Horse Exhibition & Silent Auction Panthertown Benefit

Want to help support conservation projects in Panthertown Valley?

Friends of Panthertown is excited to announce our big fundraising benefit event of the year, the 2012 Bald Rock / The Divide Horse Exhibition & Silent Auction to be held on Saturday, June 30, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bald Rock / The Divide equestrian community located on US Hwy. 64 between Cashiers and Sapphire, North Carolina. This exhibition will feature a spectacular horse show, silent auction, children’s activities, live music, food and family fun! We hope that you will attend. Admission is free. Parking is $10 per vehicle. Lunch will be available. Kids are welcome!

All donations and proceeds from this event will benefit Friends of Panthertown.

Yes, lawn chairs. No, pets. We encourage you to bring your own lawn chairs to this event, but for the safety of all the animals please leave your dogs at home. Thank you!

This article by local resident Nancy West appeared in The Laurel Magazine, June 2012 edition (page 32).

Do you enjoy horses? Do you know how many different breeds of horses can be found in Bald Rock/The Divide equestrian community? Do you think you can outbid other horse lovers in a silent auction for that special item you just can’t do without? Do you like being outside on a late June day? If any of these activities appeal to you then plan on attending the 2012 Bald Rock Horse Exhibition, a benefit for Friends of Panthertown, the 501(c)3 non-profit organization that protects and maintains the 6,300-acre Panthertown Valley backcountry recreation area in the Nantahala National Forest.

This family-friendly event will be held on Saturday, June 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bald Rock/The Divide equestrian communities found at the very top of Trays Island Road. Turn at the Sapphire National Golf Course off Highway 64 between Cashiers and Sapphire and stay on Trays Island Road to the top of the mountain.

There is a parking fee of $10 per vehicle and carpooling is suggested. A light lunch of a hamburger, hot dog, or black bean burger, chips, and a drink will be available for only $5. A bake sale featuring $1 homemade cookies and desserts will also be available. All proceeds will benefit Friends of Panthertown.

The horse exhibition will start at high noon and will showcase more than a dozen different horse breeds. Silent auction items will be available to bid on in the barn starting at 11 a.m. with tables closing bids at various times so come early to get your bid in. Donations are still being solicited but some include a boat ride on Lake Toxaway, gift certificates to local businesses, trail rides into Panthertown led by Bald Rock horse owners, antique furniture, and much more.

• Over a dozen different breeds will be featured at the exhibition including Gypsy Vanner horses brought to America from Ireland in 1996. They are easy to train and highly intelligent with a temperament like a Golden Retriever, only with hooves! Originally a Gypsy’s caravan horse, they are now ridden in dressage, hunt seat, saddle seat, western, and bareback. Black and white in color, Gyspy Vanners are truly elegant in their presentation.

• Another breed, the Friesian horse was bred to be the ideal horse for a knight! Today Friesians excel in international dressage competitions due to their powerful stride, extended trot, and massive hind quarters. They are black with long flowing manes and feathers which are the hairs growing behind the hooves.

• Lusitanos are one of the most ancient breeds that were native to Iberia and known for their bull fighting skills! Now they are popular in the dressage ring.

• Paso Fino and Trote Gallope are two horse breeds with distinct gaits that give the rider a very smooth ride. Pasos were brought to the Americas from Spain by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and are known for their agility, hardiness, and intelligence. They have a four beat gait with three feet on the ground at all times. Try that sometime! With both breeds the rider remains easily in the saddle with no posting required.

These are only a few of the horses that will be ridden during the exhibition.

While waiting for the exhibition to begin, attendees can visit with exotic miniature horses, bid on exciting silent auction items, listen to live mountain music, have their children’s faces painted, have lunch, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Bald Rock community. Bring the family and your own lawn chairs if you like, but please leave your dogs at home for the safety of all the animals.

Panthertown Valley has almost 30 miles of trails to enjoy gorges, waterfalls, mountain bogs, and long vistas on top of mountains while hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding. Because of the geologic formations, forests, streams and native plant life, Panthertown is designated as a Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and recognized by The Wilderness Society as a North Carolina Mountain Treasure Area. The mission of Friends of Panthertown is to work in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to conserve this outstanding natural resource while improving the quality and experience of recreational opportunities in Panthertown Valley.”

Come see outstanding horses, bid on fabulous silent auction items and support all the wonderful work Friends of Panthertown does so everyone can get out into the forest and experience the beauty of the great outdoors all around us on. We hope to see you on Saturday, June 30!

MORE INFO:

For more information about this event, or to inquire about donating a silent auction item, or for any other questions related to Panthertown Valley, please contact Jason Kimenker, Executive Director of Friends of Panthertown at:

(828) 269-HIKE (4453) or visit www.panthertown.org

Download 2012 Bald Rock Horse Exhibition Poster-11×17 (PDF format)

View article in The Laurel Magazine, June 2012 edition (page 32).

Friends of Panthertown is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your membership contribution is tax-deductible and goes a long way towards helping us protect and maintain this outstanding natural resource. We rely on the continued passionate and committed support of our volunteers, members, and donors, just like you!

RSVP for June 30 Horse Exhibition & Silent Auction
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