Two local show barns shined at the 42nd annual Southeastern Charity Horse Show, held Sept. 18-21 at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers.
Bluff Creek Stables of Colonials Island in Midway  and Gravel Hills Farms of Hinesville competed at the event, which included more than 200 exhibitors, 300 horses and 127 classes. Bluff Creek Stables and Gravel Hill Farms combined to bring home ribbons from 10 individual classes.
“The competition was bigger this year than in previous years,” Bluff Creek Stables trainer Deanna Edgy said. “It was just a great quality of horses. The Southeastern Show Management went out of their way to make sure everything went right.”  
Kelly MacQueen, riding Locust Grove’s Paper Moon for Bluff Creek Stables, finished third in the American Saddlebred English Country Pleasure Class-Georgia Owned. It was MacQueen’s first show.
Katy Maier, riding Jasper a Frisian, placed second in The Hunter Pleasure Open Division qualifier and fourth in the Hunter Pleasure Open Division in a field dominated by American Saddlebreds.
According to Mary Ann Jones, owner of Bluff Creek Stables, “This was a great accomplishment for Katy considering the depth of the competition in this class and the talent of the riders. We are very excited about her performance.”
Lori Harding, riding Twist of Fate, finished third in the UPHA Pleasure Challenge Cup for riders 17 and under. Harding, a veteran show rider for Bluff Creek, also finished fourth out of 12 in American Saddlebred Show Pleasure – Jr. Exhibitor Stake.
“This was a very good show for us; there were over 100 more horses this year,” Jones said. “Barns from Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee competed. It just doesn’t get much better than this.”  
Gravel Hill Farm’s Bobbie McDonald, riding Supreme Property, placed fourth in the ASB English Country Pleasure-Georgia Owned and fifth in ASB English Show Pleasure-Novice Rider. Riding Hometown Happy Hour, McDonald placed fourth in ASB Country Pleasure Novice Division.
Alicia Floyd, owner of Gravel Hill Farms could not have been happier with McDonald’s performance.  
“I am so very proud of Bobbie. She did a super job and has put so much work into her horse and riding this year,” Floyd said. “This has been a very good show for us.”  
Both Bluff Creek Stables and Gravel Hill Farms will compete Sunday at the Georgia State Fair.