All posts by Associate Editor

Competitions, Dressage, Events, Pan American Games, USEF

USEF Announces Dates and Location for 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has announced the dates and location for the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions which will also serve as the USEF Selection Trials for the US Dressage Team for the 2011 Pan American Games.

The competition will be held over four days, September 8-11, 2011, at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ.

The best horse/rider combinations in the following divisions will vie for national dressage championships: Grand Prix, Intermediaire I, Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup,’ Young Rider and Junior. For the first time in 2011, a National Pony Dressage Championship will also be run.

The Intermediaire I National Championship will also serve as the USEF Selection Trial for the US Dressage Team for the 2011 Pan American Games.

The Pan American Games will run in Guadalajara, Mexico in October, the U.S. Dressage Team will be looking to repeat their Gold medal effort from 2007.

Continue reading USEF Announces Dates and Location for 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions →

Associations/Breeds, Contributors/Press, USEF, Western/Reining

Equine Herpes Virus Alert

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10 EHV-1 confirmed cases from cutting horses attending the 2011 NCHA Western National Championships

May 13, 2011 (with updates to May 18th) – A recent disease outbreak of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHV-1) has been traced to horses who attended the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Odgen, Utah on April 30 – May 8, 2011. California horses who participated in this event may have been exposed to this EHV-1 virus.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture encourages owners of horses who participated in the Odgen, Utah event to monitor their horses for clinical signs of disease. A rectal temperature in excess of 102F commonly precedes other clinical signs. Therefore, we are urging owners to take temperatures on each individual horse(s) twice a day. If a temperature above 102F is detected contact your private practitioner immediately. Laboratory submission of nasal swabs and blood samples collected from the exposed horse can be utilized for virus detection and isolation.

The EHV-1 organism spreads quickly from horse to horse and the neurologic form of the virus can reach high morbidity and mortality rates. The incubation period of EHV-1 is typically 2-10 days. In horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1, clinical signs may include: nasal discharge, incoordination, hind end weakness, recumbency, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone. Prognosis depends on severity of signs and the period of recumbency. There is no specific treatment for EHV-1. Treatment may include intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatory drugs and other appropriate supportive treatment. Currently, there is no equine vaccine that has a label claim for protection against the neurological strain of the virus.

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Community/Charity, Dressage, JRPR, Products/Services, Publications/Media, USDF

Premier Equestrian and the United States Dressage Federation Now Offering “On the Levels” DVD for New Tests

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FEI “O” judge Gary Rockwell gives the judge’s perspective, scoring each movement of each test and giving a final score, on the new “On the Levels” DVD series produced by Premier Equestrian and the USDF. (Photo courtesy of Premier Equestrian)

Sandy, UT (May 17, 2011) – Dressage riders seeking to learn and study the 2011 USDF dressage tests can now do so with a new and updated DVD edition of “On the Levels.” Produced by Premier Equestrian, a leading supplier of dressage arenas, horse jumps, arena footing and stable accessories, and the USDF, the new versions of the tests became effective December 1, 2010.

“The DVD includes the USDF Introductory through USEF Fourth Level Test 3. The three hours of test video features elements of both training and judging and allows the viewer to see and hear how each of the newly designed dressage tests should be ridden,” said Heidi Zorn, President of Premier. “And of course being able to watch and learn from the comfort of your own home is great. Or a group of riders can get together in a clinic setting and watch and learn as a group.”

The “On the Levels” DVD features FEI judges Lilo Fore and Gary Rockwell. Fore is a well-known dressage trainer and FEI “I” judge from California and throughout the DVD Fore comments on each ride and gives a trainer’s perspective on how to successfully ride each test. Rockwell, who lives in Florida and is one of only three U.S. FEI “O” judges, gives the judge’s perspective, scoring each movement of each test and giving a final score.

Continue reading Premier Equestrian and the United States Dressage Federation Now Offering “On the Levels” DVD for New Tests →

Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 100-Day Countdown

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Lausanne (SUI), 18 May 2011 – The 100-day countdown to the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 2011 is being celebrated today at an international media event held at Luhmühlen (GER), which on 25-28 August will be hosting the championships for the fifth time since they were created in 1953.

Eventing legend Captain Mark Philips (GBR) welcomed guests to the brand new site, which is expected to attract record numbers of fans this year to commemorate the 30th running of the FEI European Eventing Championships. He was joined by German team coach Hans Melzer and Olympians Marina Köhncke (GER) and Andreas Dibowski (GER).

HSBC has agreed a further three-year term as global sponsor of FEI Eventing to include title sponsorships of the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in both 2011 and 2013 and the HSBC FEI Classics until the end of 2013. Luhmühlen will host the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 series on 16-19 June.

HSBC has supported the FEI Classics series since 2008 and will be contributing US$ 1 million in prize money over the next three years, which represents the biggest prize pot on offer in Eventing on an annual basis.

Continue reading HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships 100-Day Countdown →

Contributors/Press

Colorado Horse Park Responds to EHV-1 Outbreak

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The Colorado Horse Park is keeping in close contact with the Colorado State Veterinarian regarding the EHV-1 outbreak in the Western United States. We are also working closely with our official veterinarian Littleton Equine Medical Center to ensure the health and safety of all horses that reside at CHP and that compete at our facility.

We will be following all recommendations from both the Colorado State Veterinarian and LEMC, and are currently developing an increased health and safety protocol for horses entering our facility.

This weekend’s horse show will continue as scheduled. Veterinarians are monitoring all horses entering the property.

The Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association show scheduled for May 27-29, 2011 at The Colorado Horse Park has been canceled. No horses in the area have displayed signs of EHV-1, but the decision was made to cancel the show until the extent of the outbreak has been determined.

