All posts by Associate Editor

Caroline Roffman Lives Up to FEI Prediction While Competing at International Horse Sport Champions Cup CDI3*

Caroline Roffman rode Bon Chance to victory in the FEI Young Horse Test for Six-Year-Olds at the International Horse Sport Champions Cup CDI3* show. (Photo courtesy of Susan J Stickle)

Loxahatchee, FL (April 7, 2011) – When the International Equestrian Federation awarded dressage rider Caroline Roffman with the 2010 FEI Rising Star Award they said Roffman was “one of the brightest hopes of the U.S. Dressage community.” Roffman lived up to their prediction at the International Horse Sport Champions Cup CDI3* at Equestrian Estates in Loxahatchee, riding into the winner’s circle again and again and taking home high scores on several of her horses.

“I could not have imagined a show going much better for my horses than the Champions Cup. All of my horses made good progress from the last show and really showed me they are on track for success in their prospective levels,” Roffman said. “I showed three horses in two classes each and finished first in all six classes with qualifying scores.”

Roffman rode into the winner’s circle on Pie in the FEI Test of Choice class with a score of 69.412 and in the USEF Developing Horse class with a score of 71.618. “Pie did his first two Developing Horse classes and showed me he is very capable of doing this level quite well. He continues to gain confidence inside the show arena and I am excited for his future,” Roffman said.

Continue reading Caroline Roffman Lives Up to FEI Prediction While Competing at International Horse Sport Champions Cup CDI3*

Intercollegiate Dressage Association’s 2011 National Championship

Riders from over 20 colleges and universities throughout the United States will converge at the Canterbury Equestrian Show Place in Newberry, Florida to compete at the Intercollegiate Dressage Association’s 9th annual National Championship.  Over 100 riders will compete April 30 and May 1 as either part of a 4 member team or as individuals in each of the IDA’s four divisions: Introductory, Lower Training, Upper Training and First Level.

The IDA is comprised of 680 student riders representing 60 colleges and universities in the US and Canada divided into 10 regions. The qualifying teams and individual riders have earned their way to the Championship by earning points in IDA sanctioned competitions held throughout the academic year within their respective regions.

University of Florida and their dressage team are hosts for the event.  Along with their host duties, the team are among the early qualifiers for the competition which include Delaware Valley College, last year’s National Champion Team, Virginia Intermont College, and Mt. Holyoke College.  With three national championship titles each, Virginia Intermont and Mt. Holyoke have dominated the IDA since it began as a national organization in 2001.

Continue reading Intercollegiate Dressage Association’s 2011 National Championship

Jumping Radio Show Episode 57 – Young Jumper Championships & Equine Chiropractic

Cheryll Frank tells us about the Young Jumper Championships, and Dr. Jenny Johnson and Jane Armour discuss Chiropractic treatment on a 27 year old horse. Jessica Springsteen joins Chris as co-host this week; listen in right here.

Jumping Radio Episode 57 – Show Notes and Links:

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Rider Ambassador for Just World

Stable Scoop Episode 138 by Omega Alpha – Jan Jan’s Helmet Cam

Sixteen year old Jan Jan Hamilton is one of the upcoming stars in the driving world and we have her and her Dad on with us today. Learn all about this amazing driving family. Don’t miss it…

Stable Scoop Episode 138 – Show Notes and Links:

  • Host: Helena Bee and Glenn the Geek
  • Photo Credit: Jan Jan Hamilton
  • Guest: Jan Jan Hamilton, upcoming star in the driving world
  • Guest: Jan Jan’s Dad Bus Hamilton, who is the navigator for his wife, Nifty Hamilton. Here is a picture of Bus and Nifty:

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Eventing Radio Episode 132 by Bit of Britain – Holly Hudspeth, Rolex 2011 & BOB Championship Series

Holly Hudspeth has an update on Last Monarch and Rolex Competition Manager Christina Gray gives us a preview of what to expect this year. Plus, John Nunn tells us about Bit of Britain’s exciting new Championship Series. Max Corcoran co-hosts with Chris again this week; take a listen right here.

