Category Archives: Community/Charity

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, EQUUS Foundation, Phelps Media Group

Round 1 for America’s Favorite Equestrian Ends on March 31 – Have You Voted?

Leave a comment

WELLINGTON, FL – March 28, 2011 – Have you voted yet? Round 1 of America’s Favorite Equestrian will end on March 31st. Two favorite equestrians with the lowest number of votes in each of the eight disciplines that participated in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will drop off the list. Don’t let it be your favorite! All it takes is a $5 gift to The EQUUS Foundation to keep your favorite in the competition.

How to Vote:
Visit the link at http://www.equusfoundation.org/vote.

For a $5 contribution, you can select your favorite equestrian (listed by discipline) and follow the instructions provided to use mobile texting to vote. After texting your vote, you must reply YES to confirm your vote and $5 donation.

You can also vote using an online form or vote by mail.

All donations received by the EQUUS Foundation will be used in support of horse-related charitable causes.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13518

Art/Photography, Community/Charity, Events, Products/Services

cjw designs – Upcoming Art Shows

Leave a comment

For those of you in the north Florida area there are two exciting events coming up in April. They are both large juried art shows – the perfect venue for finding a special gift, or just enjoying a day out in the sun with beautiful artwork, music and food.

Look for me at cjw designs, and remember to mention that you saw an ad on Horses in the South for a 15% discount!

April 9-10th Weekend: The inaugural Jacksonville Fine Arts Festival will be held in beautiful Boone Park. There will be 130 local, regional and national artists showing a wide variety of artwork. More information on the festival at:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Jacksonville-Fine-Arts-Festival/121526594535037.

April 23rd: Atlantic Beach FL will host Arts in the Park in lovely Johansen Park, with over 80 local, regional and national artists.

Website: www.cjwdesigns.etsy.com

Contact Name: Cathy Whitley

Phone: (904) 866-6696

Email: cjwdesigns@bellsouth.net

*Featured/Spotlights, Breeds, Community/Charity, Equine Assisted Therapy

Miniature Therapy Horse on TIME /CNN list of “History’s 10 Most Courageous Animals”

Leave a comment

This week TIME /CNN published a list of history’s ten most courageous animals.

“Animals have often shown bravery in extraordinary circumstances. TIME takes a look at some of history’s most courageous animals.”

The Top 10 Heroic Animals included Bucephalus, the famed steed of Alexander the Great, Togo the sled dog who brought serum to save Nome when diphtheria broke out in 1925, Stubby the WW1 hero war dog who became a lifetime member of the American Legion and later became Georgetown University’s mascot, Simon the British cat known for her heroic voyage down China’s Yangtze River (her obituary appeared in TIME magazine in 1949), New Zealand’s Moko the dolphin and… a little Florida therapy horse named Magic.

Magic was also AARP’s 2010 Most Heroic Pet in America and on Newsweek/The Daily Beast Most Heroic Animals of 2010.

The tiny blue eyed mare works inside hospitals, assisted care programs, programs for Alzheimer’s patients, group homes and with patients in hospice care.  She also works with sheriff’s officers in high crime neighborhoods as part of a community outreach program and helps children with developmental delays and at risk and abused children.  From wearing tuxedos to a magical tea party for a child with a life ending illness to working with autistic children, Magic brings her special love where it is needed most.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13506

Please use PicLens to view or click on an image to enlarge.

[nggallery id=76]

*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

Leave a comment
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, Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, JRPR, Para-Equestrian

Canadian Para-Equestrian Lauren Barwick Shines at 2011 Dressage Affaire CPED13*

Leave a comment
Lauren Barwick dominated the Grade II division at the 2011 Dressage Affaire at the Del Mar Horsepark during the CPED13* Para-Equestrian Dressage competition on her two horses Off to Paris (shown here) and Ferdonia 2 (below). (Photos courtesy of Lindsay Y McCall)

Parelli Natural Horsemanship Student Excels

Del Mar, CA (March 23, 2011) – Canadian Para-Equestrian Team member Lauren Barwick dominated the Grade II division at the 2011 Dressage Affaire at the Del Mar Horsepark during the CPED13* Para-Equestrian Dressage competition, riding away with the blue ribbon on Off To Paris and the red on Ferdonia 2 in the Individual Test. Barwick also took home top honors in the Freestyle, riding Ferdonia 2 to first place with a high score of 75.167% and earning second on Off To Paris with a 73.333.

Barwick’s success in the Para-Dressage spotlight has been aided by mentor and coach Pat Parelli, founder of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc. Barwick is a Senior Protégé and mentor in the Parelli Natural Horsemanship’s Mastery Program.

“Lauren is an outstanding horsewoman and has the ability to easily connect with her horses,” Parelli said. “At the Dressage Affaire in Del Mar, Lauren had only been riding Off to Paris and Ferdonia for 10 days so it was quite an accomplishment to win first and second in both classes. Lauren knows that building a relationship and developing a great partnership with each horse is paramount, and she is dedicated to putting the horse’s needs first which shows each time she rides.”

Continue reading Canadian Para-Equestrian Lauren Barwick Shines at 2011 Dressage Affaire CPED13* →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Events

Historic Simonton Home Tour to Help Rescue Horses, Statesville, NC April 9, 2011

Leave a comment

STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA Historic Simonton Place Home Tour
April 9, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday April 9th, 2011
2030 Simonton Rd. Statesville 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.
This is a rare opportunity to tour the Pre-Revolutionary Simonton Place, one of the oldest homesteads in Iredell County and site of one of the first county courthouses and jail.