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Contributors/Press, Publications/Media, Training/Clinics

The Ten Irrefutable Laws of Horsemanship by Geoff Tucker, DVM

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A monthly discussion of The Ten Irrefutable Laws of Horsemanship

"Tree Tunnel" - Scenes from the road - BarnPics by Geoff Tucker, DVM

I want to make horsemanship simple, like water flowing in a stream. The book is only 28 pages long yet it is everything I do every day with horses. How I connect within seconds with almost every horse and proceed to insert a steel file inside the mouth is distilled in this small book.

Order yourself a copy of The Ten Irrefutable Laws of Horsemanship then join me via this message as I discuss each law to make what you read more practical.

Introduction

Today I worked with 16 horses and every one of them had a different personality. Two of them are worth mentioning.

Horse 1 is a 10 year old large pony whom I had never seen. He was friendly but the first thing I picked up on was that he had been raised in a very structured environment. It reminded me of someone raised in the military. He was all business and he knew he was to cooperate or there would be consequences. In fact, I got the feeling that he had never been allowed to express himself to a human.

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Community/Charity, FEI

In Memoriam: Roland Désourdy (CAN)

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M. Roland Désoudry, 1917 - 2011

Roland Désourdy (CAN), known by his many Canadian friends as Monsieur Roland, passed away at the end of last month at the age of 93. A well-known businessman in Québec, he founded Ville de Bromont, which he planned as a city for the 21st century and which has developed into the city of Bromont that we know today.

Mr Désourdy, who was first and foremost a horseman, was instrumental in the organisation of the equestrian events of the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. The equestrian stadium built at Bromont, where all the competitions were held except for team Jumping, was considered to be near perfect. There was seating for 15,000 spectators on the side of the valley and on the other side were the facilities for the organisation, the media and VIPs. The steeplechase for the three-day event was nearby, as was the cross-country course.

The 1976 Olympic equestrian competitions lifted the level of equestrianism in Canada, leading to the great success the country has enjoyed since Michel Vaillancourt’s individual silver medal in those very Olympic Games and on to Eric Lamaze’s individual gold in Hong Kong in 2008.

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Awards, Community/Charity, USEF

Applications Now Available for 2011 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award

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Kelsey Kimbler receives the 2010 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award from David O'Connor. Photo by Geoff Bugbee/USEF Archives.

Lexington, KY – The search is underway for nominees for the 2011 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Youth Sportsman’s Award. Now in its sixth year, the award recognizes young equestrians who exhibit exceptional leadership potential, serve as positive role models for their peers, demonstrate an ongoing commitment and dedication to the promotion of equestrian sport, are involved in their community and exemplify positive sportsmanship principles.

All National Winners will be honored during the 2012 USEF Annual Meeting. Each will receive a $500.00 grant to be paid to the educational program of his or her choice and will be invited to attend the USEF Annual Meeting as the Federation’s guest, to attend committee and board meetings, a career opportunity session and awards banquet.  Meals, accommodations and travel expenses (up to $500.00) will be provided for all who are invited to participate.

The overall winner of the 2011 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award will receive a $1,000 grant payable to the educational program of choice and a USEF Life Membership valued at $2,500, a commemorative trophy, as well as an invitation to the USEF Annual Meeting and career session. The winner will also be one of the nominees for the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year Award.

Continue reading Applications Now Available for 2011 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award →

Community/Charity, Events, FEI

FEI Equestrian Community Integrity Unit Unanimously Voted into Statutes

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Lausanne (SUI), 17 May 2011 – The FEI Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU), which was established in January 2010, has been drafted into the FEI Statutes and will now be a permanent fixture in the structure of the Federation.

The revision to the FEI Statutes to officially establish the ECIU as a permanent entity was passed unanimously at the recent Extraordinary General Assembly in the Olympic Museum in Lausanne (SUI).

The Statutes state that “the ECIU is an Independent Body with its chairperson reporting directly to the FEI President or his or her designee(s).

“The ECIU is a mechanism to protect integrity principles within the equestrian community, including, but not limited to, the “Clean Sport” programme and betting or corruption risks. It will be responsible for investigating any integrity issues related to the FEI, Headquarters, and all bodies whether volunteer or not. It will also maintain a review power, as needed, over the General Assembly, FEI Bureau, and FEI Executive Board.”

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Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Publications/Media

NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #19, by Claire Dorotik

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NO SECRET SO CLOSE is the story of a the most unthinkable betrayal humanly possible — at only 24 years old, Claire Dorotik’s father has been murdered, her mother arrested, and now, in a sinister twist of fate, Claire’s mother points the finger at Claire, accusing her of killing her own father. Battling the feelings of loss, abandonment, terror, and dissociation, and also learning about them, Claire struggles to stay in her master’s program for psychotherapy. However, when Claire’s brothers also betray her and side with her mother, Claire is left all alone to care for the 18 horses she and her mother owned. As the story unfolds, what is revealed is the horses’ amazing capacity for empathy in the face of human trauma, and the almost psychic ability to provide the author with what had been taken from her. Arising from these horrifying circumstances, the most unthinkable heroes — the horses — show Claire that life is still worth living.

Excerpt #19 from NO SECRET SO CLOSE:

But then I did finally get a call from a trainer interested in Cat. Not the one I want to sell. Not my Cat. But I had to show her the horse. The horses needed feed, and there was no more money for the attorney. Kerry, the same attorney that had accused me. Kerry, the same attorney that had publicly defamed me. But pay him anyway — he’s defending your mom. After all, she didn’t have any other source of income, and Cat was half hers. But he was, by far, my best horse. He’d been such a solid performer — always there when I needed him.

Continue reading NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #19, by Claire Dorotik →