Category Archives: Community/Charity

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI

FEI and Reem Acra Give Christmas Treat to Children from Inner City London Horse Charity

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Laura Bechtolsheimer (centre) and Shetland pony foal Minty with members of the Ebony Horse Club from Brixton during the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage qualifier, with Lisa Wells (far right), Reem Acra, Director of Special Events and Sponsorships (Photo: Phil Mingo/FEI)

London, 15 December 2010 – A group of children from one of London’s most disadvantaged boroughs got an early Christmas treat today (Wednesday 15 December), when they were invited by Hollywood fashion designer, Reem Acra, and the governing body for horse sport, the FEI, to attend one of the sport’s premier events in London.

The London International Horse Show at Olympia, venue for the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage, is one of the most glamorous events on the FEI calendar and is attended by members of the British Royal family and other high profile celebrities.

Today, children from the Ebony Horse Club charity got a chance to experience some of that glamour – from one of the best seats in the house.

International fashion designer Reem Acra, new sponsor of the FEI World Cup Dressage, invited the children to experience the magic of world-class Dressage whilst enjoying dinner in the sponsor’s hospitality suite.

The group also met one of the UK’s leading Dressage riders Laura Bechtolsheimer, who recently won three silver medals at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

Continue reading FEI and Reem Acra Give Christmas Treat to Children from Inner City London Horse Charity →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Holiday HorseFest Deemed a Great Success at the Meyer Amphitheatre

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Laura Kraut and Woodstock O in the four-bar class. All photos © ManciniPhotos.

West Palm Beach, FL – December 13, 2010 – The Holiday HorseFest, presented by Fidelity Investments and staged by Equestrian Sport Productions, was held on Sunday, December 12, at The Meyer Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL. The waterfront equestrian event was a great success, drawing over 4,000 spectators to see show jumping in a new venue, spreading the word about the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival and the 2011 FTI Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments to a wider audience.

“We owe a big thank you to our sponsors and to the City of West Palm Beach for their support in making this event a reality and a huge success,” said Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions. “We hope this will be the first of many events in Palm Beach County that will broaden the reach of equestrian sport here.”

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Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Events, Phelps Media Group

Celebration of Life Party to Honor Jay Matter

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Jay Matter. Photo Credit: Kenneth Kraus

Wellington, FL – December 14, 2010 – The will be a celebration of life party honoring Jay Matter on Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 7p.m. after the Grand Prix at the International Club at the WEF Showgrounds in Wellington, FL.  All who knew Jay are welcome to come out and enjoy the event.  Entertainment, food and beverages have already been donated; just bring yourselves and your best Jay stories.

Jay’s wife Dee Thomas said, “Jay didn’t want a memorial service; he wanted a party to celebrate all of the living he got to do.  Please come and celebrate Jay with us!”

Longtime friend Mary Moricoli commented, “As Jay always told everyone at parties, the veranda rules will be in effect.  Those who knew and loved Jay will know what we mean!  Jay was such a wonderful person, and was respected by so many.  We hope that everyone will come out and share their favorite stories of Jay so that we can all celebrate his life together.”

Please RSVP to this event on Facebook by clicking here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=123194801077122.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

Awards, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, JRPR

Tine Zinglersen and Today Win Custom Saddlery “Best Turned Out Horse” Award at Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge

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Tine Zinglersen and Today won the “Best Turned Out Horse” Award at the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge Toys for Tots Benefit Show. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Wellington, FL (December 14, 2010) – Dressage rider Tine Zinglersen and a Dutch Warmblood named Today proved it was their day to shine at the Wellington Classic Dressage Holiday Challenge Toys for Tots Benefit Show when they rode away with the “Best Turned Out Horse” Award. Thanks to his gleaming coat and spotless appearance, Today, who is owned by Eugenia Revson of Pine Plains, New York, took home the award sponsored by Custom Saddlery, makers of handcrafted custom-fit dressage, jumping, and event saddles.

Zinglersen, who lives in New York but is originally from Denmark, was pleased with Today’s ride in the Prix St. George class. “We bought him three years ago in Holland. People always ask about his name, Today, but he came with it and we never change their name,” Zinglersen said.

