RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com

Roanoke Valley Horse Show moves to Lexington in 2016

By Rachel Lucas - Weekend Anchor / Reporter /www.wsls.com
June 10, 2016

The Roanoke Valley Horse show is June 20 - 25 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia.

LEXINGTON (WSLS 10) - A long standing tradition that was cancelled last year is making a comeback, but in a different location.

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show was held at the Salem Civic Center for 43 years. It was cancelled last year due to lack of sponsorship. Although money has been an issue in the past, the show is back on in 2016.

It will be held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington.

John Nicholson, CEO of the Virginia Horse Center says they are delighted to be part of the renewal of one of the biggest horse shows in the nation.

"This is classic win, win, win," Nicholson said. "This is a win in that it makes sure that this traditional horse show continues. It's a win for all of the charities that benefit in Roanoke. And it's a win for the Virginia Horse Center because we can proudly show off our facility to more people."

The Roanoke Valley Horse show is June 20 - 25.

 

The RVHA is excited to announce that the 2016 Roanoke Valley Horse Show will be held at the Virginia Horse Center June 20-25, 2016! This could not have been possible without the help and dedication of our Show Chairman, Stacey Wright, managers Steve Kildow and Andrew Ellis and other members of the show committee. Although we will be at a new location, the Roanoke Valley Horsemen's Association is committed to keeping this horse show's charitable contributions coming back to the Roanoke Valley and traditions of southern hospitality at the top of our priority lists! Please mark your calendars to join us!

 

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show is a non-profit volunteer organization that seeks to improve our Valley through its annual $13 million economic impact, and by donating the profits to health and human service organizations in our region. Proceeds are also directed to equine, environmental and conservancy causes.

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show was established in 1972 by the Roanoke Valley Horsemen's Association. It has since become the longest running professional sporting event in the Roanoke Valley and one of the top horse shows in the nation. Rated the highest level of competition in horse shows (AA) by the United States Equestrian Federation, the show awards more than $250,000 in total cash and prizes. The Roanoke Valley Horse Show has been honored with the United States Equestrian Federation’s designation as a USEF Heritage Competition, the highest honor currently held by any Federation horse show.

Every year, the RVHS features Hunter, Jumper, Racking, Roadster, Saddlebred,  & Western Divisions; Barrel Races, Children's Stick Horse Classic and the $50,000 Grand Prix.

 

Get in on the VA Trainers Incentive at
Roanoke Valley Horse Show 2016!

 

Roanoke Valley Horse Show name going by the wayside

May 10, 2018 / https://roanokeequestrian.com/

First its location changed. Then the class list dropped a large portion of the classes and became a show for Saddlebreds. And now the name is disappearing, too.

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show left the Salem Civic Center for a rebirth at the Virginia Horse Center in 2016. But that rebirth became more of a high-speed evolution. The hunter classes were gone by 2017 and the name had been tweaked to Roanoke Shenandoah Valley Horse Show. A Grand Prix would no longer cap off the weeklong schedule. And the support of Roanoke area businesses also was lost as the Roanoke Valley Horseman’s Association passed off the event to new hosts.

This year, the show will run just four days — June 20-23 — at the Virginia Horse Center. And Roanoke appears to be disappearing from its name. The artwork for the show lists it as the Shenandoah Classic Horse Show.

Lots has changed but there will still be plenty of high-stepping action if not high jumping action. And it is inevitable that even some of our most treasured horse show events will change over time, particularly as horse shows face the challenge of dropping participation.

Meanwhile, the Roanoke Valley Horseman’s Association is scheduled to hold a one-day community horse show at Green Hill Park Equestrian Center in Salem this summer. Watch for more details on that event.

The American saddle horse has been hailed as the world's most beautiful horse and also one of the most versatile. It was developed by early pioneers who desired a utility horse of beauty, easy gaits, good disposition, and stamina. The ideal American saddle horse is beautiful with much quality and fineness. It averages from 15 hands to 16 hands in height (hand is four inches) and averages in weight from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. It should have a well-shaped, finely chiseled head, large bright eyes, small ears that are short, dainty, and used alertly. The neck should be long, fitting onto the head with a small throat latch, and fit into a sloping shoulder. Prominent withers, a short and level back, long sloping pasterns, and well-formed feet are desirable. American saddle horses are shown in three major divisions: five-gaited, three-gaited, and fine harness. They also are shown as pleasure and many of them have made excellent hunters and jumpers.

