UPDATE FROM UPPERVILLE

UPDATE FROM UPPERVILLE

By Jennifer Sponseller Webster

inter is a time to rest and recharge and if you’ve driven past the Upperville Horse Show grounds recently, you’ve likely seen it covered in a blanket of snow, and nothing but bare branches on the iconic tree canopy on the Grafton Farm side.

In a few short months, the country’s oldest horse show literally will be built from the ground up, as it has each year since 1853. Upperville will mark its 172nd anniversary in June.

Celebrating the Upperville grounds not just in June, but all year long, is one of the show’s primary missions. Gifted by Clarice and Robert H. Smith in 2013, Grafton Farm, the “hunter side” of 19-plus acres was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

Salem Farm, the “jumper side” to the north along Rt. 50, has been graciously leased to Upperville by Shelby Bonnie. Since 2022, a new event has been added to the Grafton or Salem Farm calendar, allowing the grounds to be enjoyed and shared in every season.

First up in 2025 is Arbor Day Under the Oaks, now in its third year. So mark your calendars for Friday, April 25 for this free event, open to all. Guests are welcome to take a self-guided tour of Grafton Farm, explore the stream and perhaps catch a glimpse of one of the many species of wildlife that call the grounds home. Vaccinated and leashed dogs are also invited.

Just prior to the Upperville Colt & Horse Show (UCHS) a “Jump 4 Fun” show will take place on the Salem Farm show grounds May 31- June 1. Started in 2022, the idea behind Jump 4 Fun was to create an opportunity for local horse enthusiasts to experience the prestige of showing at Upperville, in a lower-key environment. Each year, the entries have sold out in a matter of days, and UCHS management made the decision last year to expand the one-day event to two days.

UCHS Executive Director Emily Day, explained that, “We feel the growth in popularity of both the hunter and jumper classes, coupled with the ability to expand with new classes at the lower heights, warrants a full day dedicated to each discipline. Hosting Jump 4 Fun for two days should also help encourage an enjoyable atmosphere.

Jump 4 Fun has been a wonderful way for Upperville to welcome riders who prefer to compete at a lower height for green horses or riders.

“It’s an opportunity for those who don’t feel up to coming to the big show and for this they can come and use the facilities when the jumps and decorations are all there, yet the atmosphere is the same,” said Tommy Lee Jones, the show’s facilities manager.

Renowned for being one of the finest horse shows on the east coast, the UCHS takes place this year from June 2-8. This world class equestrian event draws competitors, spectators, and vendors from around the country and the globe to the Blue Ridge countryside.

Rich in tradition, it’s one of the few remaining horse shows to still incorporate foxhunters and side saddle competitors, as well as young riders for the leadline level up to International Hunter Derby and Grand Prix show jumping. Admission and parking are free. In addition to the Upperville Jumper Classic on Sunday, June 8, spectators can also enjoy the “Horses and Horsepower” car show on the Salem Farm side.

And finally, just after Labor Day weekend, the local community will have one final opportunity to experience Upperville at the second annual Grafton Hunter Show, on Saturday, Sept.6. This one-day event benefits the UCHS capital campaign, which exists to raise funds to support the ongoing capital improvements to the grounds.

Details www.upperville.com.