Eventing Radio Episode 132 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:

  • Show Host: Chris Stafford
  • Photo Credit: Rolex Three Day Event
  • Guest: Holly Hudspeth with an update on Last Monarch
  • Guest: Christina Gray, Rolex Three Day Event’s Competition Manager
  • Guest: John Nunn fills us in on Bit of Britain’s exciting new Championship Series.
  • News: The Eventing Radio Show and HORSES IN THE MORNING show will be live from Rolex Kentucky 3DE: April 27 – May 1, 2011.

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USEF Names 2011 Show Jumping European Young Rider and Junior Rider Tour

Lexington, KY – The following five horse/rider combinations have been named by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to the 2011 Show Jumping European Young Rider Tour. These horse/rider combinations were selected based on the criteria outlined in the Selection Procedure for the 2011 Show Jumping Young Rider Tour. The Young Rider Selection Procedure can be found here: http://www.usef.org/documents/disciplines/jumper/2011YRTourSP.pdf.

Young Riders

Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner

Reed Kessler/16/Armonk, NY/Onisha/12/Holsteiner/Mare/Reed Kessler
Catherine Pasmore/19/Crozet, VA/My Boy/15/Unknown Breeding/Gelding/Pasmore Stables, LLC
Jessica Springsteen/19/Colt’s Neck, NJ/Vornado van den Hoerdrik/13/Belgian Warmblood/Gelding/Stone Hill Farm
Richard Neal/19/Pasadena, CA/Transmission/15/Warmblood/Gelding/Richard Neal
Karen Polle/18/New York, NY/What Ever/12/Belgian Warmblood/Mare/Karen Polle

These horse/rider combinations will compete at the following shows:

CSIOY Bonheiden (BEL): May 19-22, 2011
CSIOY Reims (FRA): May 26-29, 2011
CSIOY Lamprechtshausen (AUT): June 9-12, 2011
CSIOY Hagen (GER): June 16-19, 2011

Continue reading USEF Names 2011 Show Jumping European Young Rider and Junior Rider Tour

USEF Names Riders for 2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will be represented by three American dressage riders at the 2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final to be held in Leipzig, Germany, April 27 – May 1.

The United States will be represented by two combinations from the North American League and one from the Western European League. The following horse/rider combinations qualified during World Cup Qualifying Events held throughout the 2010-2011 season:

Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner

North American League*
Jan Ebeling/52/ Moorpark, CA/Rafalca/14/Oldenburg/Mare/Ann Romney
Shawna Harding/41/Aiken, SC/Come On III/12/Danish Warmblood/Gelding/Shawna Harding

*Tina Konyot (Palm City, FL) topped the standings in the North American League for 2010-2011 season but declined the opportunity to compete in the 2011 Final.

Western European League
Catherine Haddad/47/Vechta, Germany/Winyamaro/11/Hanoverian/Gelding/Catharine Haddad

Please visit the USEF World Cup Final page for further information:
http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/WorldCupTM.aspx

Details about the Final are available here:
http://www.engarde.de/events/index.php?eventID=65

Dressage Link to USEF.org

Pat & Linda Parelli’s International Tour Features Dressage Stars, Sell-Out Crowds & More!

Linda Parelli, Pat Parelli, Anabel Balkenhol, and Klaus Balkenhol at Equitana in Germany. (Photo courtesy of Parelli Natural Horsemanship)

Ocala, FL (April 6, 2011) – Pat and Linda Parelli, founders of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, are in the midst of a European tour that is drawing the attention of dressage stars, sell-out crowds and die-hard Parelli enthusiasts from around the world. The Parellis recently wrapped up several days at Equitana in Germany and will now head to the Parelli Celebration at the LG Arena in Birmingham, U.K., April 9-10.

“During Equitana I had the chance to meet with Olympic Gold Medalist Klaus Balkenhol and his daughter Anabel,” Linda Parelli said. “It was exciting to share our natural horsemanship training methods that utilize equine psychology, or what we coin Horsenality, with Klaus, who along with being an Olympic Gold Medalist in dressage was also the very successful former coach of the German and U.S. dressage teams. Not surprisingly the common sense communication techniques that help the horses and riders achieve success are universal at all levels.” Linda is scheduling the last few days of the April tour in Germany with the Balkenhols to share some behavior balancing natural horsemanship techniques with Anabel Balkenhol.