 

The five-gaited horse is the aristocrat of the show ring and is considered spectacular and exciting in a horse show. It wears a full mane and tail and is shown wearing quarter boots to protect the horse's front feet when performing. Five-gaited horses are shown at the three natural gaits of the breed --the walk, trot, and canter and the two man-made gaits --the slow gait and the rack. The trot is a two-beat gait that should be square and bold, with natural high action. Speed is desirable if done in form. The canter should be slow, rhythmic and done with rocking chair smoothness and executed on the correct leads (left lead when going to the left; right lead when going to the right). The slow gait should be a high methodical gait, done very slowly, and with high action particularly in front. The rack is a four-beat gait and free from any lateral motion or pacing. The knee and hock action should be snappy, and speed is desired if done in an elastic step-promptly and alertly. Classes for fivegaited horses are segregated as to sex, age, amateur, ladies', juvenile, open, and stake or championship events.

 

A fine harness horse carries a full mane and tail and is judged at the walk and trot for action and general brilliance of appearance. This horse should have free movement of the shoulders and high knee action, as well as high hock action with legs well under the horse. It is driven to a light buggy designed to carry one person. Classes for the fine harness horse are designated by sex, age, amateur, ladies', open, and stake or championship events.

 

The three-gaited horse performs the three natural gaits --the walk, trot, and canter --and is judged on action, conformation, animation, manners, and soundness. Shown with clipped mane and tail, the three-gaited horse should execute gaits in a slow, collected manner with high action. Head should be carried high, with an alert ear, and an overall air of brilliance. The walk should be prompt, showy, and done cheerfully at about four miles per hour without any dancing. The trot is the gait most emphasized and must be true, high in action, and well collected. Excessive speed is not desired. The canter should be slow, rhythmic, and done on the correct leads. Classes for three-gaited horses are designated by size, age, amateur, ladies', juvenile, open, an stake or championship events.

 

The versatile American Saddlebred has proven to be the ideal pleasure mount. This division is open to mares and geldings shown by an amateur. They wear a full mane and tail which must be carried naturally and arc shown in three-gaited, five-gaited, pleasure driving, country, western, and pleasure equitation classes. Manners and suitability as a pleasure mount are paramount.

The roadster is the speed horse of the show ring. It is usually of the Standardbred breed, noted for speed at the trot and pace. However, in the show ring, the roadster is shown only at the trot. Two types of roadsters are for show --those suitable for bike and those suitable for buggy.
Occasionally one horse is suitable for both classes, but usually the buggy horse will have more scale and weight than the bike horse. The roadster should have an attractive appearance, balanced conformation, speed and action at the trot, and safe manners.The chief gait of the roadster is the trot. It trots at three different speeds --the jog, road gait, and trot as speed. At all speeds, it should work in form, with straight and true action. Animation and show ring presence should characterize the road horse, especially at the jog and road gait.
Roadsters should enter the ring in a clockwise direction at a jog. They are usually asked to road gait, then turn to a counterclockwise direction and jog, road gait, and trot at speed. They should go at full speed both ways of the ring and should stand quietly when lined up.Roadsters are judged on performance, conformance, animation, manners, and soundness. Class specifications for the roadster horse are either bike or buggy events and classified open, amateur, speed, and stake or championship events. They are also shown under saddle and asked to perform at the same gaits and worked in the same manner as when driven.

 

Equitation or horsemanship is a division open to riders who have not reached their 18th birthday and are amateurs. All classes are judged solely on the rider's style and ability to control the horse. The horse is not judged or rated in this division.
Certain fundamentals of equitation are rigidly observed in judging. Riders are required to post with the action of the horse's front leg which is next to the ring fence. They are also required to canter the horse on the correct lead. Riders are sometimes asked to work individually. There are several tests a judge may choose. Some of those most frequently used are: pick up reins, dismount and mount, figure eights using correct diagonal and canter leads, ride without stirrups, and change horses. Some judges ask riders to answer questions on anatomy, tack, and equitation.
There are three types of equitation --saddle seat, hunter seat, and stock seat. These classifications can be broken down into designated classes by age, medal class, and stakes or championships.

