If you hurry up, there's still time to enter. Find the show premium here; it needs to be postmarked by March 7th. If you're still on the fence about the show, get off it, and come! The Golden Empire Arabian Horse Society is putting on a show unlike they've ever done. Wait until you see the facility!
Gardiner Ranch entry way
Lowell Saunders, the show manager (contact him here), invited me to join the club as they toured the show venue and made final arrangements. How have the property owners kept this place such a secret?
The massive covered arena.
The show venue is located just off Enos lane, a few miles south of 7th Standard Road. Parking will be along the edge of the gravel drive, but it's plenty wide enough and close to the arena and warm up area.
Plenty of "pull through" parking.
The club will also be sponsoring a barbecue lunch, free for competitors and trainers. The GEAHS group has always done excellent prizes as well as a silent auction. Expect them to bring those back for this year as well.
Lunch will be availble from here.
The arena is so large that it will contain not only the dressage court and judge's platform, but an "on deck" warm up area as well. Even though a reining show was going on during our visit, the footing still looked quite lovely for dressage. George, the man in charge of the footing, asked me to describe the kind of footing we would like and promised to get it perfect for us.
Plenty of room!
There is also a round pen for lunging and a dirt field that will be dragged and smoothed for the warm up. It's a large, fenced area that will more than meet our needs as a warm up ring. As a bonus, it is just steps away from the arena entrance.
Airy, fenced, and with excellent footing.
The GEAHS Spring Open Dressage Show is CDS-rated, but if you're just starting out, don't let that stop you. The club is hoping to attract riders of all levels. They really just want riders to come and enjoy a day with horses in a beautiful facility.
What a view!
The show is Sunday, March 18th. In order to prepare for the show, I am working with the venue's facilitator and Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, to (hopefully) put together a Ride-a-Test clinic for Saturday, the day before the show. Let me know if you'd like to participate.
The GEAHS is already planning next year's event at the Gardiner Ranch. So even if you're not quite ready to show this year, come on out to get a look at the facility. Then stay for lunch and enjoy Chemaine's fabulous freestyle!
The GEAHS is already planning next year's event at the Gardiner Ranch. So even if you're not quite ready to show this year, come on out to get a look at the facility. Then stay for lunch and enjoy Chemaine's fabulous freestyle!
