NEWS

The Southern Saddlebred Spring Fling horse show will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with a Welcome Reception at Nearest Green Distillery, a new affiliation with the American Dutch Harness Horse Association, and the continuation of Concurrent Classes.

Nothing goes with horses quite like history and whiskey, and the Nearest Green Distillery brings all three into focus. Every bit of this 323-acre, four-phase, $50 million build-out is a master class in storytelling and history-making. On Tuesday evening, April 19, attendees are invited to enjoy a free mini-tour, tastings and light fare, all sponsored by Helen Rich and Ali DeGray.

Spring Fling has been selected as a qualifying show for the ADHHA National Championships, and has a total of 17 classes open to Dutch horses, including:

• ADHHA Park Under Saddle Open and Championship (specific rules apply)
• Fine Harness Open and Championship - Any Breed (specific rules apply)
• Roadster Horse Division - all classes
• Opportunity Pleasure WTC - Any Breed - Open and Championship
• Open English Pleasure Am/Juv WTC Single Bit - Any Breed - qualifier and Championship
• Open English Pleasure Am/Juv WT Single Bit - Any Breed - qualifier and Championship

Concurrent Classes once again are included in the schedule. “With a total class line up of 131 performance classes, we are potentially running 21 of those classes concurrently, thereby saving a great deal of time in the schedule and creating a much more exciting competition,” said Jackie Hale.

Classes listed with an A division in the schedule will be in the ring at the same time, but tied separately, if there are 10 or fewer total entries in both divisions. More than 10 entries total, and the classes will run consecutively (back to back). “We want our show to be an efficiently run, exciting competition, and we also want to be able to fill all the requests for age group divisions, Limit Rider and Limit Horse classes,” said Hale. "We can’t have it both ways without putting some of these smaller classes in the ring at the same time. The two splits will not be competing against each other, and we will have a better horse show.” 

Southern Saddlebred will welcome the American Saddlebreds, Hackneys, Roadsters and Dutch Harness horses to the Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville, Tennessee, April 20-23, 2022.  The Spring Fling Prize List is available online at www.SouthernSaddlebred.com, and a limited number of hard copies will be available by March 1, and mailed by request. Contact Scarlett Mattson at 270-547-8664, Jackie Hale at 205-862-8851 or email SouthernSaddlebred@gmail.com for more information.

-- via Southern Saddlebred Spring Fling