All eventers who made the trek to MetroStage in Alexandra, Virginia, to see announcer extraordinaire Brian O’Connor reprise his role as The Chairman in Christmas at The Old Bull & Bush have been treated to an evening of festive frivolity. I saw the matinee on Saturday with many familiar faces in the crowd, and the show absolutely lived up to the hype. As you would expect, the eventers were definitely the rowdy bunch — cheering, laughing and singing off key with gusto. It was a fantastic way to get into the Christmas spirit!
If you are spending the holidays anywhere close to the Northern Virginia area, I highly recommend seeing the show, which runs through Sunday, Dec. 30. Show times are 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday; and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday. EN readers can take advantage of a discounted friends and family ticket rate of $35. Call the MetroStage box office at 703-548-9044 and click here for more information.
Your Christmas Eve News & Notes:
SmartPak’s annual winter clearance event has arrived! Shop hundreds of new items in the clearance section — horse supplies, tack and riding apparel — at discounts of up to 50% off. [SmartPak Winter Clearance]
Skijoring at Rebecca Farm has been rescheduled to the weekend of March 2-3, 2019, due to the lack of snow on the ground and in the forecast for the coming week. The event was originally scheduled for Dec. 29 and 30. [Rebecca Farm Skijoring]
Don’t forget to cast your vote for U.S. National CCI3* Champion Chatwin in the semifinal polls for 2018 EquiRatings Horse of the Year. The polls are open until Wednesday, Dec. 26. [Vote for Chatwin]
The Retired Racehorse Project needs your help to reach its 2018 fundraising goal. All donations up to $25,000 are being matched by RRP board member Carolyn Karlson. RRP’s goal is to raise a total of $50,000 to fund 2019 programs. [Donate to RRP]
A Belgian study found that using straw for bedding and feeding dry hay can contribute to inflammatory airway disease in sport horses. Positive fungal cultures were obtained in 55% of the 731 horses used in the study. [Belgian Study Results]
