Vale Gives Crowd Big Thrill At Roanoke Valley Horse Show

On the last ride of the Open Jump Stake event, the noted rider comes through with a winner.
By Ray Cox, Roanoke Times

Should you be in first place in a big money open jumper class at the Roanoke Valley Horse Show one night and there are contestants yet to leap, you have to hope one of them isn't Aaron Vale.

Atop Electric, the last of 20 horses to appear in the $7,500 Open Jumper Stake Thursday night at the Salem Civic Center, Vale assumed the role of heartbreaker yet again.

With the very fast MTM Centano and rider Tracy Fenney already through two fault-free tours and the owner of a time to beat of 24.944 seconds, Vale had his objective squarely in front of him.

Problem was he didn't have all that much faith in his horse.
"He's a young horse, only 8, I don't even know his breed," Vale said. "I bought him last fall in England. He jumps well; he does not turn too well. I didn't think I had much of a chance to catch Tracy."

Nothing like knowing the competition. Vale and Fenney have been competing against each other since they were children in Texas.

"Thirty years," Fenney said.

Vale opened up the throttle, courting disaster all the way through his first round. All the fences remained in place when he raced across the finish line.

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Healing Strides takes needed step

By CHARLES BOOTHE
Franklin News-Post

As the temperature soared above 90 degrees on Monday, riders, parents, staff and guests at Healing Strides of Virginia in Boones Mill could find relief from the hot sun under a new roof.

A covered equine arena was recently completed, and officials were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, held in shade the large facility provides.
"This (the arena) is a godsend," said Lynda Gray, president of the board of directors of Healing Strides, a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic programs using horses. "Without this, we would be stifled this time of year."
Services at Healing Strides include therapeutic riding lessons, equine assisted psychotherapy and equine assisted learning, all for both children and adults.

The organization was started in 1991 and moved to its new location on Naff Road in 2002.
Michelle Holling-Brooks, Healing Strides program director, pointed to the large fans on the ceiling that provided a constant breeze to help cool the riders and horses.

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Lightning strikes horse barn near Neersville

By Jana Wagoner
Source: Loudoun County Fire-Rescue
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 2008

During the storm that passed through Loudoun June 10, lightning struck a barn near Neersville, catching it on fire and causing $300,000 worth of damage, Loudoun County Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Mary Maguire said.

The fire happened around 4:15 p.m. at the barn at 36502 Kidwell Road. Fire-rescue units arrived on the scene to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the 100-foot-by-60-foot horse barn, Maguire said.

Sixteen horses and several workers were in or around the barn when the fire started. All were able to escape by the time fire units arrived, Maguire said.
It took about three hours to fully control the fire, as it had spread quickly throughout the roof area, involving most of the structure. Fire crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading to a neighboring barn, Maguire said.
There were no injuries reported during the incident.

Three Salem kids qualify for Virginia 4-H State Championship Horse & Pony Show

Miranda Adkins

http://blogs.roanoke.com/sosalem/

This past Saturday, May 31, three Salem 4-H Riders competed in the 4-H Northwest District Qualifying show held at the Equestrian Center at Green Hill Park.

Hannah Whitt, 14, left, won third in the Intermediate Hunter Rider Walk-Trot class, and sixth in the Intermediate Hunter Rider Walk-Trot-Canter class. Corey Hayes, 15, center, won second in the Model Hunter Horse Class. Participation in at least one class is required to qualify for the State 4-H show at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington September 18-21.

The two, along with Lynsey Wyatt, 11, right, are members of the Salem 4-H Riders. The club meets once a week at Hopetree Family Services in Salem to provide riding lessons to Hopetree’s youth. Wanda Hayes and Shara Wyatt are the organizational leaders for the club.