 

The Western Horse is not necessarily one breed of horse, although the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa, and Paint dominate the classes. It is known for being levelheaded, moving with suppleness, and offering easy comfort for the rider. The pleasure horse should perform on a loose rein and have a long, slow stride.
The performance horse classes are designed to show the agility and athletic ability of the Western Horse. It must have a sudden burst of speed, a quick stop, and an easy turn on its haunches. The reining horse and working cow horse particularly exemplify a special talent of making successive 360 degree turns while remaining in position.

 

Barrel Horse is a high-spirited, intelligent animal. No single breed is classified as a barrel horse, although Quarter Horses dominate the ranks. The barrel horse must be smooth in making turns, then deliver quick bursts of speed for the straight aways. The barrel horse may actually show less than twenty seconds in a class. Even though they show such a short time, the barrel horse must be in great physical condition, and have tremendous ability and awesome stamina.

 

The racking horse is a gracefully built, good-looking mount, with long sloping neck, full flanks, flat smooth legs, and finely textured hair. Small to medium size, it averages 15 hands in height and approximately 1,000 lbs. in weight. The racking horse is exhibited with no artificial appliances, no boots or set tails. This breed is shown at the show walk, the slow rack, and the fast rack. Show walk is a smooth, collected, slow and easy gait. It is a distinctive four-beat gait displaying both style and grace. The horse is alert and well-mounted in the bridle. Slow rack is a relaxed four-beat gait with both style and action, neither a pace nor a trot. The neck should be arched with head and ears alert. This gait should be straight and square at all times. Fast rack is in the same form as the slow rack displaying style, action, and speed. At no time is form sacrificed for speed. In each of the three gaits, the horse must be collected and presented will. The rider must be relaxed and smooth in the saddle. At no time should the horse exemplify a gait with animated hock action. The racking horse must exhibit good conformation.

A hunter is generally shown over a course of obstacles placed in the ring to simulate conditions encountered while fox hunting. It should go over the course at an even hunting pace, without hesitation, galloping with long easy strides close to the ground, land and move away, all in one motion. The judge looks for the finer points of smoothness, quality, and the general polish of the performance. It could be compared to judging an ice skater that performs smoothly with grace and poise. A hunter should also possess good manners. Hunters are faulted for any deviation from the above plus being faulted she same as open jumpers for touches, knockdowns, refusals, or falls.A Green Working Hunter is a horse of any age in its first or second year of showing. Horses in their first year arc shown over fences approximately 3'6" and in their second year over fences 3'9". Junior Hunter Classes are limited to horses over 14.2 hands, ridden by juniors who have not reached their 18th birthday. Fences are 3'6". Amateur-Owner Hunter Classes are limited to amateur riders over 18 years of age who own their own horse. In Hunter Under Saddle Classes, horses work at a walk, trot, and canter only, and do not jump.

Jumper classes are the most popular with the spectators because they provide thrilling entertainment. The horse's performance over the obstacle is all that counts. The horse's manner of jumping is not considered, nor is its soundness. If the horse negotiates the entire course of obstacles without touching any, does not veer from the prescribed course, or refuse to jump an obstacle, the score is perfect.If, after all horses have completed, there are two or more with perfect scores, they jump the course again, usually with the obstacles raised above their original height. This is called a "Jump off",and the winners are thus determined.Jumper courses are designed to test the handiness, agility, training, and temperament of the competitors, as well as their ability to clear heights. The layout of the course, the distance between fences, their angles to one another, and the distance in which turns are made are just as important as the obstacles themselves. In some classes jump offs may occur directly after a horse has completed a clean first round. It will be shortened course with the fastest time and cleanest round being the winner. For this reason, notice that riders may walk a course on foot before a class, planning a strategy of how to ride the course in the best way. They will pace the distances from one jump to another to plan the number of strides it takes between obstacles. The riders also examine the jumps to see, up close, the degree of expertise it will take to jump a clear round.The rider's form is a very important part of a jumper's performance. Notice that he will lean forward to help the horse in the air, as well as put his hands forward making sure that he will not hit the horse's mouth in flight. In some cases, though, the rider will turn a horse as he leaves the ground in order to land and proceed directly to another jump to the right or left.In every case, always notice the clock at the end of the arena. Not only must the winner of a jumper class jump clean, but he must have the fastest time.

