Monthly Archives: April 2012

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Western/Reining

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event: Record Entries Set to Compete!

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With a record number of entries and an international field of past Rolex Kentucky champions and Olympic veterans including some of the sport’s biggest names from the US, Canada, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, this year is going to be one not to miss.

Check out the list of entries online!

One Week Left for Tickets!

With less than a month left until the first horse enters the ring at the Kentucky Horse Park, there is only one week left to buy tickets, make sure you have your spot reserved today! All of our packages are selling fast – don’t miss your opportunity to watch Olympic contenders before they head to London for the 2012 games! Enjoy the Event ringside in the Patron Club or catch the action Saturday during Cross-Country from the brand new Kentucky Club!

Click here to buy your tickets online today!

Continue reading Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event: Record Entries Set to Compete! →

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Horse Owners Urged to Vaccinate Horses Early

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Heavy mosquito season expected due to warm winter

RALEIGH – Equine owners across North Carolina are urged to discuss their annual vaccination protocol with their veterinarians to protect their animals from mosquito-borne diseases.

West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis are endemic in the state and can cause illness or death, but can be prevented with a sequence of two vaccines.

More mosquitoes are expected this year because of the warmer-than-normal winter. Officials don’t know for sure if that will mean an uptick in mosquito-borne viruses or if disease transmission will start earlier in the season. However, State Veterinarian David Marshall says that common sense would dictate being extra vigilant since the diseases are so easily preventable.

Continue reading Horse Owners Urged to Vaccinate Horses Early →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm Win $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show II

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Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare's Rhythm. Photos By: Shawn McMillen

Wellington, FL – April 4, 2012 – The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show continues to be a highlight event for Nordic Lights Farm, where the horses and riders claimed top ribbons throughout the week. During the second week of competition, Peter Pletcher piloted NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm to victory in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, while sisters Eirin and Lene Bruheim had their own success in the jumper arena.

Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm started out the week in a winning fashion, sweeping the over fences classes in the High Performance Working Hunter division. Their efforts earned the division’s championship award for the second week in a row, and made them favorites going into Saturday night’s main event.

Continue reading Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm Win $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show II →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Star-Studded Line-Up Emerges from North American FEI World Cup Jumping Qualifying Leagues

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Richard Spooner and Cristallo won the North American West Coast FEI World Cup Jumping qualifying series and will line out at 's-Hertogenbosch. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lausanne (SUI), 4 April 2012 – The 2011/2012 North American FEI World Cup Jumping qualifying leagues concluded last weekend at Tampa in Florida (USA), yielding a star-studded selection of contenders for the 34th Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands which is now only two weeks away.

Two separate leagues take place on the North American continent. The East Coast league began at Blainville in Quebec (CAN) last July, while the West Coast league kicked off at another Canadian fixture, Langley CSI2*-W, a month earlier. A total of four groups of athletes can qualify from this region – two from Canada, another two from Mexico, three from the USA West Coast League and seven from the USA East Coast series. And many of the riders who have made the cut for this season’s decider are big names that are likely to make their presence felt when the action gets underway at the Brabanthalle on 19 April.

Continue reading Star-Studded Line-Up Emerges from North American FEI World Cup Jumping Qualifying Leagues →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group

Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy Dominate High Performance Working Hunters during WEF 12

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Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy earned the High Performance Hunter Championship during WEF 12. On Sunday the duo was also awarded the seventh place award for their overall score in the Palm Beach $50,000 International USHJA Hunter Derby. Photo By: SportFot

Wellington, FL – April 4, 2012 – It was an exciting week for SBS Farms, as professional rider and trainer Jennifer Alfano joined the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. Although Alfano spent most of the Winter Circuit in Ocala, FL, the talented rider definitely was leaving nothing to chance as she rode Miss Lucy to the High Performance Working Hunter Championship.

On Wednesday afternoon, Alfano piloted Miss Lucy to the first and second place ribbons over fences, earning scores of 86 and 82, respectively. The pair then continued into the under saddle, receiving the third place for their efforts. Returning on Thursday, Alfano expertly guided Miss Lucy to another third place win over fences, and an incredible first place finish in the Stake class.

“We were trying to get the horses warmed up for Saturday’s Derby,” Alfano explained. “Miss Lucy really felt on, and she gave the courses her all. She is such a wonderful horse and I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to ride her at all of these shows and in such prestigious events. She has really proven herself during our time together, and she only continues to get better.”

Continue reading Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy Dominate High Performance Working Hunters during WEF 12 →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Take Third Place Prize for $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

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Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy earned the third place award on Sunday, April 1, 2012, after completing their rounds and earning a total score of 386.5 points. Photo By: SportFot

Wellington, FL and Buffalo, NY – April 3, 2012 – The $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby got underway Saturday afternoon in the Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. It was the first time a hunter event, and especially one of such prestige, was held on the grass venue. Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy stepped up to the challenge, emerging as the third place victors.

