Exhibitors from across the country started arriving at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington on Wednesday for the Virginia Classic AQHA Show circuit which starts today and runs through Sunday.

Judges Mike and Charlene Carter, Lynda Danielson, Karen Watters, Kelly McDowell and Suzy Jeane will start evaluating Halter, Western Riding, Ranch Riding, Reining, Over Fences, Hunter Under Saddle and Equitation classes today. Friday’s competition starts at at 8 a.m. begins with Pleasure Driving followed by Horsemanship and Western Pleasure showing in the coliseum while Trail also starts at 8 a.m. in the East Arena.

This year’s show brings some old favorite events back once again and adds a few new ones. The always popular Hylton Maiden $50,000 3-Year-Old and Older Western Pleasure will show on Saturday evening following an exhibitor dinner.  The Harris Leather and Silverworks Versatility Challenge returns, in which exhibitors will compete in Western Riding (Thursday), Trail (Friday) and Western Pleasure (Saturday before the Hylton Maiden).  Friday night the VQHA Amateurs will host Ranch Riding Special class open to all exhibitors, added money  to the highest to the top six places in open and non pro. Cornerstone Horsemanship is sponsoring with a pair of handcrafted stirrups to the highest placing exhibitor.  InStride Edition will sponsor a $1,000 added 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure class on Friday and a $1,000 added 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Under Saddle class on Saturday.

For candids from the show Click Here

Check back all weekend for continued coverage from the Virginia Classic.