Autumn Days Are Busy With Equestrian Events

The horse population of Mackinac is now steadily decreasing, like the daylight hours. The vast majority of private horses have left, or will leave soon, before the cold winds of November gust down Main Street and across Cadotte Avenue. The horses owned by the liveries and Mackinac Island Carriage Tours are counting the days until they can join fellow equines for "down time" at the farms in Pickford and Cedarville. And so Mackinac becomes a bit quieter each day as October gives way to late fall, and then winter arrives.

In the rest of Michigan, however, these autumn days are ripe, and it’s a busy season for the horse industry. The same holds true for many other states and provinces. Many Islanders themselves will be leaving the "Rock" this season for hunting, trade shows, or well-deserved vacations. For those of you who just cannot seem to get enough of horses during the summer months, the following equestrian events might suit your fancy.

The American Shetland Pony Club and the American Miniature Horse Registry will be held Wednesday, November 9, through Saturday, November 12, in Grand Rapids. Pony of the Year awards and Hall of Fame awards, plus a trade fair and pony auction will also be featured. The weekend before (Friday, November 4, through Sunday, November 6) at the MSU Livestock Pavilion, at Michigan State University in East Lansing, a huge tack and horse auction will be held. More than 150 Quarter horses, Appaloosas, and Paints will be featured. In November, in Novi, there will again be a horse expo. For more information on Michigan horse events this fall, check out the Michigan Horse Council for listings.

For Friesian enthusiasts, the International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA) Friesian Grand National Championships will compete for honors Friday, October 28, through Sunday, October 30, at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia. This fall, in Lexington, Kentucky, the American Hackney Horse Society will be on deck to compete the best of the breed in three-in-hand divisions, weanling, yearling, and two-year-old Hackneys for Hackney Futurity divisions. Please note, Lexington, Virginia, for Friesians and Lexington, Kentucky, for Hackneys.

Over in Indiana, the American Connnemara Pony Society Region V show will be happening Saturday, October 29, in Edinburgh, Indiana. The 60th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show will be held Wednesday, October 19, through Friday, October 21, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This classic show is still one of our nation’s largest, featuring more than 1,100 horses and riders, 11 national championships, and more than $340,000 in prize money, as well as many vendors.

If you find yourself in Las Vegas, Nevada, the weekend of October 14-15, check out the Las Vegas World Invitational Classic. More than 25 of the world's best show jumpers in the world will compete for more than $1 million in prize money. It’s classified as a CSI Five-Star competition, one of only 10 competitions so ranked in the world.

Over in Toronto, Ontario, at the Convention and Exposition grounds, the annual Royal Winter Fair takes place Friday, November 4, through Sunday, November 13. Everything agricultural under the sun is there, from the prize-winning Ontario cauliflower, to all kinds of sheep, swine, cattle, poultry and, of course, horses. The Royal plays host to another of the "International 5 stars," with international riders and horses from the Olympics, as well as the "Big Ben Challenge" (a speed and jumping event). Also featured are the large breeds, Clydesdale, Percheron, and Belgian show classes, carriage racing, and pony driving.

If that holds no interest, how about Lippizaners? The Spanish School of Riding, direct from Vienna, Austria, is doing a limited tour in America. This is the first time the (authentic) Royal Spanish Riding School will be in the United States since 1990. They’re here to salute the 60th anniversary of General Patton and the 2nd Cavalry's World War II rescue of the Lippizaner breed. The horses will be limited to only two shows per city. They will be in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, November 5, and Sunday, November 6; St. Louis, Missouri, Saturday, November 12, and Sunday, November 13; Washington, D.C., Saturday, November 19, and Sunday, November 20; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Friday, November 25, and Saturday, November 26; Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday, December 3, and Sunday, December 4; and Houston, Texas, Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11.

Like rodeos and all that goes with them? If you find yourself in Kansas City, Missouri, Friday, October 21, through Saturday, October 29, the American Royal Rodeo/Concert Series will be in full swing. Another good place to see some quality Western Riding this fall is at the Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Thursday, October 20, through Saturday, October 29, for the U.S. National Arabian & Half Arabian Championship Horse Show. This is their 39th year and more than 3,000 horses are expected to compete.

So, if you have the time, the money, and the inclination, there’s a lot out there to do and see before Thanksgiving. Of course, this time of year, it’s also nice to sit back, flip open a horse catalog, and relax. Then, again, what - relax? Why not ride?

Candice Dunnigan is an active member of the American Equestrian Association, the Waterloo Hunt, and the Mackinac Island Horsemen’s Association. Seasonally she resides at Donnybrook and Easterly Cottage.