Over $45,000 in cash and prizes will be up for grabs today in the Virginia Maiden 3-Year-Old and Over Western Pleasure Slot Class, being presented at noon today, during Tar Heel Summer Classic in Raleigh, North Carolina. A bonus will be paid to the highest placing Limited and Intermediate riders in the class.

“Excited does not even graze the top of my emotions for today,” said Meghan Tierney, who along with Carmeron Van Sickle, took over management of the slot class in 2018.

Formerly known as the Hylton Maiden 3-Year-Old and Over Western Pleasure Class, the event was sponsored for many years by Cecilia Hylton, owner of Hylton Quarter Horses in Gainesville, Virginia. Hylton introduced the class at the Reichert Celebration to encourage trainers to refrain from pushing young show prospects. The class was moved to Hylton’s home state in 2011. It has been the highest paying Western Pleasure futurity class in the nation for the past several years. When Hylton decided to discontinue sponsorship of the class after last year’s event, VQHA stepped in to keep it alive.

This year’s class was moved to the Tar Heel Summer Classic when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down shows across the United States from March through June.

“I’m honored to be a part of a program that encourages growth and maturity in our horses to ensure they can show when they are truly ready to show, without losing the opportunity to win big money,” Tierney said. “We are  thrilled with the success of not only the maiden class, but excited and appreciative of the support for our newly added Non-Pro and Limited Horse classes as well. We paid over 16,000 yesterday, and today we will be paying out just shy of $40,000. Plus, we’ve given $10,000 worth of prizes, and gained more support and sponsorship including the $1,000 Harris saddle challenge plus a prized custom Harris saddle. The program is still in its infancy-this being its second year, but that has not slowed us down at all. I have big plans for where this futurity will go in years to come and I’m so happy to invest in something worthy. We are a volunteer staff, and do everything we can to give back to the industry that has given us so much. We hope to continue growing and wish everyone the best of luck today.” 

Georgia trainer Jason English will be showing Made In Madison today for owner Melanie Parker. He and his wife, Jamie, raised the bay stallion out of Talkin Hot and said he is a great jogger and he lopes the same in both directions.

“We only ever have to work on body position,” Jason said.

He is excited to be showing today in the Virginia Maiden.

“It’s a prestigious show and doing well there could set him up for a great year,” English said.

Competing today will be:

• Best Thing Yet, owned by Vickie Ogburn and shown by Jeremy May.

• Martina Mckride, owned by Robert Roger and shown by Katy Jo Zuidema.

• Made In May,  owned by Katie Kopf and shown by Taft Dickerson.

• For What Its Worth,  owned by Capital Quarter Horses and shown by Andy Cochran.

• Love To Holiday owned by Kerry Blackaller and shown by Kristy Starnes.

• Watermelon Crawl, owned by Jamie Migliori and shown by Madison Hallas.

• Hotty Totty owned by Chav3z Enterprises and shown by Randy Wilson.

• Cool Machine, owned by Karen Wood and shown by Sean Knowles.

• My Best Version owned by Gina Janke and shown by Dawn Baker.

• Kickin Dust Up, owned by Molli Jacobs and shown by Brian Baker.

• Son Of A Machine, owned by Amanda Mehaffey and shown by Brian Ale.

• Nothin But Nett, owned by Susan Johns and shown by Rusty Green.

• Yall Hashtag This, owned by Brent & Kate Bamford and shown by Aaron Moses.

• KM WeKnowShesBest, owned by Masterson Farms and shown by Casey Willis.

• KM BestInTheMoonlite owned by Robin Labar and shown by Karen Hornick.

• Alla Right Moves, owned by Steve & Susan Thompson and shown by Travis Duit..

• Hot Lopin Lily, owned by Twyla Brown and shown by Blair Townsend.

• Best Kase Scenario, owned by Brett & Heather Caplinger and shown by Kenny Lakins

• Made In Madison owned by Melanie Parker and shown by Jason English.

• VS Im Hot, owned by Debra Wasik and shown by Theresa Wills.

• Girl Code owned by Double C Acres and shown by Adam Mathis.

• I’ve Been Mooned owned by Melinda Defreece and shown by Jessica Duffy.

• Hez Pretty Foxy, owned by Charise Silva and shown by Jeff Long.

         InStride Edition will broadcast the Virginia Maiden 3 & Over Maiden Western Pleasure on Facebook Live. Visit the InStride Edition Facebook page for updates and to watch the class in real time.

For candid photographs from the Tar Heel Summer Classic click here: https://instrideedition.com/summer-classic/