All animals under 14.2 hands are classified as ponies and are eligible for pony classes unless there are other specifications. There are five-gaited and three-gaited pony classes where the ponies are judged at the same gaits and manners as the horses. Other classes in this division are for pleasure, roadster, and western ponies:

HACKNEY PONY

0ne of the oldest breeds in the horse kingdom, the Hackney is a carriage horse or pony which originated in England. Hackneys are the high steppers of the show ring, with extreme action both front and behind. They are shown with a vehicle called a viceroy, a miniature fine harness buggy. Hackneys should show much brilliance and show ring presence, but still give a picture of sheer daintiness and perfection. They are shown only at the trot but, in most classes, are judges at two speeds, the park pace and then the trot. Custom demands that they be shown with docked tail and mane braided close to the neck. At the trot, they should snap their knees and hocks, and their action should be high, straight, and true. Hackneys are judged on performance, conformation, animation, manners, and soundness. Hackney classes are classified as to age, height, ladies', amateur, open, pairs, tandem, gig, and state or championship events. The Hackney pony cannot be more that 14.2 hands.

The harness pony was originated by crossing three pony breeds: the Hackney, Welsh, and Shetland. The harness pony has the high action and gracefulness of the Hackney; the desired conformation, spirit, and style of the Welsh; and the manners and size of the Shetland. The harness pony cannot exceed 50 inches in height.Harness ponies arc shown to a viceroy, carry full mane and tail, and are shown both ways of the ring at the park trot and at a more animated or faster gait as drive on or at will. Harness ponies should show brilliance, show ring presence, and much the same trot as a fine harness horse, but with more snap to their knees and hocks. They are judged on performance, conformation, animation, manners, and soundness.

Your Support

Choose from the following Sponsorships Opportunities:

Carter Machinery Co., Inc.
City of Salem
Don Bandy - Joe Bandy & Son, Inc.
First Team Auto Mall
Fox Grape Farms, Inc.
Marion Bradley Via Memorial Foundation
Moss & Rocovich, Attorneys at Law, PC

A Friend Bent Tree Farm, LTD Betty Carr Muse Blue Ridge Copier Boone Tractor Bradley Free Clinic Carilion Clinic Carol S. Reedy Catawba Equestrian Center, LLC Charlotte Sandy City of Roanoke Donald M. Sutton, Sr. Dr. and Mrs. Nelson B. Greene East Belmont Farm, Keswick, VA Farm Credit and Country Mortgages Garnett E. Smith Grand Home Furnishings Hart Motor Co., Inc.

Holiday Inn Hotel - Tanglewood Hollins University Irene and Tom Brock James and Rebecca Tobey Jeanne T. Lucas LewisGale Regional Health System LM Sandy Gerald Lois Farmer Memorial to Frank VanBalen Michael And Owen Weaver Mr. & Mrs. Howard C. Lawrence Mrs. George P. Moore, Jr. Nancy Peterson Nancy Peterson/ In memory of Guy Burkholder Plastics One, Inc. Q99 Roanoke County Economic Development Roanoke Golf Cars

Sandy Anderson Scott and Billie Greene Sherrill and Maxine Smith Sherwood Memorial Park Southern States Cooperative, Inc. Spectrum Design P.C. Stone Bridge Equestrian Center, Natural Bridge, VA The Big Lonely - Karen Banks The Joiner Family The Kroger Company The Virginia Horse Center Tractor Supply Company UPHA Chapter 18 Walton Rutherfoord WDBJ7 William J. and Barbara B. Lemon

Dr. Randall R. Rhea
Estelle N. Avner
Peter & Enoch Branstetter Farm
Stephen and Karen Waskey
Westaway Ridge Farm

More Background On RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show grew from a regional equestrian competition into one of the most respected multi-breed horse shows in the United States. Established in 1972 by the Roanoke Valley Horsemen's Association (RVHA), the event quickly became an annual tradition in southwest Virginia and ultimately earned one of the sport's highest distinctions, designation as a United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Heritage Competition. That recognition is reserved for competitions that have made significant, long-term contributions to American equestrian sport while demonstrating decades of excellence and sportsmanship.

