Category Archives: Driving

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, EQUUS Foundation, JRPR

Time Is Running Out for You to Cast Your Charitable Vote for Combined Driver Chester Weber to Be Named America’s Favorite Equestrian

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Chester Weber is still in the running for America’s Favorite Equestrian. Vote now to have Weber advance in the competition. Each vote donates $5 to The EQUUS Foundation. (Photo courtesy of Live Oak Combined Driving)

Ocala, FL (April 14, 2011) – Fans of United States Combined Driver Chester Weber have the chance to keep voting for Weber by phone or online in order to keep him in the running for America’s Favorite Equestrian. Each vote costs $5 and 100% of the donations will be used to support horse and equestrian charitable causes across the country.

Weber, a member of the winning Silver Medal 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Combined Driving team and the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, has made it through the first round of America’s Favorite Equestrian. Weber was among eight drivers in the Driving category of America’s Favorite Equestrian, but as of March 31, the six drivers with the most votes continue on to Round 2.

The America’s Favorite Equestrian contest is an interactive fund raising effort presented jointly by partnership of The EQUUS Foundation and The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to raise funds to advance the equestrian sport on an annual basis. The contest started with eight equestrians from each discipline: jumping, driving, dressage, eventing, reining, vaulting, endurance, and para-equestrian.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13587

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Media/Radio/TV Sources

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

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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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Listen, Download or Subscribe:

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, JRPR

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

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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 →

Auctions, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Driving, Events, Fundraisers, JRPR

Chester Weber Donates Signed Winning Ribbon from WEG to Raise Money for Humane Society

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Chester Weber, here with teammates James Fairclough and Tucker Johnson, has donated his signed winning 2010 WEG ribbon to a fundraising event that will auction the ribbon on eBay and donate the proceeds to the Humane Society. The deadline for the auction is April 5th. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber)

Bid on Ribbon on eBay through April 5

Ocala, FL (March 31, 2011) – Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion who has competed for the U.S. in three World Equestrian Games, is bidding farewell to his 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Silver Medal ribbon. Weber has donated his signed winning WEG ribbon to a fund raising event that will auction the ribbon on eBay and donate the proceeds to the Humane Society of Marion Country, Florida.

Weber, who recently won the FEI Horse Team division at CAI Live Oak, said it’s not difficult to say goodbye to the ribbon when it benefits a worthwhile charity. “I’m a big supporter of animals and the Humane Society is a wonderful organization,” Weber said. “If the ribbon can help support what they do, then that’s much better than having the ribbon hanging on my wall.”

Weber’s Silver Medal ribbon is currently on eBay and bidding will continue through April 5th. Diane Charipar, of Ocala, Florida, is spearheading the fundraising event and is thrilled that Weber donated the ribbon. “A mutual friend told Chester about this venture and with incredible generosity he offered his signed WEG Four-In-Hand Team driving ribbon,” Charipar said, adding that she has sold thousands of ribbons on eBay and donated the money to the Humane Society.

Continue reading Chester Weber Donates Signed Winning Ribbon from WEG to Raise Money for Humane Society →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Eventing/H.T., Events, JRPR

Chester Weber Proves Unstoppable with Another FEI Horse Team Win at Live Oak International Combined Driving Event

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Combined Driver Chester Weber proved unstoppable at CAI Live Oak, when he won the FEI Horse Team Division for the ninth year in a row. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber)

Ocala, FL (March 30, 2011) – Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, proved to be an unstoppable force at the CAI Live Oak International Combined Driving event when he drove away as the winner of the FEI Horse Team division. Live Oak International is considered to be one of the premiere Combined Driving events in North America and each year the show attracts an array of world-class competition.

Weber, who has added two new equine members to his team with Jane Forbes Clark’s horses, Uniek and Splash, was pleased with the Live Oak win. “My team went well and were technically easy to drive,” Weber said, adding that it felt great to win nine years in a row at Live Oak. “The two new additions from Jane have proven to be very helpful and have not only added to our depth but have moved our program forward.”