There will be a Home Tour with History of Simonton Family and the home.  All Proceeds to Benefit The United States Equine Rescue League of the Central Piedmont of NC (www.userl.org).  Included in the tour are a Barn Tour, Butter Churning Demonstrations, Spinning Demonstrations, Tea Service, Equine Massage/Chiropractic Demos.  There will also be an opportunity to Meet the Rescue Horses! Concessions will be available.  For more information call 704-872-3388 or visit www.userlcpnc.org.

Advance Ticket Price $10 Adults and $5 Seniors (60+) and $5 Kids (-12).  To purchase tickets, call 704-872-3388.  Admission at the door is $12 Adults, $6 Seniors (60+), and $6 Kids (-12)

Continue reading Historic Simonton Home Tour to Help Rescue Horses, Statesville, NC April 9, 2011 →

Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, Phelps Media Group, Polo

2011 Challenge of the Americas Raises $275,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Leave a comment
Mason Phelps, Mary Ross and Brian O'Connor at the 2011 Challenge of the Americas Photo Credit: Susan J. Stickle Photography

Wellington, FL – March 22, 2011 – The tenth annual Challenge of the Americas competition and Gala were held Saturday evening, March12, at the beautiful International Polo Club Palm Beach. Held as a benefit for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Play for P.I.N.K., the event raised approximately $275,000 in support of research to help find a cure for this disease that has affected so many lives.

The Challenge Gala got underway following an exciting evening of equestrian competition that included the first ever four-on-four polo match, where Team Vanderbilt-Ingram proved victorious.  Following polo the musical quadrille team challenge commenced with Team Purina USA earning the winning score in this fantabulous event.  This year’s gala, a sold-out affair with almost 600 in attendance, featured an evening of dinner and dancing and was held in the New Nespresso Lodge just off Piaget Field at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.  The sit-down dinner, silent auction and dancing was enjoyed by top riders, trainers and judges from the equestrian world of dressage and polo, along with generous sponsors and supporters.

Held as a benefit for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation over the last ten years, the Challenge of the Americas has raised over 1.5 million since its inception in 2002. This year they will once again add a generous donation to that total. President of Play for P.I.N.K., spoke at the Gala and acknowledged all that Challenge of the Americas has done for breast cancer research. Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate diagnosis, New technology, Knowledge) is a grassroots organization dedicated to raising funds to fight breast cancer, by creating and promoting awareness of breast cancer through sporting and lifestyle events. They contribute 100% of all funds raised to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Continue reading 2011 Challenge of the Americas Raises $275,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Publications/Media

NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #11, by Claire Dorotik

Leave a comment

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 #11 from NO SECRET SO CLOSE:

“Come again.”

We trotted back again, and I glanced at Bill’s face. So far no reaction.

He squared the oxer, and pulled the ground lines out a little.

“Canter back over.”

Nimo hopped into the canter with enthusiasm, and galloped roundly toward the oxer. We jumped confidently and cantered off. Still nothing, and Bill raised the rails on each side.

Continue reading NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #11, by Claire Dorotik →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Events, Fundraisers, Sydney Masters-Durieux

Brazilian Grand Prix Icon Paulo Santana Wins Step by Step Foundation’s All In for Charity Poker Tournament Championship

Leave a comment
Step by Step Founder Liliane Stransky & Grand Prix rider Paulo Santana, who was the evening's Poker Champion, by Mancini Photos

International Equestrians Unite to Raise Funds & Awareness for Children in Need at Dinner Benefit at Winter Equestrian Festival

Wellington, FL – Olympic show jumping legend Margie Engle and international children’s charity founder Liliane Stransky joined forces for the Step by Step Foundation’s second annual All In for Charity Poker Tournament and dinner benefit on Sunday, March 13 in Wellington, FL.  After Richard Spooner rode to victory in the $25,000 Suncast Jumper Classic, the action shifted to the tents for some fast paced, high stakes gaming in the Grand Prix Pavilion at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Engle, who was the Event Chair, was on hand with Stransky to welcome guests to the fun filled evening that featured fine food and good times for a great cause. Guests enjoyed a lovely buffet dinner as DJ Mario kept the music pumping, but it was the poker action that drew in the serious players and international teams.  Stransky had assembled a strong lineup of lovely ladies on her team including Engle, event organizer Kathy Andersen, Junior Jumper champion Daniela Stransky, and grand prix veteran Hillary Dobbs.  After donning their bright orange team Polos, the girls sat down to take on all challengers and raise funds for the children.

Continue reading Brazilian Grand Prix Icon Paulo Santana Wins Step by Step Foundation’s All In for Charity Poker Tournament Championship →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, EQUUS Foundation, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

County-wide support for The EQUUS Foundation and the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Horse Show

Leave a comment
Left to Right, Alison Ashman, Elaine Campbell, Bettina Reynertson, Jennifer Ross, Margie Bondy, Jeannine Flower, Berkeley Soper, and Michelle Ippolito. Photo courtesy of The EQUUS Foundation.

WESTPORT, CT – March 18, 2011 – The EQUUS Foundation is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the beneficiary of the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show to be held June 21-25, 2011 in Westport, Connecticut, and to recognize the members of the Horse Show Committee.

The Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show offers free admission and welcomes the public to come watch national and local equestrians compete, especially at the show’s culminating event, the $25,000 Grand Prix on Saturday, June 25, 2011, presented by Wells Fargo Advisors and George N. Venizelos.

Spectators and exhibitors are also welcome to attend the EQUUS Benefit Luncheon held in conjunction with the Grand Prix and enjoy a champagne reception, silent auction, and delicious buffet while watching world class riders and horses navigating over the highest level obstacles at racehorse speeds.

In addition to the Grand Prix, the show will feature a Welcome Jumper Class previewing the talents of some of the competitors in Saturday’s Grand Prix and the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic sponsored by Buick and GMC, the Official Vehicle of the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show.

Continue reading County-wide support for The EQUUS Foundation and the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Horse Show →