Although the official RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com website now serves primarily as an archive of the event's history, it documents an era when the competition was considered one of the premier horse shows in the country. The archived site chronicles more than four decades of growth before the show relocated from Salem to the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington in 2016, after which the event gradually evolved into a very different competition before ultimately losing the Roanoke name altogether.

The Roanoke Valley Horsemen's Association

The driving force behind the horse show was the Roanoke Valley Horsemen's Association, a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting equestrian sports while benefiting the surrounding community. Rather than operating solely as a sporting event, the Association positioned the horse show as a charitable fundraiser whose proceeds supported numerous health, educational, agricultural, and equine-related organizations throughout western Virginia.

For decades, volunteers organized nearly every aspect of the event, from sponsorships and hospitality to competition management and charitable fundraising. This volunteer-driven structure helped establish the show's reputation for exceptional organization and Southern hospitality, characteristics frequently praised by exhibitors returning year after year.

A Premier Equestrian Competition in Southwest Virginia

For more than four decades, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show served as one of Virginia's premier sporting events and became one of the nation's best-known multi-breed horse shows. Held annually at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia, the week-long competition attracted elite riders, trainers, horse owners, breeders, and thousands of spectators from across the United States. By combining world-class competition with community fundraising, the show established a unique identity that extended well beyond the equestrian world.

Unlike many horse shows that focus on a single discipline, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show offered an unusually broad mix of competitions. Throughout much of its history, attendees could watch hunter and jumper events alongside American Saddlebreds, Roadsters, Racking Horses, Western classes, barrel racing, Friesians, Hackney ponies, harness ponies, and numerous youth and amateur competitions. This variety appealed to exhibitors from many equestrian disciplines while giving spectators the opportunity to experience multiple styles of riding and driving during a single event.

One of the signature attractions was the Saturday evening $50,000 Grand Prix, which routinely drew the largest crowds of the week. The Grand Prix showcased elite show jumping competitors navigating technically challenging courses against the clock, creating an exciting finale that became synonymous with the Roanoke Valley Horse Show. Combined with championship Saddlebred classes and other featured events, it helped establish the show as one of the region's most anticipated annual sporting traditions.

National Recognition and USEF Heritage Status

As the competition matured, it earned recognition far beyond Virginia. The show consistently received the highest ratings available through the governing organizations that oversaw American horse shows, eventually competing under the United States Equestrian Federation's highest classifications. Its reputation culminated in 2013 when the United States Equestrian Federation designated the Roanoke Valley Horse Show as a USEF Heritage Competition, placing it among a select group of long-established horse shows recognized for their contributions to equestrian sport and community service.

The Heritage designation is not awarded simply because of longevity. Competitions must demonstrate decades of excellence while promoting sportsmanship, supporting equestrian development, and making meaningful contributions to their communities. Receiving this honor confirmed what exhibitors had known for years: the Roanoke Valley Horse Show had become one of America's landmark horse shows.

National equestrian publications frequently praised the atmosphere surrounding the event. Saddle Horse Report described Roanoke as one of the country's premier spectator horse shows, noting that the enthusiastic crowds created an energy unlike many other competitions on the national circuit. Trainers often remarked that winning at Roanoke carried special prestige because competitors performed before thousands of knowledgeable and appreciative fans.

Salem Civic Center: An Ideal Home

Much of the show's identity became intertwined with the Salem Civic Center, where it was held for more than forty years. Although the facility normally hosted concerts, basketball tournaments, conventions, and community events, each summer it was transformed into a major equestrian venue complete with temporary stabling, competition rings, hospitality areas, vendor spaces, and seating for thousands of spectators.

