Cleveland Bays at Upperville

From the Equine Journal - September 2008

One of the most prestigious venues where Cleveland Bays may be found each June is the Upperville Colt and Horse Show. Despite the scorch of an uncharacteristic late spring heatwave, an enthusiastic group of 13 purebred and 17 partbred Cleveland Bays and their exhibitors graced the ring under the legendary oaks of Upperville. This attendance is especially significant because it means nearly 10 percent of the purebred Cleveland Bays currently living in North America participated. This is by far the largest group of Cleveland Bays to gather in one competition!

Upperville has long shared a special affinity for the Cleveland Bay since its founding in 1853: Colonel Richard Henry Dulany, Upperville's founder and patriarch of Virginia's famed Welbourne estate, imported the champion Cleveland Bay stallion Scrivington from England in the 1850's and this stallion and many of his get exhibited at Upperville through the early years. Upperville was established as a breeding show, to encourage local farmers and horsemen to compete and thereby to upgrade the quality of their stock. Cleveland Bays continue to be part of this long-standing tradition even in modern times.

The Cleveland Bay is well-known for its versatility, with many purebreds and partbreds sharing success in the hunting field, in eventing, dressage, hunter/jumpers, in harness, and just as well-loved pleasure horses. Some notable appearances outside the show ring in 2008 have included partbred Cleveland Bays competing at the Rolex 3-Day Event and also at Badminton.

At Upperville, our modern day Clevelands were shown in four classes: Purebred In-Hand, Partbred In-Hand, Under Saddle (flat) and a Hunter Hack class that included two hunter-style fences. The division championship was earned by Heart O'Bruce, a 5 year-old Cleveland Bay - Thoroughbred cross gelding, owned by Michelle Douglas of Virginia. Despite a bit of naughtiness that left him in 8th the under-saddle class, "Bruiser" showed extremely well throughout the in-hand portion and over fences. The reserve championship was earned by IdleHour Nairobi, owned by Marilyn Webster's IdleHour Stud, and ably piloted by Jennifer Sponseller Webster. Entries journeyed from as far as Tennessee and Louisiana, and spectators flew from Western Canada, California, New England and Wales to support this rare breed and to participate in the show. Many spectators commented on the high quality of the horses, the exemplary quality of their appearances, and also the skill with which they were presented in the show ring.

Individual class winners included -- Purebred Cleveland Bay In-Hand, Bella Donna Nexxus, owned by L. Hunter Wilson; Partbred Cleveland Bay In-Hand: Heart O'Bruce, owned by Michelle Douglas; Cleveland Bay Under Saddle, IdleHour Nairobi, owned by Marilyn Webster; and Cleveland Bay Hunter Hack, Jamieson, owned by Mildred Riddell.

In addition to action in the ring on show day, a number of purebred and partbred Clevelands played the valuable role of goodwill ambassador by greeting guests and visitors in the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America booth and trying to snatch their hats. The booth was also graciously sponsored by a number of individual breeders in the USA and abroad, and staffed by a number of hardy volunteers from around the region. Not even torrential downpours or loss of electricity for multiple days deterred these dedicated souls. Show anchor Michelle Douglas deserves special kudos for all of her work bringing the booth together - perhaps the show championship is an appropriate reward.

Upperville is the first show in a new 3-show series developed to showcase the Cleveland Bay. A brand new Cleveland Bay division will be held at the Howard County Fair hunter breeding show during the first week of August. This prestigious Maryland breeders' show also boasts impressive Thoroughbred, non-Thoroughbred, and sport horse divisions, and will feature a special award for the high point Cleveland Bay sponsored by the Webster family. The final leg of the series will take place at the Warrenton Horse Show on the Thursday preceding Labor Day weekend. The series will be crowned with the awarding of a handsomely engraved crystal bowl provided by Bella Donna Farm to the overall champion purebred or partbred Cleveland Bay.

Cleveland Bay breeders and enthusiasts in the mid-Atlantic region are fortunate to have these venues to showcase their breed. Other venues where Clevelands are specifically found often include Dressage at Devon and individual Cleveland Bay breed classes at dressage breeding shows. The Equus Survival Trust's Festivale of Endangered Equines, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in early September, will also feature Cleveland Bays. They may also be spotted in many hunt fields throughout the country, in the new Future Event Horse and Young Event Horse competitions sponsored by the US Eventing Association, and in show rings representing almost every discipline.

Submitted by Marcia Brody on behalf of the CBHSNA. To find out more about Cleveland Bays visit the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America's website at http://clevelandbay.org/ , email info@clevelandbay.org or contact CBHSNA at PO Box 483, Goshen, NH 03752 603-863-5193.