Every year during the weekend after Veishea, horse trailers can be seen heading to the Iowa State Fairgrounds for the annual Block and Bridle Horse Show.

Block and Bridle has been sponsoring the horse show for more than 50 years, since it took charge of the event in 1948. From 1942 to 1948, the horse show was held on Veishea weekend in the Armory.

“There was a Veishea committee that put together the horse show,” said Abby Broulik, co-chair of the event. “It just became too big for Veishea to handle, so they handed it over to [Block and Bridle].”

This year’s show started April 20 and lasted through Sunday afternoon.

Five judges were selected to judge the four different shows: Larry Vance for the cutting show, Doug Bogart for the stock horse show, Jayne Ferguson for the 4-H show, and Margaret Hammond and Lance Treptow for the American Quarter Horse Association show.

Peggy Miller, adviser to the show, said all events but the cutting show consisted of western and English riding, halter classes and showmanship.

“Excluding the cutting horse show, entries are between $6 and $24 to participate in any of the other three events,” said Miller, associate professor of animal science.

In the cutting show, horses are used to separate one calf from the rest of the calves in the ring.Cutting show entries run between $60 and $125 because part of the cost comes from bringing the calves in and housing them for the two days the show is running.

Broulik, sophomore in animal science, said there were about 1,400 entries for this year’s event. She said there’s something for everyone to enjoy and get involved with.

“We have a stock horse show with youth and adult classes,” Broulik said. “There is also a 4-H and FFA show that is open to members who are in fourth through 12th grades.”

Besides the open show and the 4-H show, the American Quarter Horse Association sponsored a cutting show and a quarter horse show.

“People showing quarter horses earn points that go toward end-of-the-year awards and to qualify for a bigger show,” Broulik said. “The quarter horse show is double-judged, meaning there are two judges, so they earn double points. This draws more people to our show.”

The cutting show is run a little differently. Chris Lichty, horse show co-chair, said organizers have about 70 horses for the two-day show.

“The classes are based on how much money a horse has won,” said Lichty, senior in animal science. “One example is the $10,000 novice class.”

Lichty said this is the second year the cutting show has been a part of the event.

“The National and the Iowa Cutting Horse Association helped us put it on,” he said. “We sponsored a lot of the ads and donated $2,000 for the show, but the association put most of the show on.”

Broulik said the planning committee for the horse show consisted of about 29 members. She said organizers began their planning back in October for this weekend.

“We had a lot more members of the Block and Bridle Club that came to help, not necessarily because they have interest in horses, but because they are part of the club and knew we needed the help,” she said.