Category Archives: Community/Charity

FEI Eventing Risk Management Action Plan on Target

Lausanne (SUI), 31 January 2011 – The FEI Eventing Risk Management Action Plan, which was launched in January 2010, is on target, as shown by the steady decrease in the percentage of Cross-Country falls.

National Safety Officers (NSOs) from 22 nations who attended the FEI’s annual NSO seminar in Greenwich, London (GBR) on 29-30 January were shown provisional statistics for 2010 which demonstrate that as numbers of international events and participants increase, the incidence of falls continues to decrease.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13093

Secretariat “Voice of the People” Award to Zenyatta, by Jane Heart

Personal Appearance, Saturday, February 5, 2011, Santa Anita Park, California

Mrs. Penny Chenery has established the Vox Populi award for the “voice of the fans to honor the horses they love”. The first award will be presented to the Zenyatta team this coming Saturday.

Mrs. Chenery will participate in a special poster signing to commemorate this historic occasion. Scheduled to join in the festivities are Zenyatta’s owners Ann and Jerry Moss, trainer John Shirreffs, and jockey Mike Smith. Kate Chenery Tweedy will also be in attendance signing copies of her newly released book “Secretariat’s Meadow.” Join Penny Chenery as she presents the inaugural Secretariat Vox Populi Award to the Zenyatta team on February 5th at Santa Anita Park.

I am delighted to be a part of this inaugural event as well as displaying my jewelry for Secretariat and Barbaro. Visit with me on Saturday and Sunday February 5 and 6 from 10:30 to 5:00 at the Champions! Santa Anita Gift Shop entrance. It will be a very special day indeed.

Continue reading Secretariat “Voice of the People” Award to Zenyatta, by Jane Heart

Official Licensed Jewelry 1973 Triple Crown Winner Secretariat

Secretariat, America’s champion, fondly known as Big Red, became a hero and a symbol of hope during the early 1970s.  His legacy as the greatest racehorse of all time has endured to this day. From the cover of Time magazine to his very own United States postal stamp, Secretariat’s image has been an inspiration to those that have followed his career and continue to love him even now.

“I am honored to have the license to design jewelry for Secretariat. He followed his heart with his tremendous passion for running and has been an inspiration to me to continue to follow my own heart.”  The jubilation heard in the voice of Chic Anderson from CBS television during the 1973 Belmont Stakes said it all: “He is running like a tremendous machine!”

All Secretariat designs are made and hand finished in Arizona. The styles include a large and small pendant, charm, charm bracelet, brooch, and cuff links in silver and 14k gold. Each piece is stamped with the name Secretariat on the back and arrives in a gift box with a blue satin pouch and blue and white checkered commemorative card with the inscription:

“Keep the Big Red Flame Burning!”

Jane Heart LLC

P.O. Box 6399

Scottsdale, AZ  85261

jane@janeheart.com

www.janeheart.com

NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #4, by Claire Dorotik

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 #4 from NO SECRET SO CLOSE:

But then I did finally get a call from a trainer interested in Cat. Not the one I want to sell. Not my Cat. But I had to show her the horse. The horses needed feed, and there was no more money for the attorney. Kerry, the same attorney that had accused me. Kerry, the same attorney that had publicly defamed me. But pay him anyway — he’s defending your mom. After all, she didn’t have any other source of income, and Cat was half hers. But, he was, by far, my best horse. He’d been such a solid performer — always there when I needed him.

Continue reading NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #4, by Claire Dorotik

Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy: Working in the Unconscious, by Claire Dorotik, M.A.

While there is no debate among those who work with horses that the truth about people cannot be masked when around them. It seems that even those who seem to project one emotion will frequently be found to have another. An apparently confident person can struggle mightily with the simple task of placing a halter on a horse. And often, under circumstances such as these, those around the otherwise unchallenged person will stand back in awe of what was previously unbeknownst to them. Such is the nature of the unconscious. It is an all together present, and yet wholly ignored, facet of the human equation. Sometimes called a “gut instinct,” there have been some who have suggested its wisdom in everyday decisions, and absolute importance in the more pressing life and death situations. Malcolm Gladwell, the author of “Blink,” for one makes a very elegant case for utilizing the prescient nature of the unconscious in predicting satisfaction with all sorts of life decisions.

Yet for as much as the unconscious can offer, it is, for the most part, outside of the everyday awareness of the masses. However, that is not to say that the human system is not affected by unconscious drives, fears, and motives. Those in the field of trauma will strongly argue that in the case of overwhelming traumatic situations, while there is often no conscious memory, there remains a physiological imprint of the trauma, called a “body memory.” In a case such as this, a person will experience physiological reactions, such as increased pulse, elevated startle response, and muscle tension despite the absence of any noticeable stimuli. And here again, while the remnants of the trauma are register physiologically, and hold the truth about the trauma, they are not responded to, as consciously, the person has no reason to.

Continue reading Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy: Working in the Unconscious, by Claire Dorotik, M.A.

Certified Horsemanship Association Produces Regional Conferences around the Continent for All Horse Enthusiasts

Lexington, KY – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Regional Conferences are being held around the continent this year. These educational events are open to the public and provide horses for participants to ride with top instructors. Press are invited to attend. Other are being added to the below list all the time at http://www.cha-ahse.org/regions.htm.

Region 1 (British Columbia, WA, Western MT, ID, OR, Alberta)
Conference – Canyonview Equestrian Center in Silverton, OR – February 24-27
Contact Sherilyn Sander at (971) 239-1348or at sherilyns@canyonview.us

Region 2 (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Eastern MT, ND, SD)
Conference – Horse 3 at Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba – April 15-17
Contact Tara Reimer (204) 392-6308 or at tara@cloud9ranch.ca

Region 3 (MN, WI, Western Ontario, Upper MI, IA, IL)
Conference – Minnesota Horse Expo/Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul – April 29–May 1
Contact Laura Jones at (807) 577-3630 or at fljones@tbaytel.net

Continue reading Certified Horsemanship Association Produces Regional Conferences around the Continent for All Horse Enthusiasts

USEF Passes New Safety Helmet Rules for Eventing and Dressage Riders

Steffen Peters wore a helmet during the Dressage Freestyle at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Photo by Shannon Brinkman/USEF Archive.

Lexington, KY – The Board of Directors during this year’s United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Annual Meeting approved new helmet rules for riders in both eventing and dressage – just two weeks after dozens of stakeholders in equestrian sport met with the goal of improving rider safety across disciplines.

”If the technology is available to reduce head injuries, the time to use it is now,” said USEF President David O’Connor. “I am very proud of our organization for taking this very important step. It is a huge direction of change.”

Briefly, the first rule change requires anyone on a horse to wear a ASTM/SEI-approved helmet at all times while mounted on competition grounds at U.S. nationally rated eventing competitions. The rule change is effective immediately.

Further specifics regarding the changes to the rule for Protective Headgear for Eventing (EV 114.1) will be posted here in the future: http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/RuleBook/Changes/2011.aspx.

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Jessica Kuerten and Lady Georgina Forbes

Lady Georgina Forbes’ Horses Not Competing in the Sport

The Irish rider Jessica Kuerten is not able to compete the horses of the Irish breeder and horse owner Lady Georgina Forbes in the sport. The reason for this is Lady Forbes’ decision not to allow the horses, which include the highly successful mare Castle Forbes Libertina, to compete at horse shows. A total of 5 horses under the ownership of Georgina Forbes are in Jessica Kuerten’s care at her equestrian facility in Huenxe, Germany. Kuerten and Forbes have shared a business relationship for over 8 years. “I have been very fortunate to have celebrated many great victories with the horses from Lady Forbes and I am very grateful for this time. Both parties have profited from this relationship”, said Jessica Kuerten.

Jessica Kuerten is not yet sure what will be happening with the horses in the future and if and when they will be able to give them over into their owner’s care. First of all there are financial commitments which need to be cleared up between the owner and Kuerten’s, as well as third parties. There are diverse details, also for the German tax authorities, which need to be sorted out due to the fact that Lady Georgina Forbes is Irish and lives in Switzerland. It goes without question that the horses from Lady Georgina Forbes will continue to be provided for and cared for while they are at Jessica Kuerten’s facility in Rhineland.

Lulu Kyriacou

+447941156202

www.lulukyriacou.com

Katherine Poulin’s Brilliant Too Wins TailRx “Best Tail Award” at Gold Coast Dressage Opener Festival CDI

Katherine Poulin and Brilliant Too won the TailRx “Best Tail Award” at the Gold Coast Dressage Opener Festival CDI. Judges Charlotte Bredahl and Lorrain Stubbs presented Poulin the award. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Wellington, FL (January 26, 2011) – Katherine Poulin’s Dutch/Thoroughbred gelding Brilliant Too showed he was brilliant during the Gold Coast Dressage Opener Festival CDI, when he not only rode away with a ribbon in the Intermediaire I class but also won the TailRx “Best Tail Award.” Sponsored by TailRx, the mane and tail restoration system for horses that can also be used on horse owners, Brilliant Too’s long and luxurious tail helped him win the highly-sought after award.

“I’m super excited that he won the Tail Rx Award because I think my horse has a great tail and I’m glad it’s getting recognized,” Poulin said, adding that her goal is to make the Pan American team with Brilliant Too.

Poulin, who lives in Cleveland, Ohio, rode Brilliant Too to third place in the large FEI Intermediaire I class. “I want to congratulate Katherine and Brilliant Too on their ride in the Intermediaire class. It was a really large class and the competition was extremely stiff,” said Mary Brunetti, founder of TailRx. “I also agree with Katherine that her horse has an amazing tail. While many horses are born with tails like that, horses everywhere can now have tails like Brilliant Too’s thanks to TailRx.”

Continue reading Katherine Poulin’s Brilliant Too Wins TailRx “Best Tail Award” at Gold Coast Dressage Opener Festival CDI

In Memoriam: Elizabeth “Liz” Day (GBR/RSA), 1954-2010

FEI Group IX Deputy Chair Loses Battle against Cancer

Lausanne (SUI), 25 January 2011 – Elizabeth “Liz” Day of South Africa, Deputy Chair of Geographical Group IX, international judge in Dressage, Eventing and Para Dressage, and member of the management committee of the South African National Equestrian Federation (SANEF), passed away just before Christmas after losing her courageous battle against cancer. Her many friends will miss her energy, passion, wise advice, tolerant attitude and sense of humour.

Liz was British born but spent most of her adult life in South Africa. An accountant by profession, she connected with horses at an early age and Dressage became her passion. As a rider, she won the KZN Medium Championships on a Basuto/Thoroughbred pony and recalled this as one of her greatest triumphs.

Continue reading In Memoriam: Elizabeth “Liz” Day (GBR/RSA), 1954-2010