Today’s beautiful dappled grey coat and pristine turnout helped him win a pair of fleece lined DSB Dressage Boots from Custom Saddlery. “Today is a gorgeous horse and I want to congratulate Tine and Eugenia on his turn out. He was positively gleaming and Tine was impeccably dressed as well. I know that Tine and Eugenia are in Wellington for the season and I want to wish them continued good luck throughout the coming shows,” said Cary Wallace, President and Master Saddle Fitter at Custom Saddlery, adding that he enjoys the time-honored tradition of horses being turned out in style.

Continue reading Tine Zinglersen and Today Win Custom Saddlery “Best Turned Out Horse” Award at Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Equestrian Assistance, Equine Assisted Therapy, Phelps Media Group

Georgina Bloomberg’s Rider’s Closet at Pegasus Helps Riders in Need

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Personal collection photo. TylerMarie Hylick of Glen Mills, Pa., proudly models some of the apparel she recently received from The Rider's Closet.

North Salem, NY – December 14, 2010 – Georgina Bloomberg’s charitable venture, The Rider’s Closet, is in the business of giving and receiving, not just during the holidays, but all year long. From therapeutic riding centers to pony clubs to collegiate equestrian teams, Bloomberg’s apparel exchange program has made a real difference for hundreds of equestrians who want to participate in competitive, scholastic or therapeutic riding but are unable to afford the gear.

Liz Olsezewski, founder of Horses Healing Hearts USA, a nonprofit in Lake Worth, Fla., which works with children of alcoholics and addicts, recently contacted The Rider’s Closet for a shipment of much-needed boots and clothing. After receiving the items, Olsezewski wrote a heartfelt thank-you letter that was signed by her riders. She noted that they “feel like true equestrians now and are feeling very proud.” This sentiment is echoed again and again in riders’ notes of appreciation to Bloomberg and The Rider’s Closet volunteers.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12721

Awards, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group

SBS Farms’ Susan Schoellkopf and Jennifer Alfano Honored at USHJA Convention

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Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy. Photo © 2010 PMG

Buffalo, NY – December 14, 2010 – Susie Schoellkopf of SBS Farms at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center in Buffalo, NY, was honored this past week at the USHJA Annual Meeting, which was held on December 6-9, 2011. Schoellkopf was given the President’s Distinguished Service Award at the USHJA Evening of Equestrians Awards Dinner for the second year in a row.  SBS Farms’ Jennifer Alfano was also awarded at the dinner, as she earned The Rider Recognition Award for 2010.  This award is given for the most money won as a Hunter rider and her cash earnings were just above $400,000.

The President’s Distinguished Service Awards were developed in 2006 to acknowledge and honor the dedication and service of volunteer members to both the USHJA and the sport. 2010 marked the second year for Schoellkopf to win the USHJA’s President’s Distinguished Service Award, as she was also the recipient of this award in 2009. Schoellkopf is the chair of the Open Hunter Task Force and a member of the Hunter Restructure Committee, the Hunter Zone Council, the High Performance Hunter Committee, and the Junior Hunter Task Force. She is also on the USEF Drugs and Medication committee and serves as chair of the Zone 2 Hunter Committee.

Continue reading SBS Farms’ Susan Schoellkopf and Jennifer Alfano Honored at USHJA Convention →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

In Memoriam: Lt. Col Ronnie MacMahon (IRL)

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Ronnie MacMahon and San Carlos on their way to finishing second at Badminton Horse Trials in 1970. Lt Col MacMahon passed away last Saturday following a short illness.

Lt Col Ronnie MacMahon, Olympic event rider, international coach and advisor and former Officer Commanding at the Irish Army Equitation School, passed away on 11 December.

Born in Dublin in 1941, he became a commissioned officer in Ireland’s elite military establishment in 1962 at the age of 21, and competed in jumping throughout the early years of his army career.  However in 1969 he joined forces with a horse called San Carlos which would take him to the very top echelons in the sport of eventing. Within weeks of his new mount’s arrival at McKee Barracks, the new partnership finished third at the Punchestown International Three-day Event, and from there they went from strength to strength. In 1970 they finished second at the Badminton Horse Trials and the following year reigned supreme on their home turf at Punchestown. They competed at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972 and at the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976 and, riding Bothar Bui, Lt Col MacMahon was also fifth at Burghley in 1974.