Linda added that the Balkenhols are not the only world-class dressage riders who have taken an interest in the Parelli Natural Horsemanship program and incorporated the system into their training. “After the Parelli Celebration in the U.K., I will head to France and then to Spain where I will again have the opportunity to train and exchange ideas with dressage great Luis Lucio,” she said. “I really appreciate the talent and dedication of competitive dressage riders and have seen so many dressage riders overcome behavior issues that impeded their success by being open minded and incorporating natural horse training into their training program.  This trip I am looking forward to riding with Luis on his dressage horses and working on my dressage skills, too.”

Continue reading Pat & Linda Parelli’s International Tour Features Dressage Stars, Sell-Out Crowds & More!

Blenheim to Host London 2012 Olympic Eventing Team Qualifier

Clayton Fredericks (AUS) riding Walterstown Don at Fidelity Blenheim Palace Horse Trials 2010 © John Britter Photography

Lausanne (SUI), 7 April 2011 – The FEI has announced that the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (8-11 September 2011) will be hosting the London 2012 team Eventing qualifier for Africa, Middle East, South East Asia and Oceania (FEI Olympic Groups F and G).

Blenheim, which began in 1990, is firmly established in the Eventing calendar attracting international champions and over 60,000 spectators every year.

The venue is also synonymous with Olympic qualification. In 2003, Blenheim hosted the Asia-Pacific Championships as a qualifier for the 2004 Athens Olympics and a second Olympic qualifier in 2007 for the 2008 Beijing Games.

With Canada, New Zealand, USA, Germany and Belgium teams already through to London 2012 with host nation Great Britain following the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 in Kentucky, the likes of Australia, Japan and South Africa will be going all out at Blenheim to clinch Olympic qualification.

The team competition will run as part of the CCI 3* class, with just one nation from Groups F and G earning a qualifying spot for London 2012.

Continue reading Blenheim to Host London 2012 Olympic Eventing Team Qualifier

Jamaica Retires – Breyer Event Honors Chester Weber’s Famous Equine Teammate Jamaica

Chester Weber is presented with Jamaica’s embroidered cooler during the Live Oak International CDE. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Ocala, FL (April 6, 2011) – Jamaica, Chester Weber’s famous combined driving equine teammate, will go down in history as an award winning horse known for his tale of being rescued from a slaughterhouse before going on to compete with Weber in international events, driving away with numerous USEF National Championships and earning the most prestigious title in the country when he was named the USEF Farnam Platform Horse of the Year. Jamaica’s story, from near oblivion in Belgium to a world of travel and fame, captivated combined driving and equestrian fans across the world.  This year a new chapter in the horse’s life began as Weber retired the bay gelding with the quirky attitude.  Jamaica will spend the rest of his life grazing on the verdant rolling hills of Weber’s Live Oak Stud as a retired star and champion for rescue horses everywhere. Jamaica’s official retirement from competition was announced at the Live Oak International Combined Driving Event in late March.

A week later, Breyer, Makers of the World’s Finest Model Horses, recently honored Jamaica with a retirement ceremony at Live Oak.  A Breyer portrait model of Jamaica was released during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games when Breyer created a number of Traditional Series portrait models of key competitors from various disciplines.

The Breyer retirement party for Jamaica, who recently turned 20, was a star-studded affair that featured 200 “Committed Collectors” who were invited to share an experience that only Breyer could organize. “The 200 fans really enjoyed themselves. They were able to meet Jamaica and take a tour of the farm. Jamaica enjoyed the attention and showing off his new Draper Equine Therapy blanket which was embroidered and presented by Breyer,” Weber said, adding that Jamaica had developed quite a fan following over the years.

Continue reading Jamaica Retires – Breyer Event Honors Chester Weber’s Famous Equine Teammate Jamaica