All posts by Associate Editor

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Atlanta Summerfest Wrap-Up

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Tamino and Christina Jason. Steven G. Webb Photography

August 30th, 2011 – The second week of the Atlanta Summerfest show series concluded Sunday at Chatt Hills (Bouckaert Farms) in Fairburn, GA.  J. P. Godard and his Equus Events handled the managing duties during this second week of the two week long “A” rated series.  The facility, owned by Olympic 3 Day Eventer Carl Bouckeart, once again received rave reviews from exhibitors and it is no surprise why.  “We have had outstanding feedback this year for the event,” said manager J. P. Godard.  “Thanks to Carl Bouckaert, Ritch Temple, and all of the staff here at Chatt Hills for allowing us to put on the show at their beautiful facility. We are really looking forward to putting on more events here in the future.”  From the gorgeous architecture of the stabling to the fabulous footing to the thousands of acres to ride, Chatt Hills is one of the premiere facilities in the country and it’s conveniently local to the hustle and bustle of downtown Atlanta make it a prime stop on the horse show calendar for the hunter/jumper set.

Chatt Hills was the place to be Saturday evening as all of the “hustle and bustle” was taking place in the jumper ring with 18 horse rider teams turning out for the $5,000 Atlanta Summerfest Jumper Classic.  H. J. Wings and Things of Tyrone, GA provided an old fashioned cook out for exhibitors and spectators to enjoy on the hill as they watched the competition below.  The party was sponsored by the Atlanta Summerfest Hospitality Sponsors: Brad Spragg and the Atlanta Hunt Club, Casey Whitaker, Elizabeth Warmington and Brooksgate Stable Inc., Harrison and Danielle Ford and Hillford Farm, Matt Martin and Windy Oaks Farm, and The Farm House.  7 out of the original field of 18 riders qualified their horses for the second round jump off over the J. P. Godard designed course.  In the end it was blue two weeks in a row for Aiken, SC’s Christina Jason as she guided her Tamino to the win with a clear effort and time of 38.753 blazing to the victory over Charles De Gunzburg’s Mambo De Lezeaux and Tryon, NC native Clayton Russell.  “It was a great two weeks of showing and I would like to thank Cathy and Daniel Geitner for giving me such great horses to ride,” said Jason. “Tamino was just great!”  Originally from Rochester, MI, Christina has been riding for the Geitner’s DFG Stables since last October and has already accumulated many top awards and championships in both the hunter and jumper ring.  Tamino is a 16 Hanoverian gelding in which Jason purchased from Vicky Miller in November of 2010.  Jason continued, “He took time off from November until May with his first show back being at the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club July show, so I am excited he rose to occasion tonight!”

Continue reading Atlanta Summerfest Wrap-Up →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Endurance Riding, Events, FEI, FEI

FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2011 – Koprivshtitsa (BUL)

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DOUBLE GOLD FOR BRILLIANT BULGARIANS by Louise Parkes

Individual champion, Bulgaria's Miroslav Borshosh, celebrates his gold medal winning performance with Munir B. The partnership also took the Best Condition award. Photo: FEI/Radostina Genova.

Lausanne (SUI), 30 August 2011 – The host nation scooped team and individual gold at the FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2011 staged at Koprivshtitsa in Bulgaria last weekend. The Bulgarian side was the only finishers in the three-nation team contest, while Miroslav Borshosh produced an impressive and well-judged performance with his Arab gelding, Munir B, to emphatically claim the individual title.

Koprivshtitsa, which lies on the Topolnitsa River and in the Sredna Gora mountains, is well-known for its architecture. and for the folk-music festivals that ensure it is a very popular destination for tourists.  It is also home to a National Festival of Bulgarian Folklore which takes place every five years, attracting musicians, artists and craftsmen from across the country.  So visitors to these FEI Championships experienced an authentic take on Bulgarian culture and heritage.