Converting an indoor civic center into a nationally recognized horse show required months of planning and an enormous volunteer effort. Temporary footing had to be installed, hundreds of stalls assembled, equipment transported, and support facilities created almost from scratch every year. Despite these logistical challenges, exhibitors often praised the venue's central location, accessibility, and welcoming atmosphere.

Signature Attractions and the Spectator Experience

One of the reasons the Roanoke Valley Horse Show stood apart from many other equestrian competitions was its ability to appeal equally to serious horse enthusiasts and casual spectators. While nationally ranked riders and trainers came to compete, thousands of local residents attended simply because the event had become one of the Roanoke Valley's premier annual traditions. Evening performances routinely drew some of the largest crowds on the national horse show circuit, creating an atmosphere that exhibitors frequently described as both energetic and welcoming.

The Saturday night $50,000 Grand Prix became the centerpiece of the week. Spectators packed the arena to watch elite show-jumping horses navigate technically demanding courses where speed, precision, and athleticism determined the winner. The Grand Prix showcased Olympic-caliber talent, and the combination of dramatic jump-offs, enthusiastic crowds, and substantial prize money made it one of the region's premier sporting events. For many local families, attending Grand Prix night became an annual tradition that extended across multiple generations.

The show also understood the importance of making the event enjoyable for visitors who were unfamiliar with competitive equestrian sports. Family-oriented attractions included the popular Children's Stick Horse Classic, Jack Russell Terrier races during earlier years, vendor exhibits, food concessions, and opportunities to meet horses representing a wide variety of breeds and disciplines. These activities helped broaden the audience beyond dedicated horse owners while introducing many children to equestrian sports for the first time.

Unlike competitions devoted to a single discipline, Roanoke celebrated nearly every major segment of the horse industry. Visitors could watch elegant American Saddlebreds performing five-gaited classes before moving to hunter and jumper competitions, western performance events, barrel racing, roadsters, racking horses, hackney ponies, harness ponies, and equitation championships. This diversity gave spectators an unusually complete introduction to American horse sport within a single week, making the event attractive to both experienced equestrians and newcomers alike.

Media Coverage and National Reputation

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show received extensive media attention throughout its history. Regional television stations, including WDBJ7 and WSLS, covered the event annually, highlighting its economic importance, charitable mission, and national caliber of competition. Newspapers such as The Roanoke Times regularly published feature stories about the event, its competitors, and its impact on the region, often describing it as one of southwest Virginia's premier sporting attractions.

Within the equestrian community, trade publications provided equally enthusiastic coverage. Saddle Horse Report documented championship performances, while Saddle & Bridle praised the exceptional crowds and hospitality that distinguished Roanoke from many other national competitions. Exhibitors often commented that competing before thousands of knowledgeable spectators created an atmosphere rarely found elsewhere on the horse show circuit. Winning a championship in Roanoke carried considerable prestige because of both the quality of competition and the enthusiasm of the audience.

Corporate sponsors also helped reinforce the show's reputation. Over the years, support came from healthcare organizations, agricultural businesses, automobile dealerships, financial institutions, universities, media outlets, and local governments. Companies such as Carilion Clinic, LewisGale Regional Health System, Carter Machinery, Tractor Supply Company, Grand Home Furnishings, Hollins University, The Kroger Company, and numerous local equestrian businesses viewed the horse show as an opportunity to associate their brands with one of Virginia's most respected sporting events while simultaneously supporting charitable causes.

The combination of elite competition, volunteer leadership, community involvement, and charitable giving earned the Roanoke Valley Horse Show a reputation that extended far beyond Virginia. By the early 2010s, its decades of success culminated in the United States Equestrian Federation awarding the competition USEF Heritage Competition status, recognizing not only its longevity but also its contributions to equestrian sport and the communities it served.

Relocation, Reinvention, and the End of an Era

Despite its decades of success, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show faced increasing challenges during the 2010s. Like many long-established equestrian competitions across the United States, it contended with rising operating costs, changing participation trends, increasing demands on sponsors, and the financial realities of staging a major multi-breed horse show. These pressures ultimately led to the cancellation of the 2015 event, creating uncertainty about whether one of Virginia's signature sporting traditions would survive.