He nurtured the career of the late Capt David Foster who was a linchpin of the Irish eventing squad for many years. Under his senior officer’s guidance, Capt Foster helped Ireland win team gold for the very first time at the European Eventing Championships at Luhmühlen in 1979 riding Inis Meain, and the same horse claimed individual bronze at the Europeans in Horsens, Denmark two years later with Capt Brian MacSweeney on board. Lt Col MacMahon was also instrumental in the development of the career of Comdt Gerry Flynn who has been successful both as an eventing and jumping rider.

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Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Dressage, JRPR, Products/Services, World Equestrian Games

Arenus Announces World Equestrian Games Contest Winners

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Arenus awarded a Vespucci Patent Leather Bridle to Anastasiya Shramko, of Florida. She is pictured with her Holsteiner-Hanoverian cross gelding, Shiloh’s Unforgettable. (Photo courtesy of Anastasiya Shramko)

Lexington, KY (December 13, 2010) – Two lucky visitors to the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games were not only able to enjoy the world-class competition, but they also won products from Arenus, a premier provider of innovative health and nutritional products for pets and horses. Val Zeek, of Oregon, and Anastasiya Shramko, of Florida, were the lucky winners of the Arenus horse drawing contest that took place at the USDF Member’s Lounge during the World Equestrian Games.

Shramko, who trains weekly with international dressage rider Marco Bernal in Wellington, won a Vespucci Bridle donated by World Equestrian Brands, LLC. Shramko was thrilled that she won the contest and said she would be able to put the Vespucci bridle to good use on her Holsteiner-Hanoverian cross gelding named Shiloh’s Unforgettable. “He is a jumper that I am retraining for dressage and I will compete him at the Gold Coast Dressage Association and the Wellington Classic Dressage shows,” she said.

Shramko said attending the World Equestrian Games proved to be a fantastic experience. “It was a beautiful park with great vendors, lots of interesting things and activities and the dressage freestyle was phenomenal,” Shramko said, thanking Arenus for holding the drawing.

Continue reading Arenus Announces World Equestrian Games Contest Winners →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press

Best Season Ender – The Wedding of Sean and Livia Steffee

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Sean & Livia Steffee ©Flashpoint Photography

New Orleans, LA – December 13, 2010 – At 7:30PM on Friday, December 10th, the interior doors of Holy Name of Jesus Church opened to reveal the greatest Holiday gift Sean Steffee had wished for, his beautiful bride Livia Eckhardt walking down the aisle.

Based in Kiln, MS, the couple began dating nearly four years ago after what Sean describes as an “amusingly sketchy” first encounter. “Liv was assisting a dear friend of mine, Fellers Drury, at a horse show in the Covington [LA] area and she was setting jumps for Fellers’ students – Fellers had some physical ailments that left him with a permanent limp. Well as I was leaving the schooling ring, typical of me I made a smart remark to Fellers along the lines of holding up the ring being so slow. He laughed, I laughed, but Liv’s head jerked round and she simply glared daggers at me!” Sean shared and Liv added, “I asked Fellers, who is that jack ass? He laughed and said oh honey that’s just my friend Sean. I gave an ugly look in Sean’s direction and said well that was just rude! So my first impression wasn’t the best,” Liv said with a now warm smile to her groom.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12709

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Endurance Riding, FEI

FEI President Names Executive Board Members

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Sheikh Khalid

Lausanne (SUI), 13 December 2010 – FEI President HRH Princess Haya has today named Chairman of Geographical Group VII Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa (BRN) and Chair of the Driving Committee Richard Nicoll (USA) as members of the FEI Executive Board.

Sheikh Khalid and Mr Nicoll will serve on the Executive Board alongside First Vice President John McEwen (GBR) and Second Vice President Pablo Mayorga (ARG), who were approved at the General Assembly.

Sheikh Khalid, whose carrier as a sports administrator began in 1987, is an international judge in Endurance. He has been Chair of Group VII since 2006. He has been the Vice President of the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation and the Bahrain Olympic Committee since 2009. This year he became the Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. In the past he has been involved at the senior level in international sports clubs and committees for motor sports, Jumping and Endurance.

Continue reading FEI President Names Executive Board Members →