All posts by Associate Editor

World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Announces Change to Line-Up

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro. Photo courtesy of British Dressage

Wellington, FL – January 6, 2012 – Organizers of the World Dressage Masters presented by Axel Johnson Group have been informed that the stallion Totilas and his rider Matthias Rath of Germany will be unable to attend the WDM Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach, which is set to take place January 26th to 28th.

“I received a call this morning from Paul Schockemöhle, one of the owners of Totilas,” said WDM Palm Beach organizer Noreen O’Sullivan of Wellington Classic Dressage. “I am very sorry to announce that Totilas will not be able to compete in this year’s World Dressage Masters Palm Beach. The owners feel the horse has just returned to light work after an injury and would not be ready for this event. We have already invited Totilas and Matthias to our 2013 WDM event. The owners and Matthias were very disappointed they would not be able to attend this year’s WDM Palm Beach but also said they look forward to accepting our invitation for next year if the horse is going well.”

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EquestrianCoach.com’s Bernie Traurig to Judge the College Preparatory Invitational January 13-15

Wellington, FL – January 5, 2012 – The legendary rider, trainer, founder and president of Equestrian.Coach.com, Bernie Traurig, is slated to judge the College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL.  The event runs from January 13th through the 15th.

“I am honored to be asked to judge this event and look forward to it. I was so impressed with the quality of riding at this spring’s IHSA Nationals and am anticipating much of the same here,” shared Traurig.

In its second year, the CPI provides college-bound high school students an opportunity to compete in a format similar to the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) while experiencing a world-class venue. The organizers of the CPI believe that equestrian talent, not finances, should dictate a rider’s opportunity to be a part of a collegiate team. The CPI provides the horses and tack for the show. Competitors incur no cost of transporting horses to the show. CPI riders compete on a level playing field aboard unknown horses before an audience of prospective equestrian collegiate coaches.

Continue reading EquestrianCoach.com’s Bernie Traurig to Judge the College Preparatory Invitational January 13-15

Virus Affecting Horses Found at N.C. Stable

Virus is contagious between horses, but does not affect humans

RALEIGH – The neurologic form of equine herpesvirus, EHV-1, has been confirmed in a North Carolina horse. The horse, from a Rockingham County stable, was taken to the College of Veterinary Medicine at N.C. State University upon becoming ill, and directly quarantined to the equine isolation unit of the hospital.

“We have been fortunate that we’ve not seen this particular form of this common virus in North Carolina to date, even though it has been increasing in frequency throughout the country for almost a decade now,” said State Veterinarian David Marshall. “We are working with the College of Veterinary Medicine and with the stable to implement biosecurity measures and minimize the risk of further spread.”

EHV-1 is highly contagious among horses, but poses no threat to humans. It most often causes respiratory infections in young horses, but different strains can also pose neurologic problems, which the affected N.C. horse exhibited. The virus also can cause abortion in pregnant horses or neonatal death. Vaccines are available that protect horses from most forms of EHV-1, but not from the strains that cause neurologic problems.

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Rolf-Göran Bengtsson in Historic Rolex Rankings Lead

Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) becomes first Swede to lead the Rolex Rankings.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 January 2012 – Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) is celebrating after securing the world number one slot in the Rolex Rankings for the first time in his career.

The Hong Kong individual silver medallist has also made history by becoming the first Swedish world number in an Olympic discipline.

In the latest Rolex Rankings, published today, Bengtsson is 81 points ahead of Eric Lamaze (CAN), the reigning Olympic champion who had topped the Rolex Rankings since 1 June 2011.

Bengtsson, who turns 50 this year, will be celebrating his promotion to world number one at the Swedish National Federation’s annual awards ceremony in Stockholm this weekend, when the Swedes will be looking back on a successful 2011 season.

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Owner of HERDA-Affected Show Prospect Horse Finds New Purpose

Almost two years after discovering her western pleasure show prospect has the devastating genetic defect HERDA, owner finds a new purpose.

There was so much to look forward to for Robin Davison.  She had just purchased a wonderful western pleasure show prospect in November of 2009 and was going to chase her dream of showing at the National Western Stock Show. Unfortunately a few months after a local trainer started the filly under saddle, she developed saddle sores that never healed.  In May 2010, A DNA test at the University of California, Davis confirmed that “Penelope” (registered name Quality Sensation) is affected with HERDA, or Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia.  Her riding days were over and Robin’s dream was shattered.  After many months of research and digesting this horrible reality, Robin decided to find as many things to do with Penelope as her condition would permit.  They have attended local clinics, participating from the ground, and showed at some local shows in showmanship.  Penelope was even a 4-h project horse, placing reserve grand champion in showmanship at the local county fair.  Along the way, Robin found herself educating fellow horse owners about Penelope’s condition which resulted in a website, http://herdahorse.com/. Their story was covered in the December issue of EQUUS and due to such positive reader response a shorter version of this story is on their website.

