03.05.08

Fun in Arabian Costume horse show class

Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 7:34 pm by petArtist Cmoses

Riding Willow’s Bask, daughter Emmie showed in native costume classes in 1992-94. They showed at Deerfield Fair Open Horse Shows and on the Arabian Circuit in the N.H. Arabian shows, also held on the Deerfield fairgrounds. (All the large area horse shows are held at Deerfield NH.)

Em showing Willow’s Bask in Arabian Native Costume Class, Deerfield Fair 1992 (CLICK PIX to enlarge, and use BACK button to return to blog) Photo by Doug Shiflet.

Emmie loved the costume class! There were two in a weekend, the Regular (first) class and the Championship class. You had to show first in the Regular class in order to enter the Championship Class. During Deerfield Fair, which is New Hampshire’s largest fair spanning 4 days, the Arabian Native Costume Championship class was always held on a Saturday night, typically the very last class of the evening.

Trial run in the costume they showed in, which I cobbled together myself (CLICK PIX to enlarge) See how I made it at Arabian costume created from scratch !

We always thought the Fair ran the Native Costume as the last class of the night in order to hold the spectators there as long as possible. It is a very popular class with the crowds of course– think 10-14 Arabian steeds in full regalia, many with bells on, galloping into the ring for their entrance, with the crowd cheering and whistling! They show at the hand-gallop and at the walk. They need to be showy and flashy but well-mannered at the same time. At the end, after all that galloping both ways of the ring, they have to line up HEAD TO TAIL down the centerline of the ring, and back up on signal, for the judge’s inspection.

In one of Willy mare’s first costume classes she reared up when the judge walked by her. Em just laughed it off– she had already learned how subjective horse-showing was and she didn’t take it all so seriously.

This is the painting I made of them… (CLICK PIX to enlarge) and more horse art prints are on my site.

In costume classes it seemed the saddleseat Arabians usually placed better (than hunter-types) probably because they were high-stepping. We used to feed Willy higher-protein grain for 2-3 days before the costume classes just to pump her up a little, and she definitely got pretty animated in that open-air ring under the lights at night, while the packed crowds and glitz of the midway were going on all around them!!!

Em and Willy with Nana

Although Em and Wil did very well in huntseat showing on the Arabian circuit (Reserve Championships their first year, Championships their second year in all her Junior-to-ride categories: hunter pleasure, huntseat equitation, hunter-under-saddle), they only got some placings and one Reserve Champ in the Arabian Open Costume Class… but she had tons of fun! And that mare with Em on her was the nicest Arabian hunter you could imagine! To think that she was “just” a backyard horse was unimaginable for many of the large barns. And at age 14, Em entered an Open Equitation class at Deerfield Fair (not just Juniors) and beat out 16 other riders for the blue ribbon! NOT too shabby!

Waiting for mare to get urine inspection…

Urine inspection… REALLY?? It’s a funny story, Em was singled out for a random urine test for drugs at the horse show. The woman with the blue bag followed her around nearly an hour. Even after putting Willy back in her stall (fresh shavings almost always guarantees a fountain release), the mare never would pee and the tester finally gave up. What a job, huh!

See how I made this costume, and more horse costumes on petArtistWithPeaches…

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