Mother Nature didn’t deter the folks at Dixie Stables on Sunday.
Although the impending gloomy weather did force Bluff Creek Stables to pull from the show, four local stables in Liberty County and two stables from the surrounding area presented their best at the annual horse show.
In the end, the weather held off, and host Dixie Stables took 19 out of 30 first-place ribbons, allowing owner Lynn Pace to celebrate the stables’ 40th year in business on a high note. It was the 35th annual spring show.
“The weather was perfect,” Pace said. “Thanks to the hard work of all our riders and volunteers, the show turned out to be the best we have ever had.”
In addition to Dixie Stables, Gravel Hill Farms, owned by Alicia Floyd represented Liberty County.
Pine Haven Stables, owned by Christy Parker; Golden Isles Riding Academy, owned by Kelli Jordan and Oak Lane Farms, owned by Chan Sutton, came from Brunswick, and Wildwood Stables came from Jesup.
There were 30 classes in the event, featuring performance and academy classes with more than 150 individual entries. Dixie Stables had the most entries with 21 riders and 19 horses participating.
Winning some of the bigger show categories were Tiffany Mobley of Dixie Stables, who took the ASB country pleasure championship and equitation championship. Mobley rode York’s Wild Angel, owned by Glenda Watts. Sandra Scully of Dixie Stables won the country pleasure championship in the 17-and-under division. She rode Jaque Rules, owned by Pace.
For a complete list of winners, go to www.coastalcourier.com.
Susan Reimer, owner of Reimer Stables in Turin, judged the show. Reimer also is the show director for American Saddlebred Horse Association of Georgia. Reimer and her husband, Brian, recently were inducted into the ASHAG Hall of Fame.
Reimer also offered a riding clinic following the show.
After teaching riding lessons for 40 years and running shows for nearly as long, Pace said things run a bit smoother these days compared to when she first got started.
“I know what I am doing now,” she said, laughing. “And I have lots of people to help me. Our riders at Dixie Stables really do work hard to put it all together … they want to do well and show well. We are looking forward to a great show season. Last week at the Golden Isles Riding Academy Show, we took 11 horses and 14 riders. We participated in 17 classes at GIRA and had riders that placed in all of them.”