attitudes. You would think with all of that rain, people would be miserable, but that was not the case. The whole Showtime crew really did an outstanding job at keeping the rings in the best possible condition, under the circumstances. Bravo on a job well done!

At the rig, Gracie gave away some cute ribbon belts to all of the exhibitors.  They looked great on everyone and could be seen all over the show grounds. We also gave away some Charles Owens ball caps with purchase. On Friday, as the rains came down, I suddenly realized that I didn’t have enough rain gear with me. Imagine that!  So back to the store we went to gather up as many rain coats and wellies as we could. Saturday, when we arrived at the show, we got quite a few laughs as I pulled up to a few barns.  My car was so full of rain coats and other things, that everyone thought I had forgotten to bring Gracie. Well, when the mountain of rain coats started to move, we realized that she had been buried and didn’t attempt to surface until we got to the show. There was no way I would have given her the day off! (The Rain Coats sure did come in handy! LOVE those Noble Outfitter Coats!)  I want to thank all of you for putting up with the congested confines of the rig. As you know, it was a tad difficult to move anything outside!

As far as the competition was concerned, everyone was a winner!  The highlight of this show was the Pam Graham Memorial “Heels Down, Eyes Up” Hunter Team Classic, in which teams competed over a hunter course.  Each team member was given a score for their rounds, which were combined for a total score in the end. The team with the highest combined score came out as the winner. Each team was very creative with their names and many made references to the weather conditions. The winning team for this years Pam Graham Classic was team “ Burbs and Curbs”, which consisted of Michaela Gerlacher on Burberry and Rahdika Sharma Curb Appeal.  Congratulations Michaela and Rahdika! They each won a pair of fabulous RJ Classic show breeches donated by Equus Now! But wait, there’s more! There was another team that braved the lovely weather conditions and showed us that there was a bright ray of sunshine, well in this case pink and purple, that can make everybody put a smile on their face. Mica Rose Frank, Kate Hoch, and Hana Fleischer got together to use  some very well thought out creativity for their high style point winning team, “Particularly Peculiar Pink and Purple Pony Power Pair”. With one pony dolled up in pink and the other in purple, these ladies not only rode well, but they also had fun. I know Pam was watching over the whole class with a smile knowing that everyone was having fun and enjoying the sport which she loved so much.  Fifty percent of the entries for Pam’s class was donated in her memory, to PBJ Connections. Thank you to all exhibitors to braved the weather to ride in this special class.

There was a new class added to the Equus Now! Classic this year.  And we found it only fitting to hold it just before the Pam Graham Classic, because Pam and her horses were always so well groomed.  Shapley’s , a company that is well known for their great grooming products, generously sponsored the first ever Shapley’s Groom Class. This class was designed to give professional & amateur grooms the chance to show off their talents in their own competition.  It was great to see June Hunkins and Jaxon Arthurs so enthusiastic about wanting to do the grooms class after practicing so much. Their ponies were so shinny, that the judges had to wear sunglasses from the glare – even in the rain! Way to show them guys! They certainly proved that we mean business and start them young here in Central Ohio! The overall winner of the Shapley’s Grooms Class was Jake DelGrecco, who grooms for Sarah Ash and Willow Way. Jake took home the winner’s share of the prize money $$$ along with a bucket filled with lots of grooming products, all generously donated by Shapley’s. Way to go Jake! A money prize and Shapley’s goodie bags were awarded up to forth place and everyone got a ribbon and a t-shirt.  Thanks again to Sally Stith – Burdette from Shapley’s for giving us the opportunity to have this class. I look forward to more in the future, so you all better hone your grooming skills!

As the show ended, I turned to Judy Brentlinger and said,”  I had such a great time at this show!”. And she agreed with me.  Even with all the rain, there was such a great feeling at this show.  We were all in it together, and had a good attitude about it.  Many Thanks go out to Judy, Carl, Chris, and Maureen, for putting on such a great show.  A special thanks goes to the jump and in gate crews who kept it flowing just as smoothly as possible despite the weather. I’d also like to thank Noble Outfitters, English Riding Supply and Julie Andrews, and Manse Hill for providing us with so many great prizes.  A special thanks goes out to Rose Staeck, the owner of Equus Now!, for everything she does for the local horse community.

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Next stop for the Equus Now! band wagon will be right back at the Delaware Fair grounds for the New Vocations Charity Horse Show.  It looks to be a good one so reserve your stalls soon! Until then,get out, get on, and go out and horse show!  See you at New Vocations July 3-5.

On the Road with Equus Now! – Equivents Show Series (6/12/15 – 6/14/15)

The weekend of June 12 -14, was the next stop for the Equus Now! mobile rig. This was the first weekend that it REALLY felt like summer, as the temperatures went into the nineties!  Everyone was in great spirits, especially when jackets were waived. But, even in the heat, this is always a great setting for a horse show.