Weber, who is from Ocala and is based out of Live Oak Plantation, first drove into the winner’s circle in March with the new team when he won the FEI Four-In-Hand Division at Little Everglades, a USEF Selection Trial. During Live Oak, Weber competed Rolex W, Uniek, Splash and Para in the dressage phase for a score of 37.63 and followed up with Uniek, Reno, Para and Splash in the marathon and cones, with no penalties and a time of 2:55.63 in the cones.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13522

*Featured/Spotlights, Auctions, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Events, JRPR

Chester Weber Donates Carriage Ride to the Ocala Symphony Orchestra Ball’s Live Auction and Bidding Is Expected to Be Fierce

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Ocala native Chester Weber is donating a carriage ride to the live auction at the Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Ball, Friday, April 8th at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club. (Photo courtesy of Live Oak Combined Driving)

Ocala, FL (March 24, 2011) – Ocala residents love their native son Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, whose home base is Live Oak Stud in Ocala. Weber is known for his involvement in education and the arts in his hometown community and will be donating a carriage ride, pulled by his world-class combined driving team, to the live auction of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Ball, Friday, April 8th at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club.

“Chester’s generosity in donating this carriage ride is sincerely appreciated by the Ocala Orchestra Board of Directors and Membership. The carriage ride will be presented during our Live Auction program segment and is expected to bring some of the highest bidding of the evening,” said Cindy Van Heyde, Vice President of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra.

Van Heyde said she expects fierce competition as bidders battle to win the carriage ride with Weber, a local celebrity as well as the United States’ leading combined driver. “Many of the people who will be attending the Symphony Ball are familiar with the annual driving event that Chester hosts at Live Oak Stud every March, and they appreciate the beauty of the farm and the sport of combined driving. I fully expect a very competitive bidding environment,” she said.

Continue reading Chester Weber Donates Carriage Ride to the Ocala Symphony Orchestra Ball’s Live Auction and Bidding Is Expected to Be Fierce →

*Featured/Spotlights, Breeds, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Events

Morgan Pair Wins Little Everglades CAI

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Dade City, Florida – Morgans come from behind to take the lead, winning at Little Everglades International CAI in Dade City, Florida February 24-27, 2011.  With a strong showing of eight advanced pairs, the Morgans continue to put in a strong showing against larger equine competitors who dominate the sport of combined driving.  Standing in 6th place after the dressage and marathon, owner Alan Aulson drove his athletic Morgans with speed and confidence winning the cones competition, pushing him ahead to win the blue in the FEI Pairs Division.

Nordby Coalie’s Duke (Caduceus Falcon x Coal Creek Sabra’s Coalie), Nordby Coalie’s Coal Dust (Ortawn Captain Royal x Coal Creek Sabra’s Coalie), and Nordby Shadow’s Sam Spade (Ortawn Captain Royal x Ribbon Shadow SRD) are all registered black American Morgan Horses.  When driving a pair in competition you can alternate three horses in the three phases: dressage, marathon, and cones so all three horses competed.  The Morgans are owned by Maureen and Alan Aulson of Georgetown, MA; who are also the owners of the state of the art equine resort Black Equestrian Center in Bronson, Florida.

This is a very important year for the advanced pair drivers as they are all being observed at competitions by United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) officials who will select the best pairs to compete on the United States Team at the World’s Pairs Driving Championship to be held in Conty, France August 24-28, 2011.  Earlier this year, USEF held a week long Invitational Clinic at Black Prong Equestrian Center were all pairs, horses and ponies, schooled with the USEF driving coach, Michael Freund.  For more information on Team Black Prong visit www.blackprong.com/Team or contact BlackProngCenter@aol.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Events, JRPR, USEF

Chester Weber Wins FEI Four-In-Hand Division at The Little Everglades International Combined Driving Event

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Chester Weber, with the new additions of Uniek and Splash, won the FEI Four-In-Hand Division at The Little Everglades International Combined Driving Event, a USEF Selection Trial. (Photo courtesy of Pics of You)

Dade City, FL (March 7, 2011) – Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, proved during The Little Everglades International Combined Driving Event that he could add new horses to his team and still drive into the winner’s circle. Weber, with the new addition of Jane Forbes Clark’s horses, Uniek and Splash, won the FEI Four-In-Hand Division at Little Everglades, a USEF Selection Trial.

