Western Pleasure Question

[Rebekah]

Just out of curiousity, how many horses were in the Western Pleasure class at Nationals last year? How many at Spectrum? Is there streaming video or clips of these classes anywhere on line? Who is the current champion?

Is this class more popular (meaning more horses entered) on a local and regional level than at bigger shows like Spectrum and Nationals? Do more horses enter this class on the West Coast?

I'm developing an interest in this and would like to learn all I can about Western Pleasure within our breed. Thanks for your input

[CarolU]

I didn't count the horses this year...but it seems each year there are between 20 and 30 horses. There is only one class, so it is not popular enough to split into ages or sexes, or even split into two sections. It is a good class though and there are always enough 'good' horses that you can see what Western Pleasure should be, a nice lope, a corto and flat walk on a loose rein.

I live in the west and there is very little competition here in Western Pleasure. There is more in California, but it still is a very open field and an excellent one to compete in.

Sadly, because Nationals is in Georgia, few people from the far west haul horses clear to Nationals for "championships," especially if the Specialty classes (which WP is) are the only thing they are going for. Perhaps with the Gold Cup Classic in Las Vegas, we will see a "Nationals" caliber show here in the west, and more interest in PFHA shows. Right now there is little reason to show in PFHA.

[PattiB]

Regional shows get maybe one or two in WP. Asheville gets more than Spectrum. Nationals has had 11-16 in WP wish it was more.