There was some great competition out there and it was nice to see a few trips. Annette Spicker did very well and took home the Champion ribbon aboard Breeze in the 2’6′ Intermediate Adult Hunter Division. Ashley Demarco, who just returned to the show ring recently, was Champion in the 2 foot Limit Rider Hunter Division aboard Chances R. Great job ladies!  It was good for Madison Kress in the show ring. She was Champion aboard In Style in the Special Hunter 2’6′ Division. Isabella Palmer did very well on Arizona and was Champion in the 2’6′ Intermediate Children’s Hunter Division. Congratulations to you both! It was fun to catch up with Megan and Lori Demott. Lori came to watch Megan take home the Champion ribbon in the Low Children/Adult 1.0M Jumper Division. Awesome job, Megan! Even though there is only one Champion of each division, you are all Champions for going out there and doing it!

Now, we all know in Central Ohio, the weather can change very quickly and with intense heat, there is always a chance of a storm. With the Weather Channel and My Radar apps installed in my phone, I’m always checking to see if anything is on it’s way, even though I can clearly see that there are clouds all around. I’ll even ask others if they think we are going to get hit. This all because I really like to keep nice things outside for everyone to see. Well, at one point during my weather debate, I could be seen chasing my display Parlanti boot past all of the cars in the parking lot. Yes, the wind did pick up just enough to catch it and send it flying. Gracie just sat there and watched! If a video of this comical move pops up, I’m sure it would make us all laugh!

With the wind, I’m sure you know what came next! Rain! I want to thank Elizabeth Gibbs, Grace Ekert, and Cassidy Platte, for jumping in to help get everything inside in record time. Because of you, nothing got wet or damaged. The rain took a little of the heat away, but the four of us, joined by Shelly Pierce, were held up in the rig until it stopped enough to go outside. And it got pretty hot in there!  Still, we made the best of it and enjoyed each others company.

Sunday, the last day of the show, we drew the winner of one of our many giveaways. At this Equivents show we gave away an Ogilvy half pad. Congratulations go out to Maddie Pierce! You’re going to love your new Ogilvy!

We will be doing another give away at the next Equvents show, so be sure to stop in and see us for another chance to win a great prize.

Central Ohio’s equestrian community keeps growing and growing. There are many barns and trainers to choose from. Some are bigger than others, but they are all here to do the same thing,train and compete. Even though everyone is a competitor, it’s nice to see it when they recognize or complement each other with an act of kindness. That happened this weekend when a trainer from one barn, bought a very nice gift for someone who rode with another barn. She did it because she saw how hard the person was working and helping out others- Even those from another barn.  Gestures like that really make a difference in people’s lives.

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Thanks again to Jennifer and Mike for having such a nice facility for horse shows. Thanks also goes out to the entire crew at Equivents. Your hard work to put on such a nice horse show is greatly appreciated. The food was great too! The food truck that made the burgers had one of the best burgers I’ve ever had!

The next Equivents show will be July 10 -12. If you’re planning on going, make sure you reserve your stalls early. I heard they are already starting to fill up! Until then, get on, get out, and go horse show!

Stay Tuned for the rundown from the Equus Now! Classic, presented by Showtime Associates at Delaware Fair Grounds, June 19 -21.

On the Road with Equus Now! – Showtime Series Dac Classic (5/22/15 – 5/24/15)

Ahhhh, Memorial Day Weekend! Memorial Day is  an important day in the history of our country. It’s a day of remembrance for those who have served and sacrificed for our freedom. It is also the unofficial beginning of summer and the kickoff of the Showtime Series at Delaware, starting with the Dac Classic, May 22 – 24. It was great to be back where it all started, as this was the very first horse show the Equus Now! mobile rig attended, back in 2007.

This year, the series has gained another USEF “A”  rated show, making it three for the 2015 season. And it will only keep growing from there!
The weekend couldn’t have started out any better. The weather cooperated and the rain stayed away. The show started on Friday, with the Hunter Breeding Class. This has always been one of my favorite classes because gives everyone a chance to show off their future champions. Delaware is a great place to show in Hunter Breeding because there is always so much going on, which gives the young ones some great experience. Congratulations to all who braved it and brought out their beautiful babies!

There were also a few successful debuts at this show, as well. Micheala Gerlacher rode Jacob Harris’s young pony Jackson and was champion in the Beginner Hunters. It was Jackson’s first show ever, but you wouldn’t have known it, as he marched around as if he had been showing for years. Congratulations to the Harris family and Micheala. Well done! Following in his sister Michaela’s foot steps, by making his debut at his first horse show, was Jaxon Arthurs. He did the Lead Line class for the first time and finished second! Surely a sign of things to come! Speaking of Lead Line – as always, this is a tough class, with fierce competition. This years’ Dac Classic Lead Line was won by Sierra Elliott. Congratulations Sierra! We look forward to your bright future! The Pony Hunter division is always a competitive, yet fun division for all those who show ponies. Claire Austin made it look easy by guiding her pony, Practical Magic, to become the Champion Pony Hunter. Right behind Claire was Katie Rankin in Reserve aboard Black Eye Pea. Well done, ladies!

