All posts by Associate Editor

*Featured/Spotlights, Awards, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

McLain Ward Wins 2011 Hagyard Challenge Series’ $45,000 Leading Rider Bonus

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McLain Ward, winner of the Hagyard Challenge Series' $45,000 Leading Rider Bonus. Photo By: Shawn McMillen

Lexington, KY – September 29, 2011 – On Friday, September 23, McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, was presented with a check for $45,000 after earning the most points during the 2011 Hagyard Challenge Series. The Hagyard Challenge Series is a show jumping competition that is held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, throughout the summer months. Composed of seven grand prix events, the Hagyard Challenge Series concluded on September 23 with the $50,000 CSI-W Lexington Grand Prix. Ward stormed to victory during the event aboard Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve with the fastest double clear effort.

Earlier this year, Ward claimed the first and second place honors in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show riding Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve and Vocas, respectively. His stellar performances during each competition scored him the highest number of points for the Leading Rider Bonus.

“I think it is wonderful to have the Rider Bonus,” commented Ward. “It is a reward for consistency, which is something I always strive towards. Hagyard and the Kentucky Horse Shows have great events, and I think there is a lot of quality throughout the Series.”

Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: presenting sponsor Pfizer Animal Health, Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Flex-tra 200, Wyatt Equine Law Group, Johnson Horse Transportation, Chase, and J. P. Morgan.

Continue reading McLain Ward Wins 2011 Hagyard Challenge Series’ $45,000 Leading Rider Bonus →

Eventing/H.T., Products/Services

Allison Springer Joins Mountain Horse’s Team Rider Program

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Scranton, PA — (October 1, 2011) – Mountain Horse is pleased to announce the latest addition to their Team Rider program, Allison Springer.  A veteran four-star event rider, trainer, and coach, and one of eventing’s brightest young stars, Allison knows how demanding the eventing world can be and relies on the proven, world-famous quality that is found in every design and detail of Mountain Horse products, from their innovative outerwear to their all-season footwear.

“Mountain Horse is a tremendous line of riding apparel. Their clothes and footwear are all well designed, functional and durable. But best of all, it is also very stylish! I particularly love the Autumn and Winter collection which offers a variety of boots and clothes to keep me warm without the bulk that can prevent me from riding well. I am proud to represent Mountain Horse as they are definitely a brand that focuses on helping me to ride well while ensuring that I look good while I’m doing it!”

“All of us at Mountain Horse are really pleased to have such great, young talent represent the line. We are a company that is run by equestrians, all of whom are super passionate about riding. So it really resonates with us to have the world’s up and coming young stars recognize and embrace that passion in the design and functionality of our products. We recognize how hard these event riders work for their craft, and truly feel like partners when it comes to helping them work and compete to the best of their ability,” states Sharon Gladski, Mountain Horse USA Brand Manager.

Mountain Horse products are exclusively distributed in the U.S. by English Riding Supply. For more information on Mountain Horse Team Riders, or to see the exciting new Fall/Winter line, visit us at www.MountainHorseUSA.com.

Continue reading Allison Springer Joins Mountain Horse’s Team Rider Program →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

North American Equitation Championship Weekend Presented by Big Eq.com to Begin 2011 Capital Challenge Horse Show

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Victoria Birdsall won last year's North American Equitation Championships

Upper Marlboro, MD – September 28, 2011 – The 2011 Capital Challenge Horse Show kicks off this Saturday, October 1, 2011, with its North American Equitation Championship Weekend presented by BigEq.com. Running through October 9, the 2011 Capital Challenge Horse Show will feature many of the nation’s best horses and riders in a week of exceptional equestrian competition held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. The equitation weekend will host many exciting classes, including the finals for the 2011 Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal series.

Bigeq.com is the premier website for buying and selling hunters, jumpers, equitation horses and ponies. The website sponsors the Capital Challenge equitation weekend each year and is proud to support the show and its exhibitors. The North American Equitation Championship Weekend presented by BigEq.com will feature the North American Equitation Championships, THIS National Children’s Medal Finals, and the North American Adult Amateur Equitation Championships.

Also featured over the weekend will be the 17-Year-Old Equitation, 16-Year-Old Equitation, 15-Year-Old Equitation, 13 & 14-Year-Old Equitation, 12 & Under Equitation, and Open Equitation 3’ and 3’6” divisions.