The horses and riders were truly tested with an 86 kilometre course that started at 1,000 feet above sea level and rose a further 400 feet.  “The competitors did a great job,” said FEI Technical Delegate Bo Kjellgren (SWE) afterwards, “and the Bulgarian Federation was very much behind the event, giving it huge support.”

VERY TOUGH
Poland’s Dr Piotr Szpotanski, a highly-experienced FEI Veterinary Delegate, described the competition trail as “very tough”, but was surprised how well the horses coped with it.  “I found it frightening when I was driving the mountain trail in my car, but the horses seemed to find it much easier!” he said.  Rumours of wild mustangs running loose through the countryside, and even the occasional wolf prowling in the wilderness, didn’t deter the competitors from the task at hand.

Continue reading FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2011 – Koprivshtitsa (BUL) →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI

Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials Celebrates 50 Glorious Years

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Caroline Powell (NZL) and Lenamore will be defending their title at this week’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. (Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 31 August 2011 – An all-star cast heads to this week’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), second last leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 (1-4 September).

It is a particularly special year for Burghley, as it is 50 years ago that the historic Lincolnshire estate hosted its first competition by invitation of the 1928 hurdling Olympic gold medallist, the Marquess of Exeter.

Since then, Burghley has hosted eight championships, including the first ever World Championships in 1966, and riders regularly vote it their favourite venue in L’Annee Hippique, the annual review of the equestrian year.

Not only does Burghley boast the beautiful backdrop of the magnificent Elizabethan house and deer park, but it is an event that has consistently been at the forefront of innovation, with its own irrigation system for the dedicated Cross Country track and all-weather warm-up arenas.

“Burghley has such charm,” explains five-times winner Mark Todd (NZL). “It is a magical place and I always feel excited when I come in through the gates.”

Besides Todd, eight other former Burghley winners have entered for this year’s golden jubilee, including Mary King (GBR), the current runaway leader of the HSBC FEI Classics.

Continue reading Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials Celebrates 50 Glorious Years →

Classic Company, Classic Company, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jacksonville Winter Series, Show Jumping

Tryon Fall Classic and Other Classic Co. Updates

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Just some updates and reminders.  The 21st Annual Tryon Fall Classic is three weeks away at Harmond Field, Sept. 23-25.  The highlight of the show will again be the Tri State Age Group Equitation Finals.  The top ten riders from the NCHJA, SCHJA and GHJA in 11 and Under, 12-14 and 15-17 will compete for a silver trophy for each age group.  A list of qualified riders is on our website home page at www.ClassicCompany.com and invitations have been mailed.  If you think you have qualified and are not on the list, please call Tissy at our home office.  By moving the show from FENCE, we have reduced the costs of production and we have lowered the stall and entry fees from last year.  We have also added several opportunity classes that do not require membership to either USEF or USHJA to compete.  For those of you who have not competed at Harmond Field, you will be very impressed by the stabling and footing in the show rings.  Carol and I are looking forward to seeing you at our annual event.  Please call our office for reservations: 843 768 5503.

The Atlanta Fall Classic I & II, Nov. 9-20, will have many new classes this year along with the annual finals for NCE and NHJL.  Qualified riders for NCE will be posted soon on our website.

We are well into the planning for the winter shows: Jacksonville Jan. 11-29, Pensacola Jan. 11-29.  Both circuits will offer USEF AA rated hunters and $25,000 Grand Prix classes each week.  More details on both will be available soon.

See you at the rings,
Bob Bell
The Classic Company, Ltd.
www.ClassicCompany.com
Phone/FAX:  (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311  Johns Island  SC 29457

Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS

Pfizer Million Weekend Prepares to Make History as Well as Honor It

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©ESI Photography. West Point Cadets present the American Flag in the background of the awards for the first ever Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson last year.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 30, 2011) — The purpose of Pfizer Million Weekend will be two-fold this year as the world’s richest day in show jumping also falls on the ten-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. While handing out the biggest purses that the sport of show jumping has ever seen, HITS will also take time to remember the heroes of September 11, 2001.

