All posts by Associate Editor

Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, USEF

Chester Weber Claims Second European Four-in-Hand Victory

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Altenfelden – the driving competition with heart

Chester Weber. Courtesy of HippoEvent.

Altenfelden, Austria – The 20th anniversary of the CAI Altenfelden is history. It was an event with top sport performances by competitors from 18 nations. Chester Weber, the American driving sport star and winner of the king class (the four-in-hand horse class), said, “I like the nice atmosphere of the Altenfelden competition. The people are all very friendly and try to support the competitors the best they can. During this competition I have the opportunity to meet and compete against drivers from the Eastern part of Europe – more than I usually do in the other competitions. This is a great and different experience for me.”

The marathon test is in every driving competition one of the action high points. It is also drawing the crowds. During the 2011 Altenfelden marathon the competitors had to complete eight obstacles – two of which were built new this year, the others were remodeled. Different weather conditions – from sun to heavy rain – were made the test even more dambing for the competitors, but the international top drivers mastered them without accident. Wins for Tomas Eriksson (SWE), Reinhard Burggraf (GER) and Henrik Höper (DEN) in the horse classes.

Continue reading Chester Weber Claims Second European Four-in-Hand Victory →

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

Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available for the 2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby

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Carson City, NV – June 20, 2011 – The 2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows USHJA International Hunter Derby offers exceptional sponsorship opportunities for an international equestrian event. This exciting event will take place on September 5, 2011, and is the West Coast’s only standalone hunter derby. The Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby will showcase the best horse and rider combinations in the country as they compete for the winning title at the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility in Carson City, NV. There are multiple levels of sponsorship with a wide range of prices for every budget and endless benefits.

The Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby offers a plethora of opportunities for both local and national sponsors. Included with certain sponsorship levels are VIP tables, derby field signage, a champagne brunch, jump sponsorship, as well as pre-event, derby day, and post event advertising. The hunter derby is an ideal venue for sponsors to entertain their guests, increase networking and exposure, and become immersed in an exceptional equestrian community. Sponsors will also be showing their support for a great cause, ALS of Nevada. This event will feature many of the top- ranked equestrians in the nation and many equestrian and business community members from the Greater Reno/Tahoe area.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for all budgets, with prices ranging from $100 to the Derby Day title sponsor of $25,000. Sponsorship at every level has rewarding benefits and ample opportunities for recognition, while participating in a one of a kind, truly exceptional equestrian event. All sponsors are greatly appreciated and will find satisfaction in supporting a great cause, ALS of Northern Nevada.

Continue reading Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available for the 2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby →

Breeds, Community/Charity, Dressage, Phelps Media Group, Products/Services

Sons of the Wind Offers Top Lusitano Prospects for Sale

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Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts offers top quality Lusitano sport horses for sale. Photo By: Susan Grimwood.

Merrimac, MA – June 20, 2011 – The Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts is pleased to announce that it is now offering top Lusitano prospects for sale at their beautiful facility in Merrimac, Massachusetts. All of the Lusitano horses available at Sons of the Wind have received quality training in the discipline of dressage by founder Vitor Silva of Portugal. Videos of the horses can be viewed by visiting http://www.youtube.com/user/Paragrafodotop.

Algarve do Castanheiro is a six-year-old Lusitano gelding. This lovely sport Lusitano is quiet and easy going, with competitive gaits. He has been started well and handles nicely for the farrier, the vet, and trailering.

Cal HM is a four-year-old Lusitano and Dutch Warmblood cross that would make a great Adult Amateur dressage prospect with a very solid mind and lovely gaits.

Coração De Leão is an amazing young Lusitano dressage prospect. This competitive mount has wonderful, elastic gaits and a very solid temperament. He is strong and willing to work hard, and he is ready to go all the way.

Continue reading Sons of the Wind Offers Top Lusitano Prospects for Sale →

*Featured/Spotlights, Classic Company, Classic Company, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Atlanta Summer Classics Awards over $160,000 in First Week

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Elizabeth Boyd and Brunello Win $25,000 USHJA Hunter Derby; Chasen Boggio and Hennessey Victorious in $35,000 EMO Grand Prix

Liza Boyd & Brunello © Flashpoint Photography

Conyers, GA — June 19, 2011 — There’s more than one reason exhibitors use the phrase “I’m showing in Hotlanta”; just ask Elizabeth Boyd who picked up some “hot” cash in Friday evening’s $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby or Chasen Boggio who’ll be depositing a big check from Sunday’s $35,000 Adequan Grand Prix.

Kicking off a huge week at the Georgia International Horse Park, the Hunter riders took center stage on Friday evening as 30 determined horses vied for the spotlight in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by the Classic Company. It had the feel of a red carpet extravaganza with competitors donning Shadbelly jackets, shiny boots, braided manes and tails – all those special touches to further impress the panel of four judges: Mike Rosser, Betsy Perry, Leo Conroy, and Mike Lowrey. Beauty aside, what the judges really wanted to see was the talent used to negotiate the 12 obstacles brought to reality from the imagination of designer Allen Rheinheimer.  Making use of the expansive Olympic arena, Rheinheimer created a track that traversed its entirety including the sizable bank along the back wall. Additionally riders encountered 4 options with height choices of 3’6 or 4’ as well as bending and broken lines throughout. Only the top 12 scores would be invited back for the handy round two. Continue reading Atlanta Summer Classics Awards over $160,000 in First Week →

Rescue/Protection Sources

“Unwanted Horse” Producer Pfizer Sponsors Teleconference to Promote Compromised GAO Report

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June 19, 2011 – Chicago (EWA) – A long overdue Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the effect of closing the US horse slaughter plants is scheduled for release on Wednesday, June 22. Although the report’s contents are to be kept confidential until released, slaughter supporters have been indicating for months that they were leaked the report and have now orchestrated an “Unwanted Horse” teleconference late in the day of the release, presumably to promote the report’s findings.

The teleconference, called “Ask a Vet” is being presented by The Horse, the magazine of the American Veterinary Medical Association, a long term supporter of horse slaughter, and features veterinarian Tom Lenz, the former Chair of the American Horse Council’s “Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC)”. The UHC, supposedly founded to propose solutions to the excess horse problem, has instead concentrated on promoting the phrase “unwanted horse” to take the focus off of overproduction, which slaughter actually encourages, and imply slaughter horses are somehow unusable except as meat.

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals sponsoring a teleconference on solutions to the “unwanted horse” problem is beyond brazen. Pfizer owns Wythe Pharmaceuticals, the producer of a line of hormone replacement therapy drugs made from pregnant mare urine and is one of the largest producers of excess, poorly bred and untrained foals in North America.

Continue reading “Unwanted Horse” Producer Pfizer Sponsors Teleconference to Promote Compromised GAO Report →

Awards, Community/Charity, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Announces Judges of FEI Awards 2011

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Lausanne (SUI), 20 June 2011 – The Fédération Equestre International (FEI), the governing body of equestrian sport, is pleased to announce the FEI Awards 2011 judging panel, which will be presided by FEI President HRH Princess Haya for the third consecutive year.

Diane Fissore-Wathelet, President of the Monaco Equestrian Federation, Zoë Kayes, Secretary General of the Malawi Equestrian Federation, and Juan Andres Sauce, International Delegate of the Venezuelan Equestrian Federation, will have the tough task of deciding which nominees will be applauded for their contribution to the sport at the FEI Awards Ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in November. HRH Princess Haya will attend the ceremony, which will take place at the Copacabana Palace, the famous Art Deco hotel that opened its doors in 1923 and has played host to celebrities ranging from Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to Madonna, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti and the Rolling Stones.

Diane Fissore-Wathelet is a qualified lawyer and has presided the Monaco Equestrian Federation since 1995. She has also been president of Jumping International de Monte-Carlo since its creation in 1995. In parallel to her activities within the Federation, Diane Fissore heads a communications, publishing and event management company. Despite her professional commitments, Fissore, who began riding when she was very young, continues to live her passion for horses. She is a Dressage rider and owns many horses.

Continue reading FEI Announces Judges of FEI Awards 2011 →

Contributors/Press, Diana de Rosa

Tip of the Week – Equine Lameness

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Trying to Find the Needle in the Haystack

Whether your horse competes in FEI level dressage or national working cow horse competitions, few problems can be more worrisome as a sudden lameness of unknown origin.  While a clinical exam and hoof tester application is often all that is needed to diagnose a routine sub solar abscess, many of today’s athletes are affected by more serious injuries.

Oftentimes with today’s equine athlete, multiple soft tissue conditions present affecting different limbs simultaneously, thereby confounding the diagnosis.  Sequential regional anesthesia or nerve blocks and repeated gait analysis are often required to define and “un-couple” these conditions.

Once localized to a region or regions, the imagining methods used today to define the cause of lameness range from digital X-ray and ultrasound to nuclear medicine, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Unequivocally defining the exact location and nature of your horse’s lameness issues with advanced imaging techniques better enables veterinarians to design the best treatment plan and quickest route back to the show ring.

This tip was brought to you by Chuck Maker DVM (www.alpinehospital.com) and KAM Animal Services, home of KAM’s “Equine Learning Circle” FREE webinars, which take place monthly.  These webinars are an expansion of KAM’s weekly tips.  Go to www.kamanimalservices.com to sign up for the next webinar.  The FREE webinars will conclude with a question and answer session, so be ready with your nutrition questions.

Competitions, Events, Show Jumping, USEF

American Ricky Neal and Transmission Finish European Young Rider Tour with CSIOY Hagen Grand Prix Victory

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Hagen, Germany – Ricky Neal saved his best performance of the U.S. Show Jumping Young Rider European Tour for the CSIOY Hagen Grand Prix. And the 19-year-old was rewarded with a major victory on Transmission. He topped a strong field of 48 competitors to take the top spot over Stephanie van den Brink and Wapper from the Netherlands and Germany’s Andreas Kreuzer on Kanazia.

The top eight from the first round went forward to the jump-off and Neal flew to victory over the short course with a time of 44.62 on his 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. He was more than a second faster than van den Brink.

The U.S. Young Rider team tied for third with Germany in the CSIYO Nations Cup. Catherine Pasmore on My Boy 18, Karen Polle on What Ever 11, Reed Kessler on Onisha and Jessica Springsteen on Vornado van den Hoendrik put in a solid effort in Saturday’s challenging Nations Cup to finish on 24 faults. Pasmore jumped a clear first round, and then had one rail in the second. Polle picked up 12 faults in each leg. Kessler had four faults in round one and bounced back with a clear round in the second and Springsteen added eight in each leg. The Netherlands won on an impressive score of four and Great Britain finished close behind on eight.

Michele Grubb served as Chef d’Equipe.

The U.S. riders picked up ribbons throughout the week, all the results are available here:
http://www.equi-score.de/index.php?mod=mod_hagena.t.w.2011.

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

Dibowski Is Flawless at Luhmühlen in HSBC FEI Classics

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Lausanne (SUI), 19 June 2011 – Andreas Dibowski, a valuable member of Germany’s teams for many years, was at his consistent best in a tense finale at Luhmühlen, presented by E.ON Avacon (GER), and seized victory with a flawless Jumping round on Euroridings Butts Leon to gain his first points in the 2011 HSBC FEI Classics.

“I have been riding here for 22 years, so the pressure to win was building,” said Dibowski. “Nowadays, it is so close at the top of the sport that you cannot allow mistakes. The Jumping course was well built, but asked enough questions, as it should in the modern sport.

“We haven’t had the best weather this weekend, but we have had the very best conditions, thanks to the new all-weather arenas. It is important that the first rider to go gets the same conditions as the very last.”

Dibowski, who has indicated that he may take his Luhmühlen winning ride to Burghley (GBR) in September, shoots into fourth place in the HSBC FEI Classics, in which the top five riders at five CCI4*s will share a prize pool of US$330,000. Dibowski is now in behind Mary King (GBR), whose eighth place at Luhmühlen on the gallant Apache Sauce gave her a few extra points, Piggy French (GBR), fourth, and Badminton winner Mark Todd (NZL).

Continue reading Dibowski Is Flawless at Luhmühlen in HSBC FEI Classics →

Classic Company, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Charleston Summer Classic Hunter Derby 2011

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June 18, 2011 – We had a terrific week in Conyers for our first show.  The show was sold out for stalls, the weather was cooler than it’s been in years and the parties were lots of fun for all.  We do have a few stalls open for week two – call 678 374 5900 for the show office.

Highlights this week:

USHJA National Hunter Classic was won by Status Quo and ridden by Clair Kellner.

2. Ramano, Martin Schlaeppe
3. Vince, Greg Burrow
4. Snowday, Triple Creek Farm
5. Happenstance, Natalie Sterrett
6. Premonition FR, John Gillen
7. Breaking News, Fit to Print Farm
8. Julian, Amanda Forad
9. Solitaire, Kira Epstein
10. Concierge, Nestledown Eq Svc
11. Tatan, Greener Pastures
12. Excurs, Terry Russell

USHJA $25,000 International Hunter Derby was won by Brunnello, owned by Mrs. Janet Peterson and shown to the win by Elizabeth Boyd.  We added Brunnello to the Jack Geitner Memorial Trophy that was donated by the Wellington Show Stables many years ago.

Continue reading Charleston Summer Classic Hunter Derby 2011 →