With our spring show coming up May 16-18, Team Knollwood is gearing up for the weekend celebration.

Here’s some information to help you get prepared for the big event.

Horses have been assigned for all three days.

Once again, a number of factors and a lot of fuzzy logic were applied to make the horse assignment puzzle add up across and down.

Some horses are the favorites of many riders, and we pay close attention to each horse’s workload for the weekend. All of our lesson horses are fabulous, and will provide a safe horse show.

Riders may have different horses for their rail classes and their pattern class. This is because we have some horses that enjoy doing patterns, and some that aren’t quite there in their education.

Because riders compete one at a time in pattern classes, a trusted pattern horse can be used by more than one rider in a class.

Just a reminder that the horses will enjoy a day off the Monday after show weekend. All lessons will be credited.

The Show Schedule is Set.

We’ll start the show with Friday pattern night. Events start at 6:00 PM with the Walk and Trot Knollwood Challenge Qualifier.

The Knollwood Challenge is offered in both walk trot and the walk trot and canter divisions each year. Riders compete on the rail before each rider is asked to perform a trotting figure 8 for their individual work.

The walk trot riders perform an exverted figure 8 while the walk trot and canter competitors perform an inverted 8.

If it sounds like a foreign language to new riders, just ask an academy kid who will explain it in great detail, possibly even more detail than you’d like to know!

Friday night features pattern classes for our walk trot riders first, and then our walk trot and canter riders finish the performance. (They can stay up later…)

Patterns are an important part of a Knollwood education. They teach riders about speed, steering, communication, and control. They also teach resilience, problem solving, horse psychology, and sportsmanship.

We LOVE patterns.

Big Saturday!

The Saturday show starts at 10:00 AM in the big outdoor arena.

The performance starts with five splits of walk trot and canter classes for our riders between the ages of 11 and 17. It’s a large group of riders, and we’ve named it ‘the Covid Curve,’ in honor of all our riders who started riding during the pandemic.

After several years of showing in the little outdoor ring, these Knollwood Kids are ready for prime time and cantering in the great outdoor arena.

We’ll finish up the WTC section with our 10 and under riders, and finish up with the ‘grownups.’

Getting ready to show at the canter in the big ring, we’ll feature our 11 and over walk and trot riders at the end of the performance. The audience will see some of our fantastic walk and trot horse stars in these classes.

Walk Trot Sunday!

Starting at 10:00 AM Sunday morning, the leadline stars will take over the little outdoor ring.

Following leadline, our maiden riders will enter the show ring for the very first time. These 10 riders have been split into two groups for safety and ease of navigation in the ring.

These new riders have never been in a horse show, and will be mounted on our superstar beginner horses. We’re so proud of them for taking the leap!

After the maiden riders finish in the arena, we’ll showcase our more experienced 10 and under walk and trot stars. We have three splits of riders aged 9-10, and three splits of riders 8 and under.

At the end of the performance, our walk trot pattern riders aged 8 and under will head inside to complete their patterns. This class won’t start before 2:30 pm.

Frequent Questions:

How Do You Split Classes?

Very carefully! Splits are a way for us to level the playing field.

We split by riders’ experience level first, and then we massage the results by horse.

The first splits of most age divisions are the most experienced, and the last split is the least experienced.

The system isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty close. Our goal is to make it possible for everyone to succeed with their horse.

How Can I Get More Involved?

We’re always looking for parents to assist the Knollwood community. We are currently in need of help at the concession stand, and help with donations to the stand. You can sign up for available shifts and items here.

We also need some items for gift baskets and some help assembling the works of art. You can sign up for items on the tackroom door, and for creating the baskets on the link above.

Also, you can put in a good word with Mother Nature for nice weather on show weekend. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll move the show inside, but it won’t start until early afternoon. We’ll keep you posted as we get closer.

Finally

This is a big event for about 90 of our hard working riders.

We are fortunate to be surrounded by dedicated parents, hard working riders, and the best lesson horses in the world.

Please come and cheer on all the riders and horses. Showing horses takes bravery, patience, mental organization, and resilience.

We’re so proud of our riders and their accomplishments.

We love what we do.

Coming Up?

River Ridge Horse Show

April 23-26

Columbus, Ohio

Richie and Scott made the trip to Ohio with Doc and Tyler.

You can watch the show for free on Seehorse Video.

Street Clean Up

This Saturday, April 26 at 1:00 PM

We could still use some volunteers to help the Knockouts clean up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads.

Be sure to stay for the Knockout meeting immediately following the clean up.

UPHA Spring Show

May 3-4

Our academy team is heading to Beyond Stable Farm in Woodstock for another great competition.

Please join us!

Mom’s Rides

May 10

Classes are filling up fast!

Mom’s can enjoy an introductory group lesson with their Knollwood Kid as their helper. Please check with your admin or instructor for availability.

Helpers must be at least 10, or be an academy rider.

Knollwood Spring Show

May 16-18

Our first in-barn show of 2025, and it’s going to be a great one!

Horses’ Day Off

Monday, May 19

All lessons will be credited while the horses get a day to rest.

Madison Classic Horse Show

May 22-25

New Holland Pavilion, Alliant Energy Center

Show horses are coming from all over the country, and Saturday’s academy classes promise to be deep, deep, deep.

Team Knollwood will be in Madison with numbers. Please join us.

Memorial Day

May 26

We’re closed to remember.

All lessons will be made up.

Prairie State Classic Show

May 31 – June 1

Beyond Stable Farm

Join us for another fun academy show in Woodstock.

See you soon at the barn, or at the in-gate.