Rather than disappear completely, the event was revived in 2016 through a partnership that moved the competition from its longtime home at the Salem Civic Center to the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia. The Virginia Horse Center, one of the nation's premier equestrian facilities, offered permanent barns, multiple competition arenas, and infrastructure specifically designed for horse shows. Organizers hoped the move would reduce logistical challenges while preserving the event's charitable mission and long-standing traditions.

Although the relocation successfully brought the competition back, the event gradually changed in character. The extensive hunter and jumper divisions that had helped define the show for decades were reduced and eventually eliminated. The schedule increasingly emphasized American Saddlebreds and related breeds, resulting in a competition that differed substantially from the multi-breed showcase that generations of exhibitors had known.

The transformation continued over the next several years. The event was briefly promoted as the Roanoke Shenandoah Valley Horse Show before eventually becoming the Shenandoah Classic Horse Show. As ownership, management, and class offerings evolved, the historic Roanoke name quietly disappeared from the title, marking the conclusion of an era that had begun more than four decades earlier.

The Legacy of RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com

Although the original competition no longer exists in its historic form, RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com remains an important digital archive documenting one of Virginia's most influential equestrian events. The preserved website offers a snapshot of the horse show's final years while also capturing information about earlier competitions, sponsorship opportunities, class descriptions, charitable initiatives, photographs, historical statistics, and educational resources that introduced visitors to the many breeds and disciplines represented at the show.

One of the site's most valuable features is its extensive educational content. Rather than serving only as an event calendar, it explained the differences between hunter and jumper competition, described American Saddlebreds, Roadsters, Racking Horses, Western horses, Hackney ponies, harness ponies, barrel racing, equitation, and numerous other classes. It also included an equestrian glossary that helped newcomers understand common horse show terminology, making the website a useful educational resource in addition to a promotional tool.

For historians, former exhibitors, volunteers, and longtime spectators, the archived website preserves an important chapter in Virginia's sporting history. It documents the evolution of a community event that grew into a nationally recognized competition while remaining committed to volunteerism and charitable giving. The archived pages also provide insight into how horse shows were organized, promoted, and supported before social media became the primary method of event marketing.

Today, the website stands as more than a collection of archived pages. It serves as a historical record of an event that helped shape the equestrian identity of the Roanoke Valley for more than forty years. While the competition itself has evolved beyond recognition, the legacy preserved through RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com continues to illustrate the lasting impact that a community-supported sporting event can have on local tourism, charitable organizations, and the broader equestrian community.

 

For more than four decades, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show represented far more than an annual equestrian competition. It became one of the defining sporting traditions of southwest Virginia, attracting elite competitors from across the United States while creating lasting economic and charitable benefits for the Roanoke Valley. From its beginnings under the leadership of the Roanoke Valley Horsemen's Association to its recognition as a prestigious United States Equestrian Federation Heritage Competition, the show earned a reputation for competitive excellence, exceptional hospitality, and meaningful community service.

Its success was built on a unique combination of nationally recognized competition and local volunteerism. Thousands of exhibitors, trainers, sponsors, spectators, and volunteers contributed to an event that showcased virtually every major equestrian discipline while raising significant funds for healthcare, education, youth development, veterinary medicine, and equine welfare. Few sporting events have maintained such a strong connection to their surrounding community while simultaneously achieving national prominence within their sport.

Although financial pressures and changing trends ultimately led to the relocation of the competition from Salem to the Virginia Horse Center in 2016, followed by its transformation into a different event under a new name, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show continues to occupy an important place in Virginia's equestrian history. Its influence can still be seen through the organizations it supported, the competitors who considered it a career highlight, and the generations of families who made attending the horse show an annual tradition.

Today, RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com serves as a valuable historical archive preserving the story of one of the nation's premier multi-breed horse shows. The archived website documents not only schedules, class lists, sponsors, and results, but also the broader legacy of an event that combined sport, philanthropy, tourism, and community pride into a tradition that endured for more than forty years. For former exhibitors, historians, horse enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the rich heritage of American equestrian competition, it remains an important record of an era when the Roanoke Valley Horse Show stood among the country's most respected and beloved horse shows.

RoanokeValleyHorseShow.com