Oklahoma Paint Horse Club president Kevin Hardcastle says that despite the difficult winter weather conditions, the Holiday Classic is larger than it has ever been.
After Oklahoma City received about 14 inches of snow earlier this week, Hardcastle says that show management was more than a little worried about the possible turnout.
“We were a little concerned last week, but everybody came and there were no cancellations,” Hardcastle says. “We sold 100 more stalls after the first move-in day.”
In fact, the show’s entries are up approximately 15% from last year and stall sales rounded out at about 450. However, it isn’t just locals who are coming out to compete. Hardcastle says that exhibitors have traveled from New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Nebraska and California to compete at the six day Holiday Classic event.
As far as horse shows go, the Holiday Classic is just an infant, with this only being its fifth consecutive year in Oklahoma City.
“It started as a two day show and then a four day, and now a six day with 12 judges,” Hardcastle says. “We are pretty confident that it could end up in the top 5 APHA shows for 2009.”
One of the main highlights of the Holiday Classic is the Challenged Riders Class. The Challenged Rider competition, which took place yesterday, was followed by a chili cook-off, chili sampling and a benefit auction. All of the proceeds will go to support therapeutic riding at local centers, as well as the American Paint Horse Foundation’s therapeutic riding initiative.
This year’s riders represented various therapeutic riding centers in the area, including the Oklahoma University Medical Research Hospital and the New Harvest Riding Academy. Oklahoma Paint Horse Club members and several therapeutic riding centers generously donated their horses to be used for the event.
“For the last three shows, we have raised about $10,000 each year,” Hardcastle says. “Just yesterday, at the chili cook-off, we raised over $20,000.”
Hardcastle says he believes that the show’s success is due to its centralized location, a premiere facility and a well-run show operation.
