A total of eight horses are entered in the 3-Year-Old Maiden Open Hunter Under Saddle slot class, being presented tonight for second straight year as part of the Virginia Maiden at the Spring Breakout AQHA Show in Lexington, Virginia. Action will get underway starting at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and will be broadcast live on the InStride Edition Facebook Page.

Tonight’s winner will received $10,016.48 The highest  placing Limited Rider in the class will receive a $1,000 bonus and $500 will go to the second highest placing Limited Rider.

Florida resident Meagan Tierney, who is part of the Virginia Maiden management team, has long had a dream to offer Hunter Under Saddle horses and riders a class with payouts as lucrative as is offered to Western Pleasure horses. This year’s total purse for the class is $34,539.60

 “It’s no secret I have a passion for the Hunter Under Saddle and I wanted to stress that the hunt seaters not only get equal opportunities for classes in which to show, but also get equal purses to what our showcase Western Pleasure classes get,” she said. “Often times we see purses for Hunter Under Saddle classes receive only a fraction of what the Western Pleasure offers at the same show. They pay just as much to attend. They are just as important and deserve to be treated as such.”

To be eligible for the class, horses must be at least 3 years old and not have shown under saddle.

Competing tonight will be:

Im The Greater Good (Good I Will Be x Detailed Coat) bred by Sandra Morgan, owned by Erin Duquette and shown by Katy Jo Zuidema

Doctor Fabulous (Ultimately Fabulous x Medical Angel) bred by Iowa State University, owned by Majorie Henry and shown by Amy Richardson Miller

Iron Ore (Hottie In The House x Deja Blues) bred by Nicole Amlin, owned by Tara Ramey and shown by Suzanne Duquette

Im Willy Precious (Makin Me Willy Wild x Shes Willy Precious) bred by Nicole Rice, owned by Joanna Carpenter and shown by Raina Parsons

Redd Corvette (Allocate Your Assets x Blue Couture) bred by Debbie Hodde, owned by Pamela Raad and shown by Jessica Noiseux

Southernaire (Its A Southern Thing x Sleepy Pleasures) bred by Gumz Farms, owned by Looney Quarter Horses and shown by Kaitlin Hutchinson

When Im Good (Good Better Best x WhenOnlyTheBestWillDo) bred by Nancy Sue Ryan, owned by Denise Quick and shown by Tami Thurston

I Gotta Code (VS Code Blue x Sleepy Bombshell) bred by Katherine Tobin, owned and shown by Jennifer Reams.

Last year’s winner was Keith Miller and Boy Oh Boy.

$2,500 Limited Horse Open Western Pleasure

Earlier today Adam Mathis of Camden, South Carolina, rode American Made, a win in the $2,500 Novice Horse Open Western Pleasure. Collecting $3,104 for owner Nettie Olsen. Mathis said the bay gelding by Machine Made out of Lope By Invitation, was awesome.

“He’s so rhythmic and everything is just easy for him and he really loves his job,” Mathis said.

Virginia’s Spring Breakout is one of Mathis’ favorite shows.

“I grew up on the east coast so Virginia has always been a mainstay in my mind,” he said. “I love the horse show, the people who run the show because of the hospitality they provide and the people who come here to compete.”

Show manager Cameron Van Sickle said he is thrilled with how this year’s show is coming together.

 “The weather is beautiful and it’s hard to not have a great show at this facility this time of year,” he said. “We’ve had a great turnout this year. The numbers have been strong. Our Junior Western Pleasure had 18 horses today which we haven’t seen in a long time and all of our futurity classes have great numbers.”

Van Sickle said some of the highlights of the annual event include the people and the facility paired with great payouts.

“We have some of the most supportive and loyal exhibitors that a horse show could ask for,” he said. “The overall vibe has been exceptional. We’ve been blessed with great weather this year allowing everyone to show outside and has given maiden exhibitors unlimited time in the Coliseum to prepare so everyone has super happy this year.”

Tomorrow night will feature the 3-Year-Old & Over Maiden Open Western Pleasure class.