The Horse Council BC took over the Agrodome and barns at the Fair at the PNE last Wednesday and filled it with over 50 horses for the day to help educate the public on horses and horseback riding.
This was the first year that Horse Council BC (HCBC) held their own stand-alone event to celebrate Horse Day. HCBC filled the Agrodome at the PNE with our horse friends and showed the public what it takes to look after these magnificent creatures. Over 115 amazing volunteers designed, set up, and manned each interactive booth and horse stall.
Spectators were treated to a 45 minute spectacle that touched on many different facets of riding. The Langley Riders drill team set the tone with a glittering, flashy show of precision riding. HCBC then showcased many different horse breeds in the breed parade, all of which were viewable in the Horses of the world breed aisle.
The Medieval Games, put on by Kendall Campbell of Hazelnut Grove Clydesdales, was an exciting demonstration of the power and precision used by knights of old, and the Fusion Vaulters Vaulting demonstration was an elegant display of balance and creativity.
Mission Horse Club teamed together with Langley Riders to show off their Barrel Racing moves, and then the Langley Riders faced off with the B.C. Lower Mainland Pony Club to show off the differences between riding in a Gymkhana and the Prince Philip Games. Thundering Impact closed off each show with their artistic and powerful Draft Horse Drill Team.
B.C. Lower Mainland Pony Clubs also put together a half-hour jumping demonstration that happened twice during the day. They provided a great commentary about pony club and the various levels of jumping that they compete in.
The interactive booths were well-liked and attended by the crowd. Clover Valley Vet brought out a miniature horse to teach everyone how to take respiration and heart rates and to talk about horse health in general. Otter Co-op had a booth that gave people a chance to see, touch, and smell many of the different horse feed products while learning about the nutritional requirements for horses.
Greenhawk, a Canadian tack retailer, was amazing in designing booths to showcase both rider apparel and horse wear, while the B.C. Lower Mainland Pony Clubs taught everyone how to groom a horse and wrap their legs.
Aldergrove artist Vivian Harder also wowed everyone with her works of art, and it was great to see her at work on a pencil sketch throughout the day.
The day was long, but so worth it. This was the first time Horse Council BC and the PNE were able to reach out to the public, who may never have had the chance to see a horse up close and personal. Not only did they show that there is nothing stopping anyone from joining the millions of people who already know the joys of horses, but they also showed how to safely interact with any horse they may meet on the trails or behind a fence along the road.