For the past five years each of the Whitehorse Gold Rush Open Horse Shows were said to be the last at the show grounds in the Whistle Bend area.
Turns out, last year they were finally right.
The 35th annual show, hosted by the Yukon Horse and Rider Association (YHRA) this past weekend, was held at the privately owned farm of the late Sharon Jensen, off the North Klondike Highway on Bea Firth Road.
“It’s a brand new location because our lease with the city has been terminated this year, because of the Whistle Bend development,” said Judy Linton, vice president of the YHRA. “We’ve known it’s been coming for a while. We’ve had a number of extensions on the lease, but finally, this is it…
“We decided to work with the people who run the indoor facility to put the show on this year, and see how it goes, and in the meantime we’re going to be working on a couple options for a more permanent location.”
The 35th show featured gymkhana, hunter, reining, jumping, trail and western classes. Some new additions included a ranch pleasure class and a new “cowboy challenge” in western, a more challenging “extreme trail class,” and a Yukon bred class exclusive to horses bred and raised in Yukon.
“If they are born and raised in the Yukon, then they qualify for a special Yukon bred championship,” said Linton. “We’re trying to promote our great Yukon horses.
“So there are some new classes, trying new things, and trying to get some new people involved.”
Between 50 and 60 horse and rider teams, including a couple from Watson Lake, took part in the show. That’s far less than the 98 teams who rode in 2010.
The YHRA decided to hold a separated show for bronze level dressage this weekend at the same location.
“Part of the reason why (numbers are) down is because a lot of our riders are now in our dressage show next weekend,” said show manager Mary Jane Warshawski. “That is growing. And there’s a new element to that, it’s called western dressage ... In the last couple of years western dressage has become big and we have a new western dressage association and they will be part of the show next weekend.”
Contact Tom Patrick at tomp@yukon-news.com
Champions list
Halter Yukon Champion
Beretta’s Smokin’ Gun owned by Maureen Nielsen
Halter Yukon Bred Champion
Cinder showed by Kate DeBuse
Hunter Equitation 2’9/3’0 Yukon Champion Adult
Brooke Nielsen riding Blazon Kodiak
Hunter Equitation 2’9/3’0 Yukon Champion Junior A
Ashley Borgel riding Moonlights Montage
Hunter Equitation 2’9/3’0 Yukon Champion Jr B
Jetta Bilsky riding Bobby McGee
Hunter Equitation 2’3/2’6 Yukon Champion Adult
Terri Inglis riding Hollywood
Hunter Equitation 2’3/2’6 Yukon Champion Jr A
Maren Sinclair-Eckert riding Carmen Electra
Hunter Equitation 2’3/2’6 Yukon Champion Jr B
Jetta Bilsky riding Bobby McGee
Gymkhana Yukon
Champion Tier I
Amanda Dendys riding Santa Domingo
Western Yukon
Champion Adult
Brooke Nielsen riding
Blazon Kodiak
Western Yukon Champion Jr A
Katarina Fekete riding Bowan
Western Yukon Champion Jr B
Maggie O’Connor- Brook riding Patches
Yukon Bred Champion
Chitina owned by Inge Sumanik
Cowboy Challenge
Open Champion
Brooke Nielsen riding
Blazon Kodiak