Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Redbud Spectacular in Oklahoma City is able to continue as scheduled with strict guidelines provided by the facility and local government. According to Show Manager, Jackie Krshka, the show is up 25 percent from last year. It may be the month of June, but the show season has just started for many this year, and people are excited to show.
Michelle Sloan of Dallas, Texas, who shows Lazydayz R Here Again in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle and Equitation, echoes many people’s sentiments when she tells us that she is thankful to be at a horse show.
“I could not be more grateful to have the opportunity to show at the Redbud! The show is huge, and I will take the late nights if it means a show this size,” Sloan told us. “The entire show staff has done an exemplary job mitigating this ‘new era’ we are living in, and has been especially polite reminding us to take precautions. As a hugger, social distancing has taken a while to get used to, however, just being in the same building surrounded by your show family is rather timely in light of the current circumstances.”
“The Redbud has been good, things feel almost normal here, but the show is still taking precautions such as not letting people sit too close together in the stands and making sure everyone is six feet apart while outside of their stalls,” says youth competitor Virginia Meador of San Antonio, Texas who shows Huntin By Moonlight in Youth All-Around events.
Meador continues, “In the line up at the end of classes, they also have you stand six feet apart from each other. They have been great about enforcing these rules, along with keeping the facility clean. I’d say just about every hour, we see staff come and clean commonly touched areas, like the railings and doorknobs. The show office has plastic guards and the staff has been great. I’m pleased with how this show is being handled as I was a little nervous to be attending with the pandemic happening.”
Trainers, Becky George of Hockley, Texas, and Kellie Hinely of Trendsetter Performance Horses located in Chino Hills, California were glad to finally get to a horse show. George states, “It’s huge, so long days, but the show is going great.” While Hinely adds, “It’s so nice to be out of California and sit down in a restaurant.”
CLICK HERE to view the VS GoodRide candids taken by GoHorseShow Photographer Danielle Long.