The event opened up with a competitive field of 54 horse and rider combinations, welcoming the best hunter riders across the nation to give it their all over the challenging hunt course designed by Bobby Murphy. The challenging course for the event consisted of four option fences, which included the final fence, a hedge jump set at 4’5″ on the highest side. Riders received an additional bonus point from each panel of judges for taking the higher options, which many of the top finishers opted to take. The course only included two oxers, but the horses jumped brilliantly, showcasing their immense talent over the course reminiscent to that of an actual hunt field.

Continue reading Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Take Third Place Prize for $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby →

Jane Savoie, Para-Equestrian, Training/Clinics

Motivation from Moshi 96, by Jane Savoie

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Sometimes our biggest challenges become our greatest successes. As a Friesian, I’m not built for a good canter. My breed was bred for a fancy trot to elegantly and smartly pull buggies and carts. But with determination and proper training, I was able to develop an amazing canter! My ability to do superb one tempis is one of my proudest accomplishments.

Here in Wellington, the Para-Equestrian’s Olympic Trials are being held. Wow! What an amazing bunch of people! These are folks who have physical challenges much harder to deal with than I’ve ever had. They are a brave, talented, and determined bunch, who don’t let their disabilities slow them down. They’ve proven they can do anything they put their minds to!

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 96, by Jane Savoie →

Contributors/Press, Equine Assisted Therapy

Equine Therapy: In Universities? by Claire Dorotik

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While the popularity of equine therapy has been increasing dramatically, in has expanded into many different settings. Equine therapy can now be found as part of veterans rehabilitation programs, outpatient therapy offered to children with developmental disorders as part of a hospital’s treatment model, and even surprisingly, part of the required curriculum for Stanford Medical students.

As this expansive development has occurred, many in the psychotherapeutic field have also wondered where the research to support this new treatment approach is being published. Some journals have produced articles supporting equine therapy, much research has been funded by the Horse and Human Research foundation, and some researchers have chosen to conduct and publish their own research independently.

Continue reading Equine Therapy: In Universities? by Claire Dorotik →

Championships, Competitions, Endurance Riding, Events, FEI, USEF

USEF Names Long List for the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship

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Jeremy Reynolds and A Kutt Above (Photo by Donna Shifflette)

Lexington, KY – Endurance competition heated up this weekend at the Priefert Ranch in Mt. Pleasant, TX as 45 of the nation’s top horses and riders contested the 160km Selection Trial for a spot on the Long List for the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship. In a close race to the finish Jeremy Reynolds guided A Kutt Above to the win in 8:16:03, narrowly beating out Wendy MacCoubrey and Reach for the Gold (8:16:05) and Becky Hart riding No Repeat (8:16:09).

Over a course designed to replicate the Championship environment, 19 of the 45 starters finished the race. The top finishers were strong all day and recovered well in the vet gates. Reynolds, of San Jose, CA and A Kutt Above (owned by wife Heather Reynolds), also earned the coveted Best Conditioned Award. A Kutt Above has been named to the Long List with both Jeremy and Heather, who finished fourth on Riverwatch. Reach for the Gold was ridden by Proxy Rider MacCoubrey and has been named to the Long List with owner Valerie Kanavy of Fort Valley, VA. Both Kanavy and Hart (San Juan Bautista, CA) will seek a chance to earn another World Endurance Championship title. Kanavy currently has two titles to her name and Hart will seek a fourth, this time with her own No Repeat.

Continue reading USEF Names Long List for the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship →

Breeds, Racing

Great Grandson of Secretariat Rescued from Neglect by Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue

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1 Year old gray filly (Derby - Lil Miss Lollipop by Navajo) and 5 month old chestnut colt (Derby - Secret Letters by War Secretary by Secretariat).

Loxahatchee, Florida – One would scarcely recognize the severely matted chestnut colt as a six-month-old Thoroughbred, much less a horse who shares the royal bloodlines of his famous lineage with Secretariat, War Secretary and War Admiral. Hardly the size of a two-month-old, the malnourished youngster and another one-year-old Thoroughbred peacefully chomped on some hay in a comfortable and clean stall at Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue yesterday.

Jennifer Swanson and Brad Gaver, co-founders of the all-breed horse rescue picked up the horses near Okeechobee and Indiantown from a pasture. For the past few weeks, a neighbor had been helping to feed the starving horses until the rescue had room.

Continue reading Great Grandson of Secretariat Rescued from Neglect by Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue →