The Paard Yard Horse Resort in Cascade is a horse hotel for traveling guests accompanied by their horses. This weekend, they will be hosting an Olympic-style horse competition.
Kelly Speidel operates something of a horse bed and breakfast, providing overnight vacation accommodation for them, while also providing care and access to the property’s arena and trails.
Spedel says, “The care of the horse is my top priority, and I just felt that this was a way that I could love my horse even more by providing a safe and healthy place for them to stay and live their life and enjoy humans.”
On Saturday, The Paard Yard will host a friendly horse competition as a nod to the Olympics, featuring an Olympic format complete with an opening ceremony and medal ceremony.
Riders at all levels formed teams, and chose a country to represent in the competition.
The competition will include show jumping and dressage, judged by a professional judge and clinician from Bozeman.
This competition will be exciting for local riders because most English-style horse shows in Montana are not usually team based at the this level.
Speidel explains, “There is no real team competition, especially in English riding. The team competitions don't really happen until you're nearly at the professional level. So I just thought it would be kind of fun and different.”
There will also be mini clinics throughout the day regarding hot weather horse care, conditioning your horse for competitions, and dressage judge insider tips from clinician Sophie Pirie. The Paard Yard also provides lessons and clinics for all ages and levels.
The competition will be Saturday, August 10th, starting at 8am at The Paard Yard Horse Resort, located at 35 Sunrise Lane in Cascade. For more information, click here.