Julia Samenuk had a very busy and successful show. Together with her horse, A Bold Reason, Julia was Champion in the Limit Rider Hunter, as well as the Limit Rider Equitation. She was also the lucky winner of the Ovation Show Back Pack, which was filled with all sorts of great stuff and generously donated by English Riding Supply. Great job Julia!  We also saw some great riding in the Jumper Ring. Sara Santisi rode Backlash to become Champion in the Low Children/Adult Jumpers and Grace Cantrell rode Visual Arts to become Champion in the Children/Adult Jumpers. Congratulations to both of you!

The highlight of the show was the Flying Horse Farms Hunter Derby, sponsored by Kristi Carlin and Willow Way. Prior to the class, we were all treated to a delicious barbecue dinner while we checked out all of the great stuff that was donated for the silent auction. With bellies full and wallets empty, everyone stayed to watch the Derby. There were many competitors, who jumped at different heights. The rider with the highest score, which was a combination of their first round and their handy round, came out as the overall winner of the Derby. The honors went to Charlotte Clark and her lovely mare, Rio Cacique. Second place, and Reserve Champion went to Sara Santisi and her wonderful gelding, Jackson. The points were close & the competition was excellent. Congratulations to all of those who competed!  You are all winners! One hundred percent of the entry fees for the Hunter Derby, along with the proceeds from the silent auction, were donated to Flying Horse Farms, such a great cause!

I could go on and on about this show, as I could about all of them. Just by getting out and doing it, you all are achievers. It was great to see everyone after the long cold winter. Thanks go out to, Judy, Carl, Chris, and the entire crew that work so hard to put this show together. We look forward to seeing you again at the Delaware Fairgrounds for the Equus Now! Classic, June 19 – June 20. We have lots of great things in store for you. Until then, get out, get on, and go horse show!

The next stop for the Equus Now! mobile Rig will be Equivents, at Far and Away Farm, June 12 – June 14. The stalls are filling up fast, so get ’em while you can! We’ll see you then!

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On the Road with Equus Now! – MOBILE RIG 2015 KICKOFF! – Equivents I (5/8/15 – 5/10/15)

The weekend of May 8th through May 10th was the official kickoff for the 2015, Equus Now! mobile rig season. Our first stop was Equivents 1 Spring Horse show, which was held at Far and Away Farm, in Marysville, Ohio. After a grueling, cold winter, it was great to get outdoors, and what a lovely weekend it was. You could tell that Jennifer and Mike, along with the rest of their great crew, had been hard at work over the winter. There were some new additions to the facility and the landscaping looked beautiful. As always, this is very nice setting for a horse show.

Gracie and I were happy to see some familiar faces with their horses and ponies all decked out and ready for some serious showing. It was also nice to meet some new people from out of town and compare stories about their lives and this sport, which we all love.

We introduced two product lines that are new to Equus Now!, Parlanti tall boots and Noble Outfitter brands. Parlanti boots are exquisitely made in Italy, of the finest Italian leather, and really look great. If you haven’t tried on a pair yet, I highly recommend it! Noble Outfitters has a full line of products ranging from their awesome socks, to their durable, yet attractive luggage line, to, the most popular product at the show, the Wine Down hoof pick/corkscrew. Both lines were well received!

Gracie was very busy handing out free saddle pads for all purchases over 100.00 and taking in entries to win the Essex Talent Yarn show shirt. The winner of the Talent Yarn shirt, which was announced on our Face Book page, was Hannah Eddlemon, of Lebanon, Ohio. Congratulations Hannah!

There were a few debuts this weekend. Daniella Casline and her horse Live it up, did their first horse show together. It was the first show for Daniella, who rode in the Opportunity Walk Trot division and got ribbons in each class.  Congratulations to Daniella! It was also the first show for Warrington, known as Adam, or “the baby horse”, and owned by Liz Radebaugh.

Warrington, a rescued race horse, showed in the two foot Hunter division and proved that he was made for the hunter ring by getting ribbons in all of his classes.  Proof that patience and hard work pays off. Well done!

There was another wonderful milestone met at this show, and that was the return of Lily Woods. And came back she did! Lily dominated the Short Stirrup/Limit Rider Hunter two foot division and was second in the two foot OHJA Medal two foot division.  Quite a comeback indeed! Congratulations Lily!

I could go on and on about this show, but I felt it was important to recognize those on the achievements they had made. After all, that is what horse showing is all about! Thanks go out to Jennifer and Mike and their hard working, never stopping crew, who make this horse show what it is. We will be back for the second Equivents show , June 12 – 15. Be sure to stop by and see Gracie and me and give us your best shot to be put on our Face Book and Instagram pages. And don’t forget to use #equusperfectus, with your own pictures showing off what you bought at the horse show! Until then, get out, get on, and go horse show!

The next stop for the Equus Now! mobile rig will be The Showtime Series at Delaware, Dac Classic on May 22 – 24. See you then!

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