Show Time in Upperville

by Caroline Fout

The 163rd edition of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show, the oldest horse show in the United States, will take place at the Grafton and Salem show grounds off Route 50 from June 6-12.

Local equestrianSloane Coles expects to be among the top riders in the $216,000 Upperville Jumper Classic finals at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 12. But she and many others agree that the most competitive event at the horse show is the lead line for very young riders. Highlights include: 

Lead line Class: Taking place on Saturday, June 11th in the afternoon, the Lead line Class, fan favorite, kicks off featuring a parade of well-groomed ponies and children. Its divided into two parts with riders ages 1-3 and 4-6. The ladies leading the petite equestrians are decked out in colorful sundresses and hats, some even matching the spots on their dresses with the spots on their ponies. The class itself is judged on the suitability of the pony to its rider, and is a class not to be missed. 

Youth Art Program: It takes place in the hospitality tent, Wednesday June 8 and Saturday, June 11 from 1-3 p.m. it’s part of “Art Under the Oaks,” a juried show of local artists. The young artists will work on fabric collages, drawing and painting the horse, and live sketching show horses. 

Family Class: Also taking place on Saturday, June 11th is the Family Class. There’s a minimum of two entries per team, and this is a long-time Upperville tradition that allows families to compete as a team. The more family members involved, the more challenging the class becomes, as each team is instructed to walk, trot, and change direction. The family that operates the best as a unit and moves together through the ring will take home the blue.

Ladies Side-saddle: Taking place on Saturday, June 11th is the Ladies Side-Saddle. The competition concludes with the Hermen Greenberg Memorial Stakes. Saturday’s competition features the $20,000 International Derby at 5 p.m. across the street in the Salem Farm Jumper Ring I. For additional details go to www.upperville.com.