[NBChoice]

Hale wasn't too awful actually. I expected it to be bad, but it was decent.

For the new arena--do you know where the Royal will be held while they do construction then?

Oh ick, the rodeo in Hale? That is kind of sad.

The proposals for the new arena look so nice, so much like the nice old arenas at many of the state fairgrounds. I would love if they got rid of the "tunnel" down in to Kemper, especially with driving horses it always feels so unsafe entering the arena, with the gate coming open for you while participants from the last class are still trying to exit the tunnel.

[Renae]

The show starts tomorrow and will be webcast on USEF Network http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/...lChampionship/

[mp]

For the new arena--do you know where the Royal will be held while they do construction then?

The proposed new arena. the project hasn't been approved by the city, nor is there any funding for it right now. If it becomes a reality, it will be several years at least before you have to worry about that.

[Bozilla]

The American Royal is streaming now. Best of luck to those posters showing there! The parade class one of our fellow cothers is in is at 6:30 eastern tonight!

http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/...lChampionship/

[mvp]

Is this American Royal horse show a descendent of the American Royal livestock show that the Hereford (cattle) people formed circa 1900? That show was meant to answer both the National (held in Chicago near it's stockyards) and also the Canadian Royal, those Canadians being fine livestockists.

[Hunter Mom]

Just curious, what do those of you who used to show at the American Royal h/j show think has contributed to its downsizing? We were talking about that this year. How could it be brought back to its former self? It is the one rated show left in Kansas City, and it would be awful if it were to fade away with the others that used to be here.

I remember as a kid showing at the Royal in the Arab & ASB shows. This was in the days of the old Royal building. We did come up to the h/j show to watch a few times and it always seemed to be a big show. When I started showing h/j it was still a decently big show. I remember having 40+ horses in a limit class that first year. There were big parties, speakers, barns from all over, and the Grand Prix was a BIG deal.

This year, they scheduled the Prix on Saturday night, and all exhibitors had to be out by Sunday am to make way for the livestock show. By mid-afternoon, all the tack curtains were down and it seemed very anti-climatic. Many of the people who would’ve normally stayed to watch the Prix were gone because their horses went home Saturday afternoon.

[Renae]

Is this American Royal horse show a descendent of the American Royal livestock show that the Hereford (cattle) people formed circa 1900? That show was meant to answer both the National (held in Chicago near it's stockyards) and also the Canadian Royal, those Canadians being fine livestockists.

Yes. There are still livestock shows at the Royal, in addition to the horse shows, rodeo and bbq contest. In 1892 the great horseman Tom Bass started a horse show in Kansas City as a fundraiser for the fire department. This became the horse show portion of the American Royal.

[Renae]

Candids https://www.facebook.com/#!/HorseLingo?fref=ts

[CA ASB]

Renae - totally agree about the chute. Someone scheduled the FH class right after the Parade class and that meant the double wide clanking horses were coming out as the FH horses were lining up to go in. While two of us were walking out calmly, one of the parade horses reared just outside the outgate, dumped its rider, and ran full bore up the chute. We had no handlers, and thank goodness the FH horse facing us was uber calm as my horse did get excited and I managed to stop him up against the wall less than 4 ft away from the FH horse - had to back up to get out. The other parade horse I was with was clinging to the other wall, which meant we pretty much had the chute nearly blocked when the third horse dashed between us.

On an added note, RIP The Attache Orchid and belated condolences to the Chancellor family. This talented 3 gaited pony suffered a ruptured aorta during the victory pass and was put down in the ring. Incredibly sad to watch. Bittersweet victory for owner, Hunter, later in the week when she won the eq finals.

[Renae]

I'm pretty sure I know (used to be the groom for) the fine harness horse in your encounter (if it was a big fancy chestnut with lots of white). He is a doll. I hate being in that chute!

[CA ASB]

Renae - I don't honestly recall the horse as I was pretty concerned with all the commotion going on. There was a lady driving him, and he would have been first in the ring (so look at the proofs!). That moment in the chute was one of the scarier in my horsey life - compounded with on the way INto the ring, one of the horses (now find out this is normal for him) was rearing both in the warmup and in the chute. The guy I was on is a nervous soul, sweet, but nervous, so we hit the ring slow gaiting, and didn't really stop. I finally gave up in the second direction and just spread my hands and let him slow gait - knew we were going to get the last place ribbon, but gosh, had a great time doing it! Happy to support the division.