Last year was the first time I'd ever visited the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. The opportunity to work at the Blue Ridge Arabian Horse Show and the Region 15 Arabian Championship introduced me to one of the prettiest horse show venue's I've ever been to and I'm happy to say that I'll be going back to the Region 15 Championship again this year!

There’s a lot of history at the Region 15 Championship show! This year the show is dedicated to the memory of Marty Kleiner, a man who spent a lifetime serving the Arabian horse community and was an integral part of Region 15 for many, many years.

Just like last year, the show dates encompass the Fourth of July (show dates are July 4-8) and the whole shebang kicks off with a pre-show, the Markel Firecracker Classic. But this year, there’s a whole lot of NEW happening as well!

In her introduction from the show’s premium book (click here to download ), show manager (and Region 15 Director) Kim Dickinson announced that the famous Region 15 Friday Night Barn Party will have a change of venue, moving onto the concourse of the Coliseum—the better to enjoy this year’s fundraising event—the Region 15 Goat Wrangling Championship! Yep, you read that correctly!

While the premium book leaves most of the details of this event up to our imagination (rules and information to be posted in the show office), what we do know for certain is that it’s raising money for a great cause, the Therapeutic Riding Program at Iron Horse Farm in Milton, GA.

The format for the Saturday evening performance will be new as well, as the session moves outside, under the lights of the Wiley Arena. It’s a treat to have an option like a great lighted outdoor arena AND the luxury of having the indoor arena if the weather doesn’t cooperate! Adding to the festive evening, hors d’oeuvres and music are planned for the Cashvan Pavilion to get the evening started.

Start making your plans now because, all in all, it looks like fun times at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington!