All posts by Associate Editor

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Show Jumping

Ben Maher and Oscar Triumph in $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

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Ben Maher (GBR) and Oscar won the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic during week two at the 2011 FTI WEF. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – January 23, 2011 – The second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), sponsored by Equine Couture/Tuff Rider, concluded on Sunday with the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic. In a fantastic display of speed and power, Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Oscar, owned by Lindsay Cook, were able to top the field for an exciting victory. The class was held in the International Arena of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), which will host 12 consecutive weeks of competition for the 2011 FTI WEF running through April 3, 2011.

Showing over a course set by Luc Musette of Belgium, 13 of the original 31 entries were able to jump clear in the first round to advance to the jump-off. Six of those horse and rider combinations finished double clear, and it was the fastest jump-off round of Ben Maher and Oscar in 38.723 seconds that earned the victory.

Continue reading Ben Maher and Oscar Triumph in $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival →

Breeds, Contributors/Press, Phelps Media Group, Racing

NEW Thoroughbred Retirement Program Opens in South Florida

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Wellington, FL – The Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (FHBPA), with the support of Gulfstream Park, Calder Race Course, and the South Florida jockey colony, recognizing the need for a South Florida based Thoroughbred retirement program, has formed TRAC, a retirement, retraining and placement group dedicated to horses that end their racing careers at one of the two race tracks.

TRAC (Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care) also has strong support from professional jockeys who race in Florida and throughout the United States, industry professionals, businesses and horse lovers. Horses entering the TRAC program receive hands-on care, professional retraining and the chance for a second career. The program strives to find suitable adopters and homes for every horse. Many retired Thoroughbreds move on to second careers in the show world as hunters, jumpers, eventers or dressage horses. Some achieve success on the polo field, on trails, in therapeutic riding programs or simply as loving companions.

“Our efforts depend on a strong alliance between race tracks, industry officials, horsemen, owners, trainers, jockeys and fans,” said Phil Combest, TRAC Advisory Committee member, race horse owner and FHBPA official. “The racing industry is demonstrating its support through purse contributions and annual donations. But we need everyone’s to make sure all our retired horses receive basic care, retraining, and veterinary care,” continued Combest.

Continue reading NEW Thoroughbred Retirement Program Opens in South Florida →

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

Kelley Farmer and Rosalynn Win $20,000 USHJA Hunter Derby

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Kelley Farmer & Rosalynn ©Flashpoint Photography

Wilhelm Genn and Happy Z Take $25,000 National Grand Prix

Green Cove Springs, FL – January 23, 2010 — Kelley Farmer, who hails from Keswick, VA, partnered with Rosalynn to capture the top spot of North Florida’s Inaugural $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby sponsored by Jerry Parks Insurance, Great American Insurance Group and The Bruning Foundation, held Saturday under the lights of the covered arena at the Clay County Agricultural Center in Green Cove Springs, FL.

The evening was kicked off in the “Marques at Green Cove Springs”, the stylish and inviting VIP tent adjacent to the arena, with a delicious dinner provided by Carrabba’s Italian Grill and a very special Live Auction to benefit HOPE Therapeutic Riding Center. “While we raised a lot of money for HOPE, the generous bidders were big winners too. They got some outstanding deals on an array of items- like the Sea World Aquatic package and the Golf World getaway,” Tony Weight, President of North Florida Hunter Jumper Association, said.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13035

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Nick Skelton and Big Star Light Up Saturday Night with Victory in $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI 2*

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Nick Skelton and Big Star won the $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI 2* during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – January 22, 2011 – Nick Skelton (GBR) notched his third major victory of the circuit tonight with Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson, in the $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI2*. Tonight’s class was the first of 11 events in the “Saturday Night Lights” series at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). A crowd of 3,800 spectators were there to enjoy world-class show jumping and all that the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center has to offer.

The second week of the FTI WEF concludes with tomorrow’s competition. The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition through April 3, 2011, and they will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.

This week’s course designer in the International Arena is Luc Musette of Belgium. There were 37 entries in tonight’s grand prix, but only three were able to go clear in the first round to advance to the jump-off.

Skelton noted, “It wasn’t overly big, but it was quite tricky. He did a very good job; he is a very good course builder.”

Continue reading Nick Skelton and Big Star Light Up Saturday Night with Victory in $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI 2* →

Breeds, Contributors/Press, Wild Horse Sources

Madeleine Pickens Responds to BLM’s 1/21/11 Announcement Regarding Saving America’s Mustangs Eco-Sanctuary Plan

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On behalf of America’s wild horses, American taxpayers, and my Saving America’s Mustang Foundation, I would like to express my deep disappointment in the BLM’s late Friday (January 21st) evening press release announcing its rejection of my proposal to create an eco-sanctuary for wild horses in Nevada.

Not even one month ago, on January 4, 2011 in Las Vegas, BLM director Bob Abbey stated publicly that my idea “has merit and deserves serious consideration.” Today, he has rejected the project, notifying the media, but providing my foundation with no explanation, despite our three years of hard work on the plan.

My eco-sanctuary proposal offers a cost-effective solution to the problem of the BLM’s roundup and warehousing of as many as 40,000 wild horses in off-the-range holding facilities. It is exactly the kind of public/private partnership solution that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has stated is essential to reform of the wild horse and burro program.

