Columbia, Mo. – The 83rd Annual Prince of Wales Charity Horse Show will once again be held at the Stephens College Equestrian Center, 201 Old Hwy. 63 North. The event, which is free and open to the public, is back at the Stephens arena after almost two decades alternating between the Boone County Fairgrounds and the Midway Expo Center. The show will be held on Saturday, April 24, starting at 11:30 a.m., and Sunday April 25 starting at 8:30 a.m.

In the POW horse show’s heyday, local dignitaries would gather for what was one of the greatest social events in Columbia. Photos at the stables show the arena filled to its 2,500-seat capacity during the annual event. Prompted by the closing of the Midway Expo Center late last year, this year’s show inadvertently resumes that tradition.

The POW event is unique among horse shows, which are normally divided up by breed. This horse show is a multi-breed event, so audiences will experience a wide array of classes in just two days. The event will also include a therapeutic driving demonstration featuring one of only a handful of special carts available for this purpose in the U.S. The weekend will also include activities for children and shopping booths. Traditionally the POW horse show benefits a local organization; this year Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center will receive donations after the event.

According to the lore, the Prince of Wales Club began in 1926 after a rider fell off her horse at the feet of James Madison Wood, then Stephens College President, and Rolf Raynor, director of the equitation program at the time. Either Raynor or Wood declared the rider had performed a “Prince of Wales maneuver.” Edward VIII, the Prince of Wales, was known for falling off his horse during steeplechases and was invited to sign the original club charter, though apparently he declined. Instead notable humorist Will Rogers signed the Charter as the official sponsor. Membership in the club at first required a fall from a horse, but later requirements were changed to include saddling and bridling tests, riding tests and a written exam. Today, any Stephens student with an interest in horses can join the Club.

For more information, please contact the Stephens College Equestrian Center, (573) 876-7166.

Stephens College, established in 1833, is historically committed to meeting the changing needs of women. Stephens engages students in an innovative educational experience focused on pre-professional fields and the performing arts and grounded in the liberal arts.

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