Following the pinning of the first ever Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final Champion, HITS will welcome the cadets of the West Point Military Academy Color Guard and Equestrian Team to escort the American Flag into the Strongid C 2X Grand Prix Stadium. A group of five West Point cadets will set the mood to the tune of the National Anthem as riders, spectators, and HITS staff alike take a moment to remember the events of the 2001 attacks.

“Many of the cadets who now attend West Point are doing it because of what happened that day,” said Sherry Cashman, coach of the West Point Equestrian Team. “It is a meaningful way for them to be honored for that as well as have the chance to participate in an event of this caliber.”

The West Point cadets will be joined, this year, by local servicemen and women, visiting the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds as honored guests. Uniformed fire, police and ambulance personnel from Saugerties and the surrounding region will be thanked and celebrated as they march alongside the West Point Cadets into the Grand Prix stadium.

Just a car-ride away from lower Manhattan, emergency service organizations in the Hudson Valley region heard the call for help on September 11, 2001. Many local groups donated time, manpower, supplies and equipment to the rescue and rebuilding efforts.

Continue reading Pfizer Million Weekend Prepares to Make History as Well as Honor It →

Auctions, Benefits, Breeds, Contributors/Press, Racing

Old Friends Day at River Downs Honors Appygolucky

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GEORGETOWN, KY – AUGUST 30, 2011 – Monday, Sept. 5 is Old Friends Day at River Downs racetrack in Cincinnati, OH.

Join us for an exciting day of racing as River Downs celebrates the careers of Ohio millionaire Catlaunch and recently retired fan favorite Eagle Time. The benefit will raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

In addition to the second running of the “Old Friends” race, the event, held from 11 AM – 5 PM, will feature a silent auction of select racing memorabilia. Featured items include a Moneigh by Old Friends retiree Danthebluegrassman and other unique collectibles. All proceeds will benefit Old Friends.

While at the track fans are invited to stop by the Old Friends booth and learn more about the organization and its many retired equine athletes.

The Old Friends benefit at River Downs began last year as a tribute to Appygolucky, an Old Friends retiree who was once considered the King of the Claimers at the River Downs. He also set the track record for a mile at Beulah Park, which still stands.

Appy passed away in 2009, but his legacy of helping fellow claiming horses lives on.

For additional information contact Vivien Morrison at val226@aol.com.

About Old Friends
Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 100 retired racehorses.  Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours, reservations at the Old Friends B&B, or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, JRPR

Dressage Rider Caroline Roffman Takes Three for Three Tri-Colored Ribbons at the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships

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Caroline Roffman riding Bon Chance at the 2011 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships. (Photo compliments of PhelpsPhotos.com)

Wayne, IL (August 30, 2011) – On the same weekend that Hurricane Irene battered its way up the East Coast, dressage rider Caroline Roffman took the 2011 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships at the Lamplight Equestrian Center by storm. Roffman, of Wellington, Florida, rode away with three Reserve Championships aboard San City, Bon Chance, and Pie, once again solidifying her place in the dressage world as a successful trainer and competitor.

“San City was Reserve Champion in the Five-Year-Old division, Bon Chance tied for the Championship in the Six-Year-Olds, although because it is an American show the tie breaker goes to the American horse, and Pie finished as Reserve Champion in the Developing Horse Championships,” Roffman said. “What a weekend!”

Roffman was especially pleased with San City, a Hanoverian eventing stallion owned by Linda Crabtree, who made history in the Five-Year-Old Preliminary Test when he earned an 89% and a comment of “Wow” from judge Linda Zang.

“On the first day San City was amazing and he went above and beyond what he had ever done before,” Roffman said. “He really couldn’t have done any better. His 89% score was the highest ever given in the U.S. He was a little tired the second day, but I am still so proud of him.”

Continue reading Dressage Rider Caroline Roffman Takes Three for Three Tri-Colored Ribbons at the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships →

Contributors/Press, Equine Assisted Therapy, Publications/Media

Equine Therapy: The Importance of Integrity, by Claire Dorotik

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Recently, while surfing the web, I came across an article with the title “Equine Therapy or Natural Horsemanship.” As this is also the title of a recent post of mine on this blog, naturally I clicked on the link. Much to my surprise, and dismay, the article was a direct copy of mine, with a few words changed.

Take a look for yourself…

Here is the article:

http://eatingdisordrs.com/eating-disorders/equine-therapy-or-natural-horsemanship/

And here is my blog post:

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/equine-therapy/2011/08/equine-therapy-or-natural-horsemanship/

Adding to my horror was that the article appeared not on the site of an individual, but a much larger organization — presumably a reputable one. In addition to this, the word changes were clear, yet the general theme, structure, and organization of the article was COMPLETELY IDENTICAL. In fact, as much as 90% of the article was copied from my post WORD FOR WORD!

Naturally, I searched the site eatingdisordrs.com for a “contact” link so I may inform them of the situation. However, after dissecting the site assiduously, there appeared to be no way to contact this organization. The only exception was the “comment” section just below the article. So, with no option left, I posted as comment, including the link to my blog post, and clarifying the nature of my blog — which is to say that it is indeed copyrighted information, and that any unauthorized reproduction is actually illegal.

Continue reading Equine Therapy: The Importance of Integrity, by Claire Dorotik →

Awards, Breeds, Community/Charity, Products/Services, WHIN, Wild Horse Sources

WHINNY Awards to Honor Animal Rights Advocate Madeleine Pickens

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The Women’s Horse Industry Network has announced that Madeleine Pickens has been selected to receive a WHINNY award. The awards dinner will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2011 at the Radisson Hotel Opryland. It will be videotaped as part of a one hour special on HRTV.

“We are very happy to present this award to Madeleine. This woman not only works hard to help animals and horses but has put her money where her boots are and where her passion lives. People like Madeleine deserve to be recognized and applauded for their efforts.  We will do everything we can to help promote her and her efforts.  It definitely will be my pleasure to hand her this award,” states WHIN’s Executive Director, Catherine Masters.

Animal rights advocate Madeleine Pickens started her career in horse racing in 1983, a passion she shared with her late husband and Gulfstream Aerospace founder, Allen E. Paulson. They achieved enormous success in racing and had a total of 800 horses, including breeding and racing World Champion and U.S. Hall of Fame inductee, Cigar. They achieved much esteem for their successes racing many champion Thoroughbreds, breeding many brood mares, and creating three successful farms from the ground up. Together, they owned a breaking and training farm at Ocala and a breeding farm at Brookside North in Kentucky where many of their champions were raised. They also had one more facility in California. Madeleine managed all the business aspects, farm decisions, and race decisions for the entire operation. The Paulsons owned more than 115 winners of graded stakes races. To this day, they still hold the record for the leader of the most ‘Breeder’s Cup’ champion horses and earnings.

Today, she is still breeding a few racehorses, but adamantly opposes horse slaughter and the use of the drugs in these animals. Until that is cleared up, she won’t ever participate in the race world like she had once been.

Continue reading WHINNY Awards to Honor Animal Rights Advocate Madeleine Pickens →

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, USEA

Richland Park CIC3* Win Boosts Davidson to Top of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Leaderboard

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Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM. StockImageServices Photo

Mere seconds played a huge role in the final outcome of this year’s Richland Park CIC3* (Richland, Michigan), one of the final legs of the $20,000 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series.

Buck Davidson, riding Ballynoe Castle RM, and Jennie Brannigan, aboard Cambalda, had been neck-and-neck all weekend, jostling for a top position. The two riders began the event tied for second with 43.3, but after cross-country day, Davidson and ‘Reggie’ finished double-clear just a second under the optimum time over Ian Stark’s challenging course; Brannigan and ‘Ping’ also finished fault-free but were seven seconds under the optimum time. Both moved into a tie for the lead after overnight leader Phillip Dutton and Ben picked up a few time faults; they headed into show jumping Sunday morning knowing how incredibly close the standings were.

Final Results