Monthly Archives: April 2012

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Phelps Media Group, Western/Reining

Cappy Peterson Rises to the Occasion, Competing with Reining’s Best at Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup

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Cappy Peterson and The Rio Deal have taken the non-professional divisions by storm, and the pair looks forward to competing in the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup this weekend in Lexington, KY

Lexington, KY – April 25, 2012 – The best of the reining world will gather at the Kentucky Horse Park this weekend, April 26-29, 2012 for the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup (AKRC). The prestigious event is held during the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone. The highlight events of the weekend will include the $100,000 Concour de Reining International on Friday, April 27, as well as the much anticipated $25,000 World Championship Freestyle Reining. Cappy Peterson will be joining the ranks this weekend as she tries her hand along with renowned competitors.

Peterson recently earned top awards at the National Reining Breeders Classic aboard her talented mounts West Coast Smarty and The Rio Deal. The pair rode to the third place honors in the Level 1 and 2 Rookie Non-Professional Divisions. She is looking forward to participating in the AKRC and competing in the esteemed championship classes.

“I am especially looking forward to the freestyle division on Saturday night,” Peterson explained. “Fun music, riding in the spotlight and hearing the crowd will be great. All of the reining world loves for the crowd to get excited – whether it is whistling or cheering – we love when they get involved in the pattern and have fun with us.”

Continue reading Cappy Peterson Rises to the Occasion, Competing with Reining’s Best at Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, USEF

Ready to Roll at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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Karen O'Connor presenting Mr. Medicott (Shannon Brinkman)

Lexington, KY – The 31st Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone gets rolling this week at the Kentucky Horse Park. Fifty-eight horses were presented at the first horse inspection and of those all but one was accepted. Entries from five countries are looking for a shot at the title at America’s only CCI4* event which also serves as the Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Eventing Championship.

The competition begins tomorrow with the first of two days of dressage – it will be live streamed on the USEF Network presented by SmartPak. In addition to the webcast, the order of go, results, daily reports and photos can be found here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/Rolex3Day2012.

This year’s field doesn’t include the 2011 winner (Mary King from Great Britain) or the 2011 National Champion (Sinead Halpin) but it does include former winners (and Olympic medalists), Americans Phillip Dutton and Karen O’Connor and Australia’s Andrew Hoy. Dutton has contested every single running of the CCI4* in Kentucky.

Continue reading Ready to Roll at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event →

*Featured/Spotlights, Phelps Media Group

Seraphim12 Foundation Heads to the Capitol for “Horses on the Hill”

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Washington, D.C. – April 25, 2012 – The Seraphim12 Foundation has been working diligently on their letter writing campaign, as well as their most recent venture – joining the “Horses on the Hill” event. The event has brought celebrities, school children and citizen advocates from across the nation to join Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., sponsor of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 2966 / S. 1176) at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The event is co-sponsored by the Animal Welfare Institute, the ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), and The Humane Society of the United States.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet with elected officials and seek their support in passing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which would prohibit the inhumane killing of American horses for human consumption in the United States. It would also stop the transport of horses across the border to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. As part of the event, local school children and young equestrians will also be meeting with legislators to ask that they permanently protect our nation’s horses from inhumane slaughter.

Continue reading Seraphim12 Foundation Heads to the Capitol for “Horses on the Hill” →

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

Jeanne Hobbs Sails Southern River to Championship of Farm Vet Level Five Jumpers and Places Third in Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper

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Jeanne Hobbs and Southern River in Wellington earlier this year. Photo by SportFot

Wellington, FL – April 24, 2012 – Jeanne Hobbs found her groove at HITS Culpeper winning the Farm Vet Level Five Championship with her own mount, Southern River. In the $40,000 Grand Prix, Hobbs piloted Nielsen B to third place honors.

The conditions were not ideal, with fifty-degree weather and rain. But Danny Foster’s courses rode well for Hobbs and her two horses and, despite the cold and rain, they delivered outstanding performances.

“Southern River is 100% Thoroughbred,” shared Hobbs about her twelve-year-old partner. “I’ve had him since he was about three and a half years old, and he’s a super-fast, careful and brave horse. He won the first day at Culpeper, and he went in and won the second day as well. That’s him. He’s a winner. He enjoys winning. The faster you go, the better he jumps.”

Continue reading Jeanne Hobbs Sails Southern River to Championship of Farm Vet Level Five Jumpers and Places Third in Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Jill Henselwood and George Kick Off HITS Culpeper with a Triple Threat

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©ESI Photography. Capping a successful week, Jill Henselwood and George on their way to winning the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix.

CULPEPER, VA (April 24, 2012) – Canadian Olympian Jill Henselwood aboard Juniper Farm’s George continued her journey towards the Pfizer Million and the 2012 Olympics with a big win at Commonwealth Park in Sunday’s $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. As she prepares for the Nations Cup Series in Belgium and Austria, Henselwood spent last week in Culpeper, Virginia where she also picked up wins in Friday’s $15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix and Thursday’s $2,000 Level 7 Jumper.

“I came to Virginia to make sure [George] is on his game and I knew we would be guaranteed good weather since there is snow at home,” said Henselwood. “The venue and the competition were super. These Virginia riders are always quick, so it was great preparation.”

Fellow Canadian Danny Foster of Milton, Ontario designed the course and presented riders an immediate jump-off option. Foster crafted a 14-obstacle track, which included three double combinations. Faults were scattered as his course proved to be challenging, but attainable. Ten were clear over the first round course, but only two managed to produce double clear efforts – Henselwood and Laura Linback of Mundelin, Illinois in the irons of Woodrun’s HH Dauphin.

