Photos by Shawn Nowlin
Local rider showing her horse in a flat class.
The Green Hill Equestrian Park in Salem was established years ago to offer horse owners a place to ride, host a variety of events throughout the year and garner community interest. Chairman Tamla Nichols has always been of the belief that the more informed the community is about an event, the more likely they are to support it.
“Horse shows are a great opportunity for local kids and adults to show their horse and have a good time outdoors,” she said. “It is also a great opportunity for members of the community to come see horses of different shapes and sizes. There are so many people who have never seen a real horse.”
Last Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16, a sizable crowd experienced the second of three Cross View Farm Horse Show events this year at Green Hill Equestrian Park.
“Cross View is one of many horse businesses and associations that regularly rent Green Hill Park Equestrian Center,” Virginia Cooperative Extension Agent Leslie Prillaman said.
Usually, about 300 riders participate in the Cross View Farm Horse Show. “Any horse and rider team are welcome at our shows, we are a great place for beginners to get some experience or for people to put some miles on green horses,” Jessica Mayorshi, Green Hill Equestrian Park ring steward, said. “The only requirement we have is that the horses are healthy and our riders are happy.”
Last weekend’s sponsors included: Mountain View Equine, Nutrena, Brandon White Farrier Service, A Bit Tacky, Olde Salem Garage and BMG Showhorses.
Green Hill Equestrian Park was built by many local volunteers who continue to give countless hours to run shows, raise money and so much more. “Without them, none of this would be possible,” Leslie Prillaman said.
“The committee that manages Green Hill Park Equestrian Center represents different disciplines of equestrian activities and we encourage different types of equestrian events at the park to maximize who can participate,” Tamla Nichols said. “People can visit either http://www.ghpec.org or https://www.crossviewfarm.com for more information.”
Before there were any horse shows at Green Hill Equestrian Park, before thousands of dollars were raised to benefit various organizations, before people of all ages improved their horse riding skills, people like Tabitha Thompson played a vital role by brainstorming ideas with colleagues on ways to attract people to Green Hill Equestrian Park.
“Cross View really goes all out for these shows, and I think that’s really reflected in the turnout,” she said. “We consistently have our participants applauding how well run our shows are, how friendly and helpful our volunteers are, and that the overall experience is a positive one.”