LONDON, OH, March 30, 2023 — Join us in Ohio for the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition, happening Friday, April 14, at 1:30 pm in the US Equestrian Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center! Twenty-five pre-selected horse and rider pairs will race the clock to tackle a series of challenging obstacles in their pursuit of $5,500 in cash and other prizes. In this post, meet five more of the members of the spring 2023 class of VHRC competitors. (If you missed the first two posts in the series, click here!)

Sidney Hawk

Horse: Zippo’s Blu Sky, 14 year old American Paint Horse mare

Sidney and “Sky” hail from Massillon, Ohio. As a student at the University of Findlay, Sidney is pursuing a double major in Equine Western Training and Equine Business Management with a minor in Marketing. She has been riding for more than twelve years and competing for nine as she works toward a career in training horses. Sidney says, “I’ve been attending Equine Affaire for longer than I can even remember and I have wanted to compete in the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition since I started mountain trail at age 12.” Partnered together for nine years, Sidney and Sky are eager to make Sidney’s dreams come true of competing in the VHRC.

Matt Keefe

Horse: Blue Moon Jr Cash, 16 year old American Quarter Horse gelding

Matt and Cash have been partners in and out of the show arena for six years. Together, they have shown in numerous competitions and everything in between from pony rides to lessons. Cash was bred and trained to be a reiner. Due to his kind temperament and quiet disposition, his skills continue to grow. Matt and Cash hope to compete in the VHRC to honor their accomplishments over the years together.

Amanda Malone

Horse: Turbo, 18 year old Norwegian Fjord gelding

Amanda and Turbo have been partners for four years. Turbo loves to compete in eventing, especially in cross-country, but he’s also a fan of trail and versatility competitions. Together, they’ve participated in parades, eventing, western sports, trail competitions, expos, demonstrations, and much more. Amanda and Turbo have competed in the VHRC three times, and each time, they come away with new things to practice as well as having made new friends. Last fall, they placed in the top ten at the 2022 Massachusetts VHRC.

Myron Martin

Horse: Runnin for Cocktails, 3 year old American Quarter Horse gelding

Myron and “Forest” have been together for only a few months, but enjoy riding Western together. Myron has been around horses all his life, but didn’t start riding show horses until 2022. He’s excited to see how he and Forest perform this spring in the VHRC!

Wendy Montgomery

Horse: SF Distinguished Gentleman, 18 year old Rocky Mountain gelding

Wendy and “Rocky” are obstacle aficionados! They’ve been together for fifteen years, and competed in their first obstacle challenge in 2013. After that, they were hooked. For the last decade, they’ve traveled to compete in obstacle challenges in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Alabama. That includes four times in the VHRC, with two top ten finishes, and a long list of championship wins in the American Competitive Trail Horse Association, the Extreme Cowboy Association, the Rocky Mountain Horse Association, the International Mountain Trail Challenge Association, and at the Southern Equine Expo. Wendy says, “Rocky truly is my heart horse. The partnership he and I have formed will never be matched. It’s a privilege for me to have such an incredible animal by my side.”

Are you excited for this year’s Versatile Horse and Rider Competition yet? Plan to attend Equine Affaire on Friday, April 14, and watch the competition unfold in the coliseum, starting at 1:30 pm Eastern Time. Learn more about the competitors for this exciting event by following along on our social media channels leading up to the event, and stay tuned after the event for results!