Continue reading Jill Henselwood and George Kick Off HITS Culpeper with a Triple Threat →

Jane Savoie, Training/Clinics

Motivation from Moshi 99, by Jane Savoie

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I really like my barn. It’s so cool with its screened-in porch and big air fans. The floor is a cushy rubber brick that absorbs the impact of my steps. There’s a beautiful bowl fountain with an eagle sculpture in the center that’s always full of clean, cool water. I appreciate how spotless the barn folks keep the place, too!

I appreciate that I am fed good quality food on a regular basis. I never go hungry. My water is always full and crystal clean. When I have turn out, I have delicious, fresh green grass to eat.

I also appreciate how much the people around me care about me. I care about them too. Jane, Rhett, the barn folks, even Indy, make my life interesting and worthwhile.

So, what do you appreciate today? I know there are things you’d rather were different, but forget about those for a while. What’s GOOD in your life RIGHT NOW? What situations, people, horses, dogs, experiences, and surroundings can you feel appreciation for today?

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 99, by Jane Savoie →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

HSBC FEI Classics 2012: The Season Resumes with Record Entries at Kentucky

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William Fox-Pitt, winner of Pau (FRA) last year with Oslo and current leader of the HSBC FEI Classics 2012, heads into Kentucky with Parklane Hawk. Image: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 24 April 2012 – Great anticipation surrounds the resumption of the HSBC FEI Classics 2012 season, with record entries for the third leg, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA) presented by Bridgestone this week (26-29 April).

With CCI4* competitions having taken place in France and, for the first time Australia, the HSBC FEI Classics has become truly global, prompting the first and third-placed riders in the current standings to fly to Kentucky in the hope of maintaining their momentum in this series, which carries the most valuable single prize in Eventing.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR), winner of Pau (FRA) last year and current leader in the HSBC FEI Classics from Adelaide (AUS) winner Stuart Tinney (AUS), is a perennial visitor to Kentucky – he won it two years ago on Cool Mountain. This time the three-time Olympian, who will be wearing the HSBC Rider Rankings armband as points leader, brings an exciting new talent in Parklane Hawk, the Australian-bred Thoroughbred that gave him a record sixth Burghley victory in 2011.

Continue reading HSBC FEI Classics 2012: The Season Resumes with Record Entries at Kentucky →

Contributors/Press, Equine Assisted Therapy

Equine Therapy: Effects of Perfection on Horse-Human Relationships, by Claire Dorotik

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Perfectionism drives human performance to elite levels, often achieving unequalled accomplishments. However, the push to be great can also have a deleterious effect on a person’s mood, and certainly, relationships. Often those around the perfectionist feel disregarded, or inadequate. But what if the relationship with the perfectionist involves a horse?

Horses have a unique way of telling us the truth about ourselves, at times revealing parts of our character that were hidden or overlooked. For a perfectionist, a person who spends a great deal of time insuring that character deficits are avoided, this can often be a little disconcerting. On the other hand, the horse’s response to a perfectionist can also be relieving.

When a person imposes this need to be perfect on a horse, the animal often responds with tension. The horse may appear tense, hypervigilant, and essentially on edge, and may resist the handler in a number of ways. The horse may overtly object to the person by balking, acting stubborn, or attempting to flee. On the other hand, the horse may simply shut down, tuning the person out.

Continue reading Equine Therapy: Effects of Perfection on Horse-Human Relationships, by Claire Dorotik →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Diana de Rosa, Equestrian Assistance

Deadline Nears to Submit Grant Proposals to USA Equestrian Trust

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Equine Non-Profits Must File Requests by May 7

April 20, 2012 — Lexington, KY — There’s still time to submit proposals for the first round of USA Equestrian Trust grants in 2012.  IRS-registered equine non-profit organizations are invited to apply by going to the web site at http://www.trusthorses.org/grant/request.html to fill out the online grant application. The deadline is May 7 at 5 PM ET.

In 2011, the Trust granted nearly $200,000 to help fund 10 projects. Past recipients of grants include those doing equine health research, land conservation, and educational programs. The Trust welcomes applications for need-based projects and encourages applicants to detail those in their applications.

Funding available for grants includes approximately $70,000 reserved for Hunter and Jumper non-profit programs and activities in California and Nevada. Applicants for this fund should make clear their intention to apply for grants available from this specific reserve.

Continue reading Deadline Nears to Submit Grant Proposals to USA Equestrian Trust →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation

Jane Gaston and Lumiere Win the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Culpeper

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©ESI Photography. Jane Gaston and her own Lumiere on their way to victory in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix as they set their sights on the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final

CULPEPER, VA (April 23, 2012) – Accomplished duo Jane Gaston and her own Lumiere  came out on top in Saturday’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix to highlight the Commonwealth National at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia.

Gaston, who was a ribbon winner in last year’s inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final at HITS-on-the-Hudson, is on track for a return visit to the year-end spectacular for hunter riders this September. After competing in three Devoucoux classes this winter at HITS Ocala, Gaston now has banked four qualifying classes and will look to the July shows at HITS Culpeper to seal her position in the starting field for the return of the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final.

“I got a good start on qualifying at Ocala,” said Gaston of The Plains, Virginia. “My only regret is that I didn’t spend more time there. We were there for three weeks and it was such a pleasant place to show. Next winter, I plan on spending a lot more time there.”

Continue reading Jane Gaston and Lumiere Win the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Culpeper →