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Ceil Wheeler Rides Away with Tricolor at Roanoke Shenandoah Valley Horse Show

Ceil Wheeler and Callaway’s Brioni. Photo courtesy of Shiflet Photography.

Lexington, VA – June 28, 2017 – The Roanoke Shenandoah Valley Horse Show returned to the Virginia Horse Center on Wednesday, June 21, for the second year in a row. Exhibitors took to the Coliseum ring to compete for top honors, with championship pinning taking place throughout the weekend.

The Roanoke Shenandoah Valley Horse Show, previously held at the Salem Civic Center, was hosted by the Virginia Horse Center in 2016, and now in 2017 continued as a new event under new manager R. H. Bennett. The show began in 1972, and was been granted United States Equestrian Federation designation as a USEF Heritage Competition. The designation is only given to those competitions that have made substantial contributions toward the development of the sport, promote and practice equestrian ideals of sportsmanship, and have been established for a long period of time.

During this year’s competition, Ceil Wheeler and her own Callaway’s Brioni took home the tricolor in the ASB Ladies Five Gaited Championship. The reserve champion was presented to Phyllis Brookshire aboard Man on the Move for the class. Suzanne Wright and Fort Chiswell’s Wild Kiss earned the ASB Five Gaited Show Pleasure Adult championship, with the reserve championship going to Jennie Garlington riding Kalarama’s New Moon.

In the Hackney Pony Pleasure Adult Championship, it was Toni Nastali aboard Sandra Surber’s Heartland Resplendent that received the tricolor. The reserve champion in the Hackney division went Patty Hylton riding her own, Crystal Creek’s Legacy.

The win in the ASB Fine Harness Jackpot went to Larry Hodge aboard Trust My Imagination, owned by Hillcroft Farm. Hodge also took home the win in the ASB Five Gaited Jackpot, this time aboard Two Sweet to Kiss. The ASB Five Gaited Jackpot was dedicated to Matt Shiflet’s grandfather, Claude Shiflet, a trainer whose family has been coming to the Roanoke Valley Horse Show from the beginning. The Shiflet family was honored before the class.

The horse show welcomed exhibitors and spectators to this year’s event with “A Grand Celebration,” an inaugural evening filled with cocktails and delectable hors d’oeuvres. Guests had the opportunity to mingle with community business leaders and influential government officials on the concourse of the Waldron arena. Held during the second night of the show, guests enjoyed an open bar while watching USEF Saddlebred, Roadster, and Hackney action. They also had the chance to hone their skills in the judge’s box with “Be the Judge,” a special opportunity to rate competitors and present historic trophies to the winners at center ring. The night concluded with great music at the lively after party.

For more information about the Roanoke Shenandoah Valley Horse Show and the Virginia Horse Center, please visit www.horsecenter.org.

Contact: Rebecca Walton
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

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