So imagine my astonishment when I read in the news release that my plan didn’t save money.  During our three years of work, BLM officials at every level acknowledged in meetings with me that the eco-sanctuary plan saves the taxpayers money.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13031

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Publications/Media

NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #3, 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 #3 from NO SECRET SO CLOSE:

But I wanted to believe that my mother was kind and loving. I’d see her with my brother’s friends, and think that she was a great mom. They’d all talk to her about what was going on with them, in a way every parent hopes their teenager will talk to them.  She’d sit and listen for hours. And they’d all say that they wished they could talk to their own parents this way. I’d watch, just sitting around the edges, wondering why not me? Why can’t I be listened to like that? But maybe Dad was right; maybe I was the source of the family’s financial strain. Maybe we would’ve been better off without the horses.

Continue reading NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #3, by Claire Dorotik →

Contributors/Press, Equine Assisted Therapy, Publications/Media

Can Equine Therapy Be Useful for Trauma Clients?

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By Claire Dorotik, LMFT

“The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.”

If this statement is really true, there should be many uses for equine psychotherapy. However, being that the field of equine psychotherapy is relatively new, do we know if this is an appropriate method of treatment for trauma clients?

Sure, there have been many alternative forms of treating trauma clients — EMDR, biofeedback, meditation, even yoga — to describe just a few. What these forms of treatment share is the task of engaging the client’s awareness of both emotional and sensory responses to traumatic events.

In doing so, these methods attempt to identify the client’s emotional personality (EP), or the part of the personality that develops in response to being emotionally overwhelmed, and provide a means through which the client can integrate the EP with the apparently normal personality (ANP), or the part of the personality that develops in order to function on a daily basis.

Continue reading Can Equine Therapy Be Useful for Trauma Clients? →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Events

Great Charity Challenge Ticket Sales Update: Danny and Ron’s rescue wins 2011 bye! Caridad wins 2012 bye!

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Wellington, FL – January 23, 2010 – With 512 tickets sold, Danny and Ron’s Rescue became the 30th selection of the 2011 Great Charity Challenge (GCC).  Caridad, with 535 tickets sold, received a bye for the 2012 GCC. Yesterday, over 2,600 tickets and $55,000 dollars were raised for the event.

A summary of the 2011 Bye Candidates and the count of sales is below:

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13030

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI

Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2010/2011 – Round 7, Amsterdam

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Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival on their way to securing their third victory in the 2010/2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage series in Amsterdam today. Photo: Leanjo de Koster, Digishots/FEI.

CORNELISSEN PIPS WERTH IN A THRILLER AT AMSTERDAM by Louise Parkes

Amsterdam (NED), 22 January 2011 – In one of the toughest battles so far this season, Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival held on to win the seventh leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage series in Amsterdam, The Netherlands today.  Winner of yesterday’s Grand Prix, the Dutch star was firm favourite going into the competition.  But Germany’s Isabell Werth pushed her all the way with a great performance from Warum Nicht while Sweden’s Patrick Kittel and Watermill Scandic finished a close third.

Underlining the quality of today’s competition, just over six points separated the top seven riders and it is clearly now shaping up to a classic finale in Leipzig, Germany in three months time.  Kittel showed however that the result may not necessarily be decided between the traditional protagonists from Holland and Germany.  On today’s form, he will be chasing the Swedish dream of measuring up to the third-place finish of Jan Brink and Briar at the 2006 final in Amsterdam and even pushing for the ultimate accolade achieved by Louise Nathhorst and LRF Walk on Top on her home turf in Gothenburg back in 1998.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13029

Contributors/Press, Events, Products/Services, Racing Sources

AQHA: Members Are Invited to an Informative Marketing Forum in March

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All AQHA members are invited to attend the Marketing Forum during the 2011 AQHA Convention to discuss several important industry issues.

Members of the American Quarter Horse Association are invited to join industry leaders on Friday, March 4, for an informative Marketing Forum during the 2011 AQHA Convention in Grapevine, Texas. All AQHA members registered for Convention are invited.

Marketing Forum

Friday, March 4, 2-4:30 p.m., Gaylord Texan Hotel, Grapevine, Texas

  • Emerging Markets — What do Europe and South America hold for AQHA and other breeds? How can and does the government help?
    Mike Phillips, United States Livestock Genetics Export/USDA
  • China — The Final Frontier
    David Snodgrass, managing director of LTI Associates, China
  • New Tax Laws for Horse Owners
    Jay Hickey, American Horse Council president
  • By the Numbers — What Will 2011-2012 Bring?
    Trent Taylor, AQHA treasurer, executive director of operations
  • Medications and Thresholds
    Dr. Steven Schumacher, United States Equestrian Federation

This marketing forum is open to all interested AQHA members, who are registered for the Convention. The AQHA Convention is March 4-8 at the Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine, Texas. In addition to the Marketing Forum, AQHA members are encouraged to attend the business meetings of AQHA’s 14 standing committees. Registered members are encouraged to comment on agenda items during the open committee meetings.

It’s not too late to register for Convention. Register today by filling out the online registration form.

Learn more about the events taking place during this year’s Convention, including special entertainment by country music singer Paul Bogart, farm tours, special tributes to our year-end award winners and American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame inductions.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104