“I was pleased with Uniek and Splash and feel that they have made great additions to our depth,” Weber said, following his win at Little Everglades. “I will continue to show them in an effort to learn about them at competitions and how they react.”

Weber added that competing at Little Everglades was a great experience. “The Blanchard’s, owners of Little Everglades Ranch, and Susan Gilliland and her team did a super job organizing the show,” Weber said. “The course was considerably technical in nature and the two new horses were great on the marathon, very straight forward and easy to drive.”

Continue reading Chester Weber Wins FEI Four-In-Hand Division at The Little Everglades International Combined Driving Event →

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Events, Fundraisers, Phelps Media Group, USEF

‘Salute to Driving’ Benefit Offers Generous Support to USET Foundation

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Bev Lesher, Lisa Singer, and Wendy O'Brien at the Salute to Driving. Photo By: Vicki Long.

Aiken, SC – February 25, 2011 – The first annual ‘Salute to Driving’ event hosted a beautiful Dinner & Live Auction on Saturday, February 19, 2011, to benefit the United States Equestrian Team Foundation and, ultimately, USEF High Performance Combined Driving. The successful evening was held at Wendy O’Brien’s Trout Walk Farm in Aiken, SC. The goal of the event was to help raise funds for the USET Foundation that will be dedicated to helping fund and train the best drivers and equines to represent the USA in World Driving Championships to bring home Team and Individual Medals.

The dinner began at 6:30 pm, and during the evening’s Live Auction attendees helped raise funds for the USET Foundation. Auction items included two lessons with top driver Michael Freund at Little Everglades or Live Oak 2011, two lessons with Chester Weber during Live Oak 2011, a dinner for eight presented by Jack Wetzel at his new log cabin in Aiken, a week long vacation in a large Victorian home on the beach in Cape May, NJ, a week long vacation in Block Island, RI, a print, “Patriots Barn” by Jamie Wyeth, signed and remarqued by the artist and brunch for four at the Green Boundary Club. There were also over 20 raffle items given away through the night that ranged from a professional photo shoot to dancing lessons.

Continue reading ‘Salute to Driving’ Benefit Offers Generous Support to USET Foundation →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

Final Startlist Announced For FEI World Cup Driving In Leipzig

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Boyd Exell will be facing strong opponents in Leipzig. FEI/Rinaldo de Craen

Driving fans will be treated to a thrilling Final for the 10th season of the FEI World Cup Driving series in Leipzig, Germany, from 27 April to 1 May 2011.Five of the seven four-in-hand drivers who will start in Leipzig have already won a World Cup round this season, highlighting the incredible level of skills for this year’s FEI World Cup Driving Final.

The finalists will all start from scratch and, as this year’s series was so tightly contested, it won’t be until the very last second of the Final on the afternoon of Sunday 1 May that the new World Cup Champion will be announced.

British-based Australian driver Boyd Exell – double World Cup champion and gold medallist at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky last year – will be aiming for a hat trick in Leipzig. Exell has won three out of the six competitions this season and was runner-up three times, but he will be facing up to the strongest ever indoor opponents.

Dutch driver Koos de Ronde, runner-up in the 2010 final and winner at this year’s FEI World Cup Driving competition in Mechelen for the third time in a row, has his sights set on the overall series title once again. De Ronde is a very fast driver and will certainly give Exell a run for his money in Leipzig.

Continue reading Final Startlist Announced For FEI World Cup Driving In Leipzig →