by Kay Swisher
BOYD TAVERN, Va. - Friday night, April 6, 2007, brought snow, but by Saturday morning in the beautiful Albemarle County surrounding Charlottesville gave way to green grass and budding trees for a clear cool spring day. Although, in the main barn of Greystone Farm owned by Larry Davis, Virginian horsemen felt the heat from the excitement of the first horse gathering to preview the new show horses for the 2007 show season. While the crowd waited for the show to start, host Larry Davis provided lunch for all by providing homemade barbecue, chili and assorted salads. A free will donation jar was provided with all money going to the Virginia Walking Horse Youth Council.
One of the all time favorite teams of Heather Moss and her 2006 Shenandoah Valley High Point Park Performance horse Armed Dollar opened the preview, introducing their return to the show ring along with her father-trainer, Bobby Moss, sharing the irons. The 2005 South Carolina Horse of the Year, eight-year-old gelding, Design Silverstone owned by Sambo and Penny Richardson was presented by Sambo Richardson, who will be showing in the amateur division and in the juvenile division by his granddaughter, Linsey Richardson.
Marco Etchebarne exhibited show pleasure specialty Gambler’s Touch Of Glory owned by Delawder Stables and it was announced that the five-year-old was for sale. Darren Powell exhibited his new mount for the show season, four-year-old My Jose owned by Stanley Powell and trained by Bobby Moss Stables. The new team will exhibit in the Four-Year-Old classes. The 2006 VWHA High Point Youth 12-17 Champion Armed & Bold was exhibited by co-owner Carlton Lloyd for his partner Joe Lloyd. The new team of Joe Lowe of Ivor, Va., and recently purchased seven-year-old gelding Pusher’s Tall & Proud walked up and down the hallway and gave the crowd a good look at the new amateur team under the training of Bobby Moss Stables. Marco Etchebarne exhibited recently purchased Lil’ Miss 5.0, owned by Johnson Trucking and Tim and Missy Johnson. Missy Johnson will be showing in the ladies specialty and trainer Daryl Delawder in the open division under the Delawder Stables banner.
From Lewisburg Tenn., Nicole Carswell of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder’s and Exhibitors’ Association’s “Walk this Way Tour” drove over 600 miles to present her clinic. Topics covered in her clinic were horsemanship, training, gait recognition, trail safety, equitation and show ring preparation. Carswell worked with quite a large group of youth from the VWHA Youth Council and the Rockingham County 4-H Horse judging team.