On To The Sun Circuit

[Source: The Daily Stride via the Silver Dollar Circuit]

As the Silver Dollar comes to an end, the focus turns to preparation for the Sun Circuit.  Silver Dollar and the Sun Circuit worked together to ensure the schedules were an easy transition from one show to the next.  Accommodating horses for an additional night at the South Point facility until stalls were available at the Sun Circuit allowed exhibitors and horses to move seamlessly from one show to the other.  The date changes have had a positive effect on both shows with entries at the Silver Dollar at an all-time high and pre-entries for the Sun Circuit up

Trainers headed from the Silver Dollar to the Sun Circuit made a few changes to their typical prep to ensure their horses and clients were at their best for both shows.  Leslie Lange had a successful Silver Dollar while ensuring she still had enough horse left for the Sun Circuit.

“With Silver Dollar being back to back with the Sun Circuit, I think I had my horses a little less tired when I got here so they were a little fresh, but they showed well.  Keeping in mind that we are going from here then 3 days off, and then another 8 days, we didn’t necessarily try and peak them for this but have them prepared, but not over prepared.  So, really, we didn’t do a lot different but maybe just a little less tired upon arrival.”

Ryan Kail agreed with Lange.

“We are backing off a little bit knowing we have 10 days left at the Sun Circuit in Scottsdale.  We are actually trying to show them a little fresher which has worked to our advantage here.  We have had a really good show.”

Karen Graham joked that her secret to keeping her Non-Pros happy for the duration was to give them alcohol.

“For the horses, I didn’t longe them, tried to put little rides on them, and keep them happy, lots of shavings, and lots of food.”

Keith McDonough from Palm Desert Quarter Horses noted that more of his customers participated in both shows having them back to back.  Lange concluded her customers were also “looking forward to doing both (shows).  It’s 12-13 hours for us to come here and then another 6 to Scottsdale, but our clients are really excited to put them together.  They love the facility here and hopefully, the weather will be good in Scottsdale, so we are looking forward to two great horse shows in a row.

As the tack rooms are cleaned out and horses loaded to head south to Scottsdale, the sentiment remains that this show is making a mark on its exhibitors as something they will not miss next year.