Category Archives: Breeds

Unprecedented Sweep of the 2010 Arabian Sport Horse Nationals by Father & Daughter

The 8th annual Arabian Horse Association Sport Horse National Show was held September 22-25th in Nampa, Idaho.  KB Omega Fahim+++// and daughter KB Jull Fahim+//, swept the open FEI dressage division.  This is the first time a father and daughter have dominated the entire open FEI dressage competition of this national championship show.  Fourteen year old KB Omega Fahim+++// won Grand Prix and Intermediate 11, while eleven year old KB Jull Fahim+// captured Intermediate 1 and Prix St. Georges.  People were on the edge of their seats for the final Grand Prix test to be performed on the last day of the championships.  Omega, under his exceptional trainer and rider, Chelsey Sibley, completed this monumental task with grace and ease.  During the evening’s special ceremony, both horses were presented and awarded as champions of each test.  Jull also achieved the open FEI high point of the show.

Approximately 400 horses displayed their athletic abilities at the Idaho Horse Park.  The Sport Horse National Championship Show featured 90 classes in several divisions that included in hand, hunter, jumper, dressage and driving, to name a few.  Horses from forty-one states and two Canadian provinces came to compete in this national event.  The prominent dressage judges were Marlene Schneider, Brian Ross, Jacqueline Lindberg and Sandra Chohany.  Sport Horse Nationals is the only single-breed sport horse event in the nation offered just for Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses registered with the Arabian Horse Association or the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry.

The breeder of Omega and Jull, Elaine Kerrigan, has devoted the past 35+ years creating these amazing Arabian sport horse athletes.  According to Chris Bailey, “Not only is Omega amazing but he also produces the perfect get; kind, smart and athletic. I have not seen one Omega offspring that I would not want.”

Arabian stallion KB Omega Fahim+++// is owned by breeder Elaine Kerrigan of Kerrigan Bloodstock in Eureka, CA and Half-Arabian KB Jull Fahim+// is owned by Chris Bailey, also of Eureka.  Both horses are trained and shown by Chelsey Sibley of Sky Ranch, in Sonora, CA.

2010 U.S. Nationals Underway in Tulsa

Kelly Stayton and DF Magnifico win the Arabian Western Pleasure Select AATR. Photo by Mike Ferrara.

The end of October means Arabian horses in Tulsa, OK, and right now 1,565 of the world’s finest Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian show horses are competing for 134 national championship titles. The U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (U.S. Nationals) is underway at Expo Square through October 30. U.S. Nationals is the flagship competition for the Arabian horse industry and is produced by the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) of Aurora, CO.

U.S. Nationals
The nine-day show is the grand finale of the Arabian horse national show season, which also includes Youth Nationals, Canadian Nationals and Sport Horse Nationals. The show hosts 134 classes across several disciplines, including English, mounted native costume, pleasure driving, reining, halter, working cow, hunter and Western pleasure. This year 45 states, six Canadian provinces and a total of eight countries are represented, making for outstanding competition.

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After the Finish Line and JOCK Documentary Calendar Fundraiser

After the Finish Line is pleased to announce the soon to be released JOCK limited edition 2011 collector’s calendars. JOCK, www.jockmovie.com, is a feature length documentary about the first generation of female jockeys. In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s these women fought for the right to ride professionally.

JOCK will make a donation to After the Finish Line for every calendar sold when you add AfterTheFinishLine in the Source Code at check out.

Not only will you get a great calendar, but you will be helping the rescued Thoroughbred horses that can no longer race or breed. Visit and join After the Finish Line’s Facebook FAN page to learn more: http://www.facebook.com/pages/After-the-Finish-Line/113665201978354?ref=ts.

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American Trakehner Assoc. Convention at Jacksonville Equestrian Center (Nov. 11-13)

I am a volunteer with the American Trakehner Association and a Florida Trakehner breeder.  I am writing to ensure you are aware that the American Trakehner Association convention is being held this year at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center on Nov. 11-13, and to invite any/all of your members to come participate in the events!

We are aware of the many assets the JEC brings to north Florida and are actively involved in encouraging the ATA to designate Jacksonville as one of four permanent, rotating sites for our annual conventions.  An involved and interested public would go a long way towards making that point!

You may be already know that the ATA keeps a closed stud book as it slowly rebuilds this oldest of the warmblood breeds from near extinction after WWII, when there were as few as 10 breeding mares left from the great Trakehner stud mare herds.  For this reason, our inspections are very important and one of the highlights of our conventions.  We will have a stallion and a mare inspection at this convention, as well as voluntary marks on foals being presented.

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Xanadu Dressage Riders and Their Warmblood Ponies to Take Part in Equine Extravaganza in Virginia

Audrey Maschue (right) and Deanna Dye will ride their Warmblood ponies in a dressage demonstration at the Equine Extravaganza at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia, October 29-31. (Photo courtesy of Xanadu Dressage)

Loxahatchee, FL (October 12, 2010) – Warmblood ponies and riders from Xanadu Dressage Stables, in Loxahatchee, Florida, will take part in a dressage demonstration for Jose Mendez at the Equine Extravaganza in Virginia. The east coast equestrian horse expo will take place at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia, October 29-31.

“Warmblood ponies are a great option for petite riders or riders who get scared on bigger horses,” said Audrey Maschue, owner and trainer at Xanadu. “Taking part in the Equine Extravaganza is a wonderful way to promote Warmblood sport ponies. We are really excited about the opportunity to get the word out that if you are a child, a small adult or just someone who would rather ride a smaller mount, then a Warmblood sport pony is the answer.”

