Knollwood’s 2026 in-barn show season starts this weekend, and we can hardly wait.

Here’s all the information you’ll need to enjoy the weekend, and to support your rider.

We’re thrilled to welcome Margit Rhode to judge all events this weekend. Margit grew up a Knollwood Kid, and is known for her riding skills, her sense of humor, and her kindness.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of watching Margit show a horse, you’ll know that she grins from ear to ear while getting the most out of her horse.

Our Friday night pattern session is a big one and will be held in the indoor arena. It starts at 6:00 with the walk and trot riders and will finish with our walk trot and canter riders. The schedule also includes two qualifiers for the Knollwood Challenge Finals in October.

There will be snacks and drinks available in the show barn lounge.

Walk trot and canter classes start at 10:00 AM in the big outdoor ring. We’re featuring five sections of 17 and under walk trot and canter classes before we get to the 10 and under riders and ‘grown up’ riders. We’ll finish up our traditional show with our walk and trot riders who are 11 and over.

Every spring, we offer a unique fundraising class for a local charity. This year, we’re hosting a big game of musical towels to benefit the Rogers Behavioral Health Foundation.

Rogers is a local treasure. They provide lifesaving care to our community, and they’ve helped several Knollwood’s community members as well. We’re lucky that they’re in our area, and we’d like to help them in their important mission.

Riders have paid their entry fees to play a game similar to musical chairs, but on horses. It’s guaranteed to be competitive and ridiculous.

If you’d like to help the fundraiser, you can purchase a special embroidered towel. These are the actual targets that riders will be trying to land on when the music stops. Each towel is embroidered with a lesson horse’s name. It can be yours to take home for only a $25 donation. Donations can be made with cash or a check made out to ‘Rogers Behavioral Health Foundation.’

Nacho’s towel has already been purchased by Jane and has been generously donated back for use as his horse show bib. If you don’t know Nacho well, he loves to chew on his reins and wears a bib to save his bridle.

Thanks to Jane for upping Nacho’s fashion game.

Donors can also purchase a song to be played and stopped during the game. Songs are only $25, and payment can be made the same way as towels.

Towels and songs can be purchased from your friendly admin, or at the front desk during the show. Here’s your chance to own a piece of history or set the mood of the game, and make a difference in your community.

Be sure to stay for the game. We promise you’ll be entertained.

This is an important fundraiser for the Knockouts. It defrays the cost of the annual award banquet, and allows us to donate to area charities. Please support the hard working kids and parents who put on the concession stand and gift baskets.

Here’s a link to concession stand needs. If you are time stressed like most of us, we’re still looking for simple things like bags of ice and baked goods. Please consider donating what you can.

We’re keeping an eye on the weather, particularly Sunday.

We’ll show in a light drizzle, but if looks like it will be worse than that, we’ll make the call at least the day before.

In case of nasty Sunday weather, we’ll move the show inside, and we’ll start at 2:00 PM. An updated schedule will be published.

Keep your fingers crossed!

More Info:

Parking is available in the Kettle Moraine Curling Club parking lot.

Announcing duties will be handled by Wendy on Saturday, and Karina on Sunday.

Jane is our Sunday concierge, and can answer all your questions, make sure your number is level, and offer confidence boosting advice.

We’re happy to welcome Collective Grace as our official photographer for both Saturday and Sunday.

Our center ring staff is a group of experienced riders who have donated their time.

Sunday brings the return of the personal assistants who guide our newest show riders through the horse show experience. Each horse has their own PA who takes care of the horse and their riders all day.

These experienced riders make the day a little less stressful for both our riders and horses.

Finally, we’re looking forward to watching all of our riders shine this weekend.

The weekend is about showing off the accomplishments of each and every rider who enters the ring.

So,

Let’s clap for everyone.

Spread compliments like glitter.

Thank your horse.

Enjoy the weekend of horses, friends, and accomplishments.

See you at the in-gate!