SWVADA Schooling Shows and Clinics

2023 SWVADA Clinics and Schooling Shows

February 26 - Educational Sunday at Alphin Stuart Arena at Virginia Tech. Along with an all-day tack sale, and 2022 SWVADA and BREA Annual Awards presentations, it featured judging panels and demo riders discussing the new 2023 training through fourth level tests, plus sessions on developing the stretchy trot and free walk, and grid work.

April 23 - BREA/SWVADA Spring Horse Trials, CT and Dressage (Green Hill Park Equestrian Center)

June 4 - BREA/SWVADA Summer CT and Dressage (Green Hill Park Equestrian Center)

August 11-13 - Understanding Biomechanics Clinic with FEI rider/trainer Stacy Pattison (Alphin Stuart Arena, Virginia Tech). Read the clinic report here.

October 15 - BREA/SWVADA Fall Horse Trials, CT and Dressage (Green Hill Park Equestrian Center)

October 22 - Working Equitation Clinic with Holly Linz (Green Hill Park Equestrian Center)

November 18 - Cavaletti Clinic with Tracey Smith-Oliver. SWVADA members get a discount! (Green Hill Park Equestrian Center)

And special thanks to Banixx, Kim Reid (Bemer),

Blanket Safe, Coat Defense, Foxden Equine,

and Southern States for their generous donations

to SWVADA in 2022-23.

2023 Volunteers Needed

WE NEED YOU - Volunteers make our shows and clinics happen.

Sarah Edwards is SWADA's 2023 volunteer coordinator. This is a great way for an active competitor to get your hours "behind the scenes".

We also need someone to serve as co-manager of the SWVADA/BREA shows we have scheduled.

To run a smooth and efficient show, we need gate stewards, score sheet runners, scribe, scorers, announcer and lots of hands for setup the day before and take down at the end of the show. A pickup truck for setup and take down is helpful, if someone can commit their time and vehicle.

We provide lunch and will schedule around ride times if you are showing.

Job preference will be given to early responders. No experience needed, we provide on the job training, and lunch for all volunteers!

Please contact Sarah Edwards to volunteer, and thank you in advance for helping out.

Working Equitation Clinic

Holly Linz, of Keep Stables in

Maryland, instructed the first

Working Equitation clinic in

Southwest Virginia at Green Hill

Park on October 22, with 15

riders and a diversity of horse

breeds and tack.

Working Equitation has four trials:

Dressage, Ease of Handling, Speed Round, and Cattle.

Holly, one of seven Working Equitation coaches in the US, covered some history of the sport, the obstacles, and the progression of the competitive

levels. She related dressage

moves to each obstacle and

explained how the dressage

moves related to the test and

ease of handling.

Message from our President

SWVADA offered many events to engage our members this past year.

We held three competitions at GHPEC this summer and fall, once again combining with BREA.

We also hosted a Biomechanics clinic at Virginia Tech's Alphin Stuart Arena in August, and a Working Equitation clinic at GHPEC in October.

Juniors and young riders, SWVADA has been given a generous grant that you can apply for. These funds will be earmarked for training costs and will be awarded to members in good standing. Details will be available on the website in a few weeks.

As always, if you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, feel free to reach out to me, or any board member.

Laura Nelson, president

Want to Enter Our Next Event?

Look no further!

We had a full calendar for 2023, and are working on plans for 2024. You can find links to current prize lists and entry forms in banners at the top of this page.