Maschue will ride her German Riding Pony, Rolando, in the expo, while her working student, Deanna Dye, will ride a Warmblood Pony cross named Napoleon Dynamite. “While we are the Equine Extravaganza we will also have the chance to take part in the Denim and Diamonds Clinician Meet and Greet Dinner,” Maschue said. “It will be great time and a great chance to meet all of the clinicians. There will be a wine tasting, dinner, silent auction, music by Tommy Jennings and the proceeds of the auction will benefit the Virginia Museum of the Horse.”

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A New Home for the Freedom Fund Bands

Annie Oakley and Pistol await turnout into their new home.

Dear Friends of our Wild Horses;
A year ago in September the BLM removed the family bands that roamed the Commissary Ridge area in the Custer National Forest, saying they were illegally grazing in this Pryor Mountains area. Their decision to remove ALL the horses in the Forest Service came at the 11th hour when there was no time to mount a protest. Their actions resulted in the removal of four bands led by the stallions Conquistador, Trigger, Bo, and Shane. The bands contained animals like Grumpy Grulla who was 21 years old and Conquistador, the magnificent 19-year-old stallion you may remember from the first Cloud film.

Because of an outpouring of donations from all across the country from generous wild horse lovers like you, the Cloud Foundation was able to adopt and buy the older members of the bands, keeping the families together and providing them with the freedom to roam on a beautiful ranch just north of their home in the Pryor Mountains. This spring three foals were born in Conquistador, Bo and Trigger’s bands. Diablo (Chalupa x Bo) and Diego (Cavelita x Conquistador) were born in April. Lovely Annie Oakley was born in early May to Mae West and Trigger. Our surprise gift arrived in August when Trigger’s mare, Evita, gave birth to little Pistol.

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American Shetland Ponies and Minis Wow the Crowd at the Secretariat Festival in Kentucky

Chuck McCallister gave a harness demonstration with his award-winning pony Seamair All That Glitters during the Secretariat Festival in Paris, Kentucky. (Photo by JRPR)

Paris, KY (October 7, 2010) – While the recent Secretariat Festival in Paris, Kentucky was all about the famous Triple Crown winner called Big Red, some of Secretariat’s smaller equine cousins put on a show during the festival that brought the fans to their feet. Members of the American Shetland Pony Club and American Miniature Horse Registry (ASPC/AMHR) wowed the crowd with a driving exhibition, costume contest, jumping and halter demonstrations.

Chuck McCallister, of Tuigpaarden Farms in Ocala, Florida and Shelbyville, Kentucky, gave a harness demonstration with his award-winning pony Seamair All That Glitters, a double registered American Show Pony and American Hackney Pony. “Glitter is part of the American Show Pony Registry that was created by the American Shetland Pony Club in 1995,” said Zona Schneider, Director of Operations with the ASPC/AMHR, who was on hand for the Secretariat Festival. “The American Show Pony Registry includes Hackneys, Shetlands and Shetland/Hackney crosses that measure 48” and under at the wither. American Show Ponies are sought after as impressive athletes and are a crowd favorite when they drive into the show ring.”

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Madeleine Pickens Gives Update on Pony Express Delivery

Dear Friends,
We wanted to give you an update on the Pony Express Delivery. Since the beginning of August when we started the campaign, we have received 71,568 letters and emails! We are so elated that so many people have come through on this… and are STILL coming through on this; we’re still getting letters!

We’ve received so much positive feedback for the Pony Express from all over the world. So many schools and organizations begged us to let their kids’ letters be included. So, how could we say no to that?

So, we appreciate your patience in this very important issue of stopping the wild horse government roundups. We have extended the deadline, so please keep sending your letters in if you haven’t already. This is an issue that is at the top of everyone’s list and I will deliver on my promise. Literally.

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Legendary Jockeys to Appear at the International Equestrian Festival

Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet, Steve Cauthen, Pat Day and Calvin Borel available for autographs

Lexington, KY (September 29, 2010) – The Pre-Vent Feeders International Equestrian Festival presented by HRTV today announced several special appearances planned to showcase Kentucky’s proud Thoroughbred heritage. Autograph sessions by legendary jockeys Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet, Steve Cauthen, Pat Day and Calvin Borel, and a special signing by Kate Tweedy of her book, “Secretariat’s Meadow,” take place at the Horze stage and display at the International Equestrian Festival, which runs now through October 10 at the downtown Lexington Convention Center.

Sunday, October 3
1:30 p.m. – Triple Crown winning jockeys Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet and Steve Cauthen will share with festival goers reflections on their celebrated careers.

2:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet and Steve Cauthen autograph session

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Individual Reining Gold Goes to McCutcheon

At the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, reining’s individual gold goes to U.S.A.’s Tom McCutcheon.

The American Quarter Horse Journal — All week, U.S. reiner Tom McCutcheon has been trying to keep his mount, Gunners Special Nite, fresh and happy. Thursday afternoon, the 6-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion returned the favor by turning in a score of 228 in the individual finals at the FEI Reining World Championship, presented by John Deere, held as part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. It was enough to earn the gold medal by a margin of five points.

“I knew he was pretty special tonight,” McCutcheon said. “I felt pressure, for sure, because (I) wanted to do him justice. He’s a great little horse.”

Earlier in the week, McCutcheon and his horse helped the U.S. team to a gold medal in the team reining competition. Gunners Special Nite is by Colonels Smoking Gun and is out of Mifs Doll by Mifillena. He is the 2007 National Reining Horse Association Futurity intermediate open champion and has $194,237 in NRHA lifetime earnings

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