Category Archives: Disciplines

Live Oak International 2012, Host of the USEF Four-In-Hand Driving Championship, Will Celebrate 20 Years of Competition and Include Jumping Events

The Live Oak International Driving Event will celebrate its 20th year in 2012. Over this 20 year period it has been the industry standard for Combined Driving Competition welcoming leading drivers, trainers, coaches and owners from Europe and North America and drawing thousands of people to the area as we again serve the dual purposes of giving the public a chance to enjoy world class combined driving competition while also supporting many non-profit and charity goals. The 2012 Event will host the USEF National Championships for Four In Hand Horses.

The multigenerational love for equestrian sports shared by the Weber family will take another logical step in 2012, with the addition of a Jumping Speed Class following Dressage on Friday and a Jumping Grand Prix following the Marathon on Saturday. We look forward to providing our spectators with some of the best Jumping competition with some of the best Driving competition at the same venue on the same afternoons. A world class Driving event and a world class Jumping competition will be together at a world class farm.

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The Inaugural NARG Riders’ Grant Awarded to Sarah Johnstone

The inaugural NARG riders' grant was awarded to Sarah Johnstone by Beezie Madden. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com

Wellington, FL – February 1, 2012 – New in 2011, the NARG Riders’ Grant is designed to afford an emerging rider, dedicated to the sport of show jumping, an opportunity to achieve levels of performance they would otherwise not be able to attain. The grant provides the winner with $15,000 USD for expenses within North America approved by the NARG Board, a new Beval Artisan saddle, products from Ariat, PR from Phelps Media and a custom web site by Spotted Toad Design.

After extensive discussion and multiple meetings, the NARG Board awarded The 2011 NARG Riders’ Grant to twenty-year-old Canadian Sarah Johnstone. A devoted young professional, Johnstone was a self-proclaimed barn rat who began working at the stable by age ten. As she continued to compete, Johnstone always worked to pay her way. Proving that hard work and a strong sense of commitment bring success, Sarah achieved an impressive list of accomplishments in the last decade. These include winning the Canadian Jump Canada Medal Finals and Canadian Equestrian Team Finals (CET) in 2006, taking 4th in her first CSI4* Grand Prix in 2010, topping the field in the FEI CSI3* Open Welcome at International Bromont last July and earning a short list position on the Canadian Show Jumping Team in 2011.

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Alltech National Horse Show Announces 2012 Dates and Locations for ASPCA Maclay Regionals

Sarah Milliren of Sapula, OK, won the 2011 ASPCA Maclay National Championships. Photo Credit: Rebecca Walton/PMG

Lexington, KY – February 1, 2012 – The Alltech National Horse Show, 129th edition is pleased to announce the dates and locations for this year’s ASPCA Maclay Regional competitions. The horse shows’ qualifying classes determine which riders will compete in this year’s ASPCA Maclay National Championship, which will be held at the Alltech Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on November 4, 2012.

The ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class has been held since 1933, and it is one of the most prestigious competitions for junior riders in the United States. Its winners are some of the biggest names in equestrian sport. Previous winners include: William Steinkraus in 1941, Frank Chapot (1948), George Morris (1952), Leslie Burr Howard (1972), Stacia Klein Madden in 1987, and Nicole Shahinian Simpson in 1992. The 2010 ASPCA Maclay National Championship winner was Hayley Barnhill, and in 2011 Sarah Milliren was named the winner.

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The NARG Top 25 of 2011 – See Who’s Best in Show

Year Two: The NARG Top 25 Shows in North America Are Revealed

Wellington, FL – February 1, 2012 – Following the overwhelmingly positive response to our 2010 Top 25 report, NARG’s host of volunteers once again invested hundreds of hours to numerically evaluate 50 of the top horse shows in North America. The 2011 results are an interesting mix of events – including a couple of Canadian champions, a promising new beginning for The National Horse Show, several new discoveries and two most improved shows.

Canada claimed the top two spots this year. The highest marks once again go to Spruce Meadows, a venue that continues to exemplify our aspirations for great sport in North America. The number two title this year goes to a Canadian discovery, Thunderbird Show Park. Both venues are tremendous places to compete and show jumpers should seriously consider adding these solid examples of top tournaments to their summer schedule.

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Twenty-three Nations Qualify for London 2012 Paralympic Games

Lausanne (SUI), 1 February 2011 – Para-Dressage riders from 23 nations have qualified to take part in the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The qualification process, which began in October 2010, finished yesterday, 31 January 2012.

As the top three ranked teams at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010, Great Britain, Germany and Denmark will each be represented by a team of four plus one individual rider. Canada, the top ranked nation on the Para-Equestrian Team ranking list for countries not otherwise qualified, will also receive five qualification slots.

Eleven nations, which qualified through the Para-Equestrian Team ranking list and regional distribution of teams, will be entering teams of four riders. The 11 nations are USA, Netherlands, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, South Africa, Mexico, Singapore, Australia and France.