The Prince George’s Equestrian Center is a fantastic facility for both horse and rider, featuring indoor and outdoor rings and excellent stabling. Manager Oliver Kennedy looks forward to welcoming horse show participants and anticipates another fantastic year at the Capital Challenge Horse Show.

Kennedy stated, “Capital Challenge is a great opportunity for riders to show their horses in a fun and welcoming environment. The facility provides the experience of showing both indoors and outdoors, and there is always plenty of space to ride and school. We strive to give horses and riders the best experience available, and there is nothing better than showing at Capital Challenge in the fall.”

Continue reading North American Equitation Championship Weekend Presented by Big Eq.com to Begin 2011 Capital Challenge Horse Show →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Maclay, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Michael Hughes, Lillie Keenan, and Catherine Tyree Top 2011 ASPCA Maclay Regional Championships

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Michael Hughes won the 2011 ASPCA Maclay Region 1 "Northeast" Championship. Photo © 2011 Anne Gittins.

Wellington, FL – September 28, 2011 – This weekend concluded the 2011 ASPCA Maclay Regional Championships with the final competitions held for Regions 1, 2, and 4. Championship honors were awarded to Michael Hughes, Lillie Keenan, and Catherine Tyree for their incredible rides in each of their respective regions. The talented riders also earned an invitation to the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, KY, to compete for the top spot among the nation’s best junior riders with the 2011 ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals presented by C. M. Hadfield’s Saddlery.

The Region 1 “Northeast” Championships were judged by Jimmy Torano and Jimmy Lee at the Grand Fall Classic in Westbrook, CT. Michael Hughes of Morriston, FL, caught their attention with his smooth and precise ride aboard Co Co Pop, winning top honors without entering the ring for additional testing. Hughes showed against 60 of the top juniors in the Northeast states of CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, and VT. Charlotte Jacobs of East Aurora, NY, finished in reserve for the second consecutive year.

“This weekend really went amazing,” said Hughes. “The first round went really well, the course was straightforward, and when it came to the flat phase, I know that Co Co Pop would really excel, so we were able to stay strong.”

Region 2 “East” Championship was held on Saturday, September 24 for the states of NJ, NY, and PA at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Judged by Rita Timpanaro and Chrystine Tauber, top honors were awarded to Lillie Keenan of New York, NY, aboard Catherine Cowie’s Vidarco. Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, MD rode to the reserve honors.

Continue reading Michael Hughes, Lillie Keenan, and Catherine Tyree Top 2011 ASPCA Maclay Regional Championships →

Competitions, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Nations Cup – Top League Statistics

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STACKING UP THE STATISTICS – NINE YEARS ON by Louise Parkes

Lausanne (SUI), 28 September 2011 – From the moment the concept of a Top League Nations Cup series was first devised by the FEI at the start of the new millennium, it grabbed the imagination and enthusiastic support of all those involved in the sport of Jumping.  And now, nine years on, and having returned to its original eight-leg, eight-nation format, some new statistics tell the story of the contribution of individual riders to one of the biggest success-stories in the history of equestrian sport – the FEI Nations Cup.

Since the inaugural Samsung Super League season got underway in 2003, a total of 13 nations – Great Britain, Germany, USA, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Poland – have battled it out for the coveted title that sets the best Jumping nation apart from the rest.  Germany holds the record for most wins, with four over the eight-year period including the 2011 title which they secured at the final leg of this year’s series in Rotterdam last month.

NO SURPRISE
It comes as no surprise then, that German riders dominate the statistical table for Riders with Most Wins between 2003 and 2011. This is headed up by Marco Kutscher who has been on 12 victorious teams.  From 25 starts, he produced 10 clear rounds and 4 double-clears and he has therefore made an exceptional contribution to his country’s success-rate.  Next in line is fellow-countryman Ludger Beerbaum with 11 wins from 26 starts, while Marcus Ehning lies third on this table with 10 wins from 30 starts and Christian Ahlmann is in fourth with nine.

Continue reading FEI Nations Cup – Top League Statistics →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEF

Land Rover Awards $50,000 in Performance Grants to the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team

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Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo: www. stockimageservices. com

After a hugely successful early fall campaign for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team, six riders will receive Land Rover Performance Grants based on their performance at the 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials or the 2011 Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.