Check out this great information that we all need to be aware of. This disease is on the rise.

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/case-report-hereditary-equine-regional
-dermal-asthenia-herda/

Mason Phelps, Jr. to Host New Radio Show on W4CY

Mason Phelps. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus

Wellington, FL – January 5, 2012 – Mason Phelps, Jr. the President of America’s leading equestrian public relations firm, Phelps Media Group, is pleased to announce that he will be the host of a new radio show on W4CY.com. The show will kick off on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Each Thursday, Phelps will host a one-hour session discussing the most important issues regarding the equestrian community, from exciting upcoming events, to the challenges and obstacles the sport faces.

There are 17,000 Internet radio stations worldwide and W4CY is ranked 13th in the world. Listeners can tune in by visiting http://w4cy.com/, and they can also call into the show with comments by dialing 561-623-W4CY (9429).

“I think Mason will do phenomenal at hosting a radio show and informing the world about all the great things going on in the equestrian community. He will be using his experience and knowledge to create a very informative and entertaining show,” W4CY owner Dean Piper stated. “After years of working together with Mason, I know that he has both the knowledge and experience to be able to inform the world about current events and things going on in the equestrian community. He is the perfect voice for the equestrian world, throughout the world.”

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Free Gelding Surgery for Horses Offered at Kentucky Horse Park

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 5, 2012) – In an effort to help reduce the number of unwanted and inconvenient horses being bred in Kentucky, the Kentucky Horse Park is hosting its second Free Gelding Clinic on Saturday, March 10, 2012.

This free clinic is being provided by the Kentucky Horse Park in partnership with the Kentucky Horse Council’s Save Our Horses fund and the American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition.

“The threats facing Kentucky’s horses can be overcome when horse owners take their responsibilities seriously and provide good stewardship, and when other good people make up their minds to get involved,” said John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “This clinic is a great example of how horse owners can do the right thing for their animals in spite of a challenging economy, with the help of individuals and organizations that are willing to come alongside them with resources and expertise.”

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Comment Period for Pryors Extended

BLM Allows Comments through January 20th

Little Lynx in Cloud's band could be removed if bait-trapping proceeds.

Dear Pryor Wild Horse Defenders;
We’ve just learned that the BLM Field Office in Billings has extended the comment period for the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA) until January 20th. Emailed comments will be accepted (BLM_MT_Billings_FO@blm.gov), but physically mailed comments are encouraged (Jim Sparks: BLM Billings Field Manager, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101).

In light of this extension, we are doing more research on alternatives to an unnecessary removal of 30 young Pryor mustangs. We will be sending this new information soon.

Stay tuned!

Happy Trails!
Ginger

The Cloud Foundation
107 South 7th St
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
719-633-3842

Crowd Gathers at The Grille to Protest Commercial Development in Wellington Equestrian Preserve

Wellington, FL – January 4, 2012 – Between 75 and 100 people concerned about a proposed commercial project for Wellington’s equestrian preserve area gathered at the patio area of The Grille Tuesday evening to hear about potential impacts, ask questions and raise issues.

The gathering was spearheaded by the Wellington Equestrian Preservation Alliance, which is opposing the commercial intrusion in the Wellington’s equestrian preserve. Barbara Richardson, a board member of the Alliance laid out the plans for the proposed development known as Equestrian Village: 100 condo-hotel units, 75,000 square feet of commercial space, more than 700 parking spaces and more than 3,000 more road trips each day on South Shore at Pierson Road.

Richardson, along with Mat Forrest, executive director of the Alliance, urged everyone to attend Wednesday’s meeting of Wellington’s Planning, Zoning and Adjustment board to make their opinions known.

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“Salute to Driving” Benefit to Support the USET Foundation

The "Salute to Driving" will take place February 18-20, 2012. Photo By: Vicki Long.

Aiken, SC – January 4, 2012 – The Second Annual Salute to Driving fundraising event is pleased to announce that it will once again be held in Aiken, and Windsor SC, February 18-20, 2012, and will feature many exciting new additions. Last year’s debut event benefited this country’s High Performance Driving programs for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation, raising over $30,000. The exciting weekend event will feature a beautiful dinner and auction on Saturday evening, multiple driving clinics with some of the world’s top trainers, and a Combined Test Competition for any drivers Preliminary-Advanced on Monday. The Salute to Driving event is being held to help raise awareness and educate different audiences about the discipline of driving.

Salute to Driving will kick off its festivities on Saturday, February 18, 2012, with dressage clinics by Tjreed Velstra of The Netherlands and Hardy Zantke of California at Chateau Log and Courage to Lead Farms. Auditing these clinics is free, and Velstra will lead the USEF long listed drivers while Zantke teaches the developing drivers. Other special events include a hazard demonstration and clinic, harnessing demonstrations, and a carriage exhibit.

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