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Top Class Lineup for FEI World Cup Driving Final in Bordeaux

Lausanne (SUI), 31 January 2012 – Driving fans will be treated to a thrilling finale of the FEI World Cup Driving 11th season in Bordeaux (FRA) on 3 and 4 February.

Six drivers – Boyd Exell (AUS); IJsbrand Chardon (NED); Koos De Ronde (NED); Tomas Eriksson (SWE); Jozsef Dobrovitz (HUN) and Zoltan Lázár (HUN) – qualified for the Final at the end of an exciting season that ran over seven events held in five European countries. They will be joined by home driver Thibault Coudry, who has received the wild card.

In Bordeaux the seven drivers all start from scratch and it will not be until the very last second of the Final on the evening of Saturday 4 February that the new FEI World Cup Driving champion will be crowned.

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“Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to The Derby” – An Online Auction of Kentucky Derby Hats Continues with a Chapeau Inspired by Florida Favorite Fortunate Prospect

Proceeds to Benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement

GEORGETOWN, KY – JANUARY 31, 2012 – The 3rd Annual “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby,” an online auction of exclusive handcrafted Kentucky Derby Hats, continues February 1st with a hat inspired by the great sire Fortunate Prospect.

This is the fourth hat in a series of six magnificent chapeaus to be auctioned by Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY.  Each hat has been custom crafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of Maggie Mae Designs and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Old Friends, the 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that is dedicated to the dignified retirement of former racehorses.

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Jacksonville Winter Series Week 3

Jersey Boy & Jennifer Alfano

The Jacksonville Winter Series has come and gone.  We enjoyed a fantastic three weeks of shows that were marked with great exhibitor parties, superb competition, camaraderie, perfect weather and a touching & successful benefit dinner.  Thank you to all of our exhibitors who supported not only the series, but the Wounded Warrior Project & the Clay County 4-H as well.  In excess of $14,000 was raised for these very worthy causes.

Congratulations to the following Circuit Champions:
Adult Amateur Hunter – Cezanne & Carrie Ettinger
Adult Amateur Jumper – Leroy Brown 17 & Kelly Maloney
Amateur Owner Jumper – Thoughtful & Keri Guanciale
Children’s Hunter – Unlimited & Madison Maners
Children’s Jumper – 2 The Nines & Sophia Bertot
Green Pony Hunter – Blue Ridge Sweet Dreams & Devin Seek
High Performance Hunter – MJ & Mary Eufemia
Junior Hunter – Felicci & Caroline Kellog
Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper – Tanimara & Anne Bingler
Short/Long Stirrup Hunter – Barrington’s Brew of Magic & Samantha Palermo
Pony Hunter – Tuscany & Ashton Alexander
Pre-Children’s/Adult Hunter – Summer Daze & Patricia Simpson Zeh
Pre-Green Hunter – Summer Daze & Patricia Simpson Zeh

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FEI World Cup Vaulting Comes to Thrilling Climax in Bordeaux

Switzerland’s Simone Jaïser (SUI) heads to this weekend’s FEI World Cup Vaulting Final in Bordeaux after scoring the highest points tally in the first full FEI World Cup Vaulting series. Photo: Karl-Heinz Freiler/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 1 February 2012 – The first full FEI World Cup Vaulting season will culminate in a hotly contested Final in Bordeaux (FRA) this weekend (4-5 February), when the sport’s top male and female vaulters will compete to secure the World Cup title.

The series has been hard fought with 10 male and 10 female vaulters competing in five qualifiers in Kiel (GER), Munich (GER), Salzburg (AUT), Paris (FRA) and Leipzig (GER).

Six male and six female vaulters will now battle it out for the honours at the FEI World Cup Vaulting 2011/2012 Final in the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre.

World number one Patric Looser (SUI), who has announced his retirement after Bordeaux, heads to the Final after securing a six-point lead over Viktor Brüsewitz (GER). They will be joined by Lukas Klouda (CZE), Yvan Nousse (FRA), Lukas Heppler (SUI) and Remy Hombecq (FRA).

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Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Take Jacksonville Winter A to Z by Storm

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy won the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the last week of the Jacksonville Winter Series A to Z. Photo By: Flashpoint Photography

Buffalo, NY – January 31, 2012 – As 2012 kicks off for SBS Farms, Inc., it is apparent that nothing is going to stand in their way. Professional rider and trainer Jennifer Alfano rode Jersey Boy to a spectacular win in the Jacksonville Winter Series $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby last week. She and her mounts have earned numerous distinctions in the hunter rings, riding to the top scores with ease and consistency.

Alfano rode Jersey Boy to the reserve championship in the High Performance Hunters earlier in the week, earning the first and second place ribbons over fences as well as the blue ribbon for their efforts in the handy course. The team was only getting started for the week.

“Jersey Boy was awesome this week; he did great in the High Performance Hunters and then was spectacular for the derby,” Alfano described. “The first round he went around really lightly and skillfully but in the handy he was really just beautiful.”

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