2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (CCI4*) – Northampton, UK
Boyd Martin led the American effort with the Neville Bardos Syndicate’s Neville Bardos at the Burghley CCI4*. The pair finished seventh, earning a $10,000 Land Rover Performance Grant in addition to the $15,000 base grant which they received prior to their trip to the UK as part of the Land Rover Competition and Training Grant initiative. Their $10,000 Land Rover Performance Grant was based on their top 10% finish at a CCI4*.

“It was fantastic gesture for Land Rover to reward Neville with the $10,000 bonus thanks to his top finish at Burghley,” said Martin. “A huge international trip like this amounts to thousands of dollars in expenses, and this performance grant will be going directly toward offsetting a lot of the costs for Neville’s trip to England. Land Rover has absolutely made my dream of competing at Burghley a reality with their grants.”

Sinead Halpin rode Manoir de Carneville to a 15th place finish at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and will receive a $5,000 Land Rover Performance Grant for their top 20% finish at a CCI4*. Halpin’s trip to her first European CCI4* was funded by the USET Foundation’s Jacqueline Mars Grant.

2011 Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (CCI3*) – Woodstock, UK
Tiana Coudray jumped up to a second place finish with Ringwood Magister at the Blenheim CCI3*, marking a return to form for the California combination. They will receive a $10,000 Land Rover Performance Grant based on their top 10% finish. Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen finished fifth and Will Faudree and Pawlow were eighth, which also marked a top 10% finish for both combinations. They will also receive an additional $10,000. Both Faudree and Montgomery received Land Rover Competition and Training Grants to fund their trip, as did Phillip Dutton, who finished 12th on Mighty Nice. Dutton and Mighty Nice finished in the top 20% at Mighty Nice’s first CCI3*, meaning that they receive a $5,000 Land Rover Performance Grant.

Disciplines, Dressage, Jane Savoie, Training/Clinics

Motivation from Moshi 78, by Jane Savoie

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I’m a people whisperer. A Moshi Level Five People Whisperer, to be exact. Fellow horses come to me when they are confused by their people and ask what their person really meant by their crazy people language. These poor confused horses say things like, “my person says she’s the boss when on my back by directing where we go, but then moves her feet and backs away from me on the ground, which says I’m the boss instead of her. I’m confused!”

I remind them that people have a different language than we do, and we horses need to learn to be “people whisperers.” That means we have to do our best to learn to listen to human commands with our ears, and to ignore the loud body language people scream at us. It’s very hard for us to do, as we naturally listen to body language much more readily than noise. People are very confusing and incongruent to equines, and sometimes the mixed signals make us a bit crazy.

To help, I am posting this message to all my horse friends:

Dear fellow equine: When your human freely gives you lots of treats or lets you push her around with your nose, that means she loves you, not that you’re her boss. I know it is uncomfortable and confusing because to you this behavior means you’re in charge, but you need to learn to tolerate this and not take over. Try not to get confused when she then turns around and asks you to yield your feet to her direction and control.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 78, by Jane Savoie →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, JRPR, Show Jumping

Show Jumping Mourns the Loss of Gilmore 48

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Gilmore 48 and Damian Guthrie. (Photos courtesy of MarkAstrom.com)

Reddick, FL (September 27, 2011) – This past weekend the team at Magnolia Hill Farm in Reddick, Florida lost the talented 12-year-old Westphalian show jumper, Gilmore 48.  Gilmore was euthanized late in the afternoon on Friday, September 24, 2011 after being injured in an attempt to jump out of his paddock.  Gilmore’s devastated owners include rider Damian Guthrie, his wife, Rebecca Guthrie, Chester Weber, and My Elisabeth Weber.  Damian Guthrie had recently qualified Gilmore for the 2012 London Olympics while representing Australia in 6 Nations Cup events and the pair was on the Australian Show Jumping Elite Squad.

“We are all stunned,” said Damian Guthrie.  “It happened in an instant.  Gilmore was turned out and decided to try to jump out of his paddock for no apparent reason other than that he was feeling pretty good about himself.  He landed badly after taking the fence at an angle; I knew immediately that there was no hope for recovery or rehab.  We were able to get a vet to the farm within ten minutes and Gilmore was euthanized soon after.”

