Ponies and Minis hit the small screen

If you missed them, highlights from both the Platform Shetland Pony Congress and the Platform American Miniature Horse National Championships are being aired this month on RFD-TV.

At 4 p.m. (EST) on Oct. 14, RFD-TV will air the American Shetland Pony Club’s special presentation of the Platform Shetland Pony Congress Championships. The Shetland Pony National Championship Congress took place Aug. 1-6 at the Gordyville Arena in Gifford, Ill. The TV show on RFD-TV takes viewers ringside as some of the nation’s top Shetland Ponies battle it out for the national championship titles. The show also takes viewers behind the scenes and includes interviews with judges, trainers and competitors.

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At 4 p.m. (EST) on Oct. 21, RFD-TV will air the Platform American Miniature Horse Registry National Championships. This broadcast features some of the year’s top Miniature Horses from around the country. You’ll see exclusive footage from the judge’s view, interviews with top trainers and a close-up look at America’s top Miniature Horses. The 2007 Platform AMHR National Championships took place Sept. 6-15 in Tulsa, Okla. More than 1,500 miniature horses competed for an excess of $50,000 in cash and prizes. Many of the victors are featured on the TV show.

“The American Miniature Horse Registry and the American Shetland Pony Club aired two hour-long shows in 2004 with celebrity host Carson Kressley,” says ASPC Marketing Director Johnny Robb. “Since that time, we have had requests for more TV shows, so we are especially pleased to be able to bring our two largest shows to airwaves this month.”

Along with these initial airdates, RFD-TV plans to rerun the two shows again in spring 2008.

18 years ago

Abigail Boatwright

Abigail Boatwright is a freelance writer and photographer based in Texas, and is the editor of Horse Illustrated’s sister publication, Western Life Today.

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View Comments

Lynn says:
October 23, 2007 at 6:47 pm
The article is fine. I think the programs themselves left a wee bit to be desired. I felt the narrator spoke to the listening audience in a very condescending tone. AND the music was awful and very repititious.
I felt too much emphasis was on the Shetland Liberty Class --- aren't they supposed to do more than just run around the arena in a circle?
The Mini show did a much better job of showing the versatility of the mini. I also appreciated the fact that people of all ages where showing their minis. A better job of actually announcing the names of some of the winning horses. I was most impressed by the versatility class. Now that was pretty cool. There is a whole lot more to these little guys than trying to look like little Arabians.
Would I run out and buy a Shetland or a Mini and get involved in all this after watching either show??? Hard to tell. I definitely think that if ASPC/AMHR decides to do another one of these they need to rething the production company they used and get a new narrator.
Oh, I DO HAVE three wonderful minis that will be with me until I die (and they WILL live that long). I also have a 37 year old Thoroughbred who I still ride.