The club officers of the Old Dominion Miniature Horse Club at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon. Photos by Ryan Dunn/The Connection
From Friday, July 19 to Sunday, July 21 the Old Dominion Miniature Horse Club met at Frying Pan Farm Park’s equestrian center in Herndon for their Summer Sizzle club show. This show was sanctioned by the American Miniature Horse Association and the American Miniature Horse Registry.
The club was formed in 2011 to promote and stimulate the sale, breeding, exhibition and ownership of the Miniature Horse in Virginia and beyond. “The average age of a miniature horse owner is 50 years of age. As baby boomers mature, they downsize,” said club secretary Carol Hollar.
“We have had contestants both in and out of state, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. We had about 150 horses participate in this show throughout the three days,” said Hollar.
Having members from seven different states keeps the Old Dominion Miniature Horse Club informed of the needs of miniature horse owners in those areas. One of the goals of the club was to be accepted to participate in the Virginia Horse Industry Board’s “Virginia Bred” Program. They met this goal for 2012. The Virginia-Bred Incentive Fund offers paybacks to reward the showing of Miniature Horses bred and born in Virginia.
The Summer Sizzle horse show at Frying Pan Park was the first miniature horse show sanctioned by both the AMHA and AMHR in Virginia in 20 years. “Previously, for sanctioned shows we had to meet outside of Virginia,” said Bill Hollar, treasurer of the Old Dominion Miniature Horse Club.
Linda Kint from Mifflintown, Pa., competed in the event and won several awards. Owner of a small farm in central Pennsylvania, this was the first time Kint competed in a horse show. “I brought three horses to this event … I love showing, and I am having a lot of fun. Miniature horses are fun, they are very versatile and you can take them to nursing homes.”
“We have had a ton of spectators,” said Frying Pan Park employee Allison Howell. “The Old Dominion Miniature Horse Club has been a lot of fun to work with.”
“We have had a fantastic time at Frying Pan Park, the staff has been fantastic and very accommodating,” said Carol Hollar.
For more information, about the Old Dominion Miniature Horse Club, visit their webpage at http://www.odmhc.com.