For the Webers and the Guthries, the loss of their successful Grand Prix horse was not just a blow to their competition schedule, but also to their family.  “He was the most beloved horse on the farm,” said Guthrie.  “Gilmore had a great life with us.  He had the premium paddock with the best grass and shade; more importantly he had the best view of his lady friend Camilla, my wife’s retired jumper who lived next door to him.  His stable provided him with a view of the farm and all of his other buddies so Gilmore could never feel left out of anything.  My daughter Emilia even has teddy bears named after Gilmore; he was so much more than just a Grand Prix jumper.”

Continue reading Show Jumping Mourns the Loss of Gilmore 48 →

Competitions, Dressage, Events

Dressage Youngsters Have Their Day: Day One of Dressage at Devon

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September 27, 2011 (Devon, PA) – The world-famous breed show at Devon began today with some of the world’s most exciting dressage prospects present.  Except for the specifically designated Individual Breed Classes, all classes were open to horses of any breed and horses could compete without regard to color, size, pedigree, or origin.

The Young Horse/Sport Horse classes included all horses up to and including three years of age.  “The breeding of sport horses in the United States has taken a quantum leap in the last decade,” said Melanie Sloyer, Breed Division Chairperson. “Today set the stage for a great 2011 show.”

Shining brightly in 2011 to capture top honors of the USDF/Great American Insurance Group Colt Championship was Dorian Gray owned by Erin Brooke Freedman and bred by BCM Bosman Muller. Reserve Champion went to Schigazzo, bred and owned by Lea Ann Hansen.

Dazzle, bred by Victoria Lamas Wanner and owned by Taylor Minnucci, did not disappoint in 2011.  This animated three-year old filly was close on El Paso ISF’s tail in 2010.  “She is always wanting to show and not afraid to give it her all.  She wants to dazzle!” commented Bruce Griffin, handler, after winning not just the 2011 Young Horse Champion but also the USDF/Great American Insurance Group Filly Championship.  Reserve Champion went to Bahia Breeze, owned by Michelle Ryan.

Continue reading Dressage Youngsters Have Their Day: Day One of Dressage at Devon →

Breeds, Dressage, JRPR, Publications/Media, USEF

New Lusitano Owner Wins Lusitano Book by Legendary Breed Founder Dr. Paulo Gonzaga at Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions

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Rebecca O’Connor was the happy recipient of a copy of the book The Lusitano Horse – Basic Lineages by Dr. Paulo Gonzaga, founder of Interagro Lusitanos. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Gladstone, NJ (September 27, 2011) – Rebecca O’Connor has certainly found herself surrounded by Lusitanos lately; she recently became the proud owner of a beautiful Lusitano bred by Interagro Lusitanos, and following her trip to Gladstone she is also the happy recipient of a copy of the book The Lusitano Horse – Basic Lineages by Dr. Paulo Gonzaga, founder of Interagro Lusitanos in Brazil, which is the largest breeder and exporter of Lusitano horses in the world. O’Connor, who is from Canton, Georgia, won the book in a raffle at the Lusitano booth during the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions in Gladstone, New Jersey.

O’Connor was thrilled to win the book and said she is looking forward to her Lusitano arriving at her home. O’Connor purchased Allure Interagro from Char Ann Ireland at The Dressage Center in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. “I have now completed my pre-purchase of Allure and am most excited as he is on his way from Pennsylvania to his new home in Atlanta,” she said. “I purchased him because I think Interagro’s Lusitanos make lovely dressage prospects because they have good steady minds that focus on their rider and they have gaits I can actually ride – and not see the chiropractor afterwards!”

O’Connor said her trip to Gladstone was an exciting experience. “To see such quality in both horses and riders is an experience I will not forget. Winning the raffle at the Interagro Lusitano booth was an added bonus!” she said, adding that she is also excited about bonding with her new Lusitano. “My plans with Allure include a long period of getting to know one another, which will work out well since the show season is almost over. I plan to compete him starting next season and attend various clinics to improve our skills. Even though I don’t know him well, there is something special about his attitude. I looked up his grandsire Apolo Do Mirante in The Lusitano Horse — Basic Lineages, and it was interesting to note that his offspring are known to have good temperaments, elevated movements and a lot of personality.”

Continue reading New Lusitano Owner Wins Lusitano Book by Legendary Breed Founder Dr. Paulo Gonzaga at Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions →