Hobby Horse Derby

The Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department is planning to “horse” around at Allandale Mansion this month by offering to the public its first-ever Hobby Horse Derby.

Hobby Horsing is a unique sport that involves participants riding stick horses for events like barrel racing and jumping courses. Kingsport’s hobby horse derby promises to be a fun-filled, family-friendly event celebrating the art of hobby horsing.

Kingsport’s Hobby Horse Derby will take place at Allandale Mansion on April 27 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Food trucks will be on site for the duration of the event. The three-hour event will include:

Each event costs $7 per person to participate and participants must bring their own hobby horse to the event. Winners will be selected based on course time and fewest faults.

“Allandale Mansion used to be a horse and cattle farm, so what better venue to hold our first-ever Hobby Horse Derby,” said Program Leader Jennifer Henry.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/422oUUG. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “hobby horse” in the search bar.

For information about other programs, activities and classes offered by the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

Kingsport Parks and Recreation is improving quality of life by offering essential services and recreation opportunities for the community of the City of Kingsport. They provide facilities, programs and recreational experiences that are available to residents and visitors. Kingsport Parks and Recreation makes sure community members have places to play, get fit and stay healthy, as well as opportunities to foster new relationships and forge a connection with nature. For more information, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

Founded in 1917, the City of Kingsport (pop. 55,400) is located on the Tennessee-Virginia border at the crossroads of I-81 and I-26 near the geographic center of the eastern United States. The city is widely known as a planned community, designed by renowned city planner John Nolen and wrapping around the foot of Bays Mountain – a 3,750-acre park, nature preserve, planetarium and observatory. Kingsport is recognized as an International Safe Community by the National Safety Council, a Healthier Tennessee community, and won the 2009 Harvard Innovations in American Government Award for its higher education initiatives. While many city names are duplicated throughout the U.S., there’s only one Kingsport – a fact that invokes community pride, known locally as the “Kingsport Spirit.” For more information, please visit www.kingsporttn.gov.