Category Archives: Competitions

Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, FEI, Hunter/Equitation, Maclay, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Products/Services, Show Jumping

Alltech National Horse Show Accepting Official Media Partnerships

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Lexington, KY – June 25, 2011 – The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, is now accepting a limited number of Official Media Partners for this year’s debut event in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, will be held from November 2-6, 2011, at the beautiful new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

In exchange for advertising space, detailed editorial content and coverage, Official Media Partners of the Alltech National Horse Show will receive a link on our Media Partners page on the ANHS website, recognition in the Official Alltech National Horse Show Program and exclusive rights to distribute magazines on the grounds during this year’s show. Only officially recognized magazines will be allowed during the Alltech National Horse Show.

For information regarding the Official Media Partnership, please contact Mason Phelps, Jr. or Karen Lucca. Mason Phelps can be reached at mpjr@phelpsmediagroup.com. To get in touch with Karen Lucca, email kll@phelpsmediagroup.com. Both can be reached by calling 561-753-3389.

The Alltech National Horse would like to welcome the following media outlets who have already signed on as Official Media Partners: the Lexington Herald Leader, Sidelines Magazine, PhelpsSports.com, ShowNet.biz, Equine International and Wellington the Magazine.

Equine International was recently named as the Official Publication of the Alltech National Horse Show.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, will be held from November 2-6, 2011, at the beautiful, new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

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Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby Boasts Exceptional Hospitality

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Reno NV – June 20, 2011 – The 2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows USHJA Hunter Derby proudly boasts exceptional hospitality at their annual event. This year, Red Carpet Events and Designs will once again be providing the layout, food, drink, and décor. They will be creating the elements that contribute to the atmosphere, and add to the exceptionally exquisite equestrian event and the novelty of a standalone hunter derby. This prestigious event will take place on September 5, 2011, at the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility in Carson City, Nevada, and will showcase the best horse and rider combinations in the country as they compete for the winning title.

During the next several months, Red Carpet Events and Designs will work with the Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby to transform the location hosting the event. Red Carpet Events and Designs is a full service event planning and design company providing logistical support, staffing, and décor. They will oversee operational planning, secure vendor partners, and event décor to create the event that makes West Coast’s only standalone hunter derby an event to remember. Red Carpet Events and Designs is located in Sparks, Nevada, and is dedicated to helping the Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby become a successful event. Their experienced, knowledgeable, and creative team of event planners gives attention to every detail.

Owners Julie Nobis and Karen Nichols are excited to be a part of such a unique and exciting event in the equestrian industry. They are pleased to offer innovative and enthusiastic total event management for such an outstanding equestrian event. Nichols and Nobis became involved with the Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby during its inaugural year in 2010, which proved to be a resounding success. Franktown Meadows Derby and Red Carpet Events are looking forward to making this one of the premier equestrian events in the region.

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Pfizer Animal Health Presents the First-Ever Culpeper Horse Owners’ Event on July 8!

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© ESI Photography. Aaron Vale and Paparazzi 10 won the $40,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Culpeper in 2010.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (June 22, 2011) — HITS is proud to announce the debut of the first-ever Culpeper Horse Owners’ Event, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, which will take place at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia on July 8, from 4:30pm – 9pm, during Pfizer Animal Health Weekend. Commonwealth Park is located at 13256 Commonwealth Parkway.

Prior to the start of the event, guests will be able to watch the some of the top High-Performance riders in the country compete in the $15,000 Brook Ledge Open Jumper Prix, which will take place in the Grand Prix ring on Friday, located directly in front of the HITS Restaurant, where the event will take place.

All show exhibitors, horse owners and horsemen alike from the local and surrounding communities are invited to attend this exciting event, free of charge. The main presentation will be a featured lecture on Strategic Deworming by renowned veterinarian Mark Crisman, DVM, MS, Diplomate, ACVIM, Equine Veterinary Service on behalf of Pfizer Animal Health. Dr. Crisman’s presentation will be followed by a country cook-out featuring all the favorite fixings and a live music performance by the Gold Top County Ramblers. Also, all guests attending the lecture will be eligible to fill out entry forms for some fun give-aways at the end of the evening.

The Culpeper Horse Owners’ Event will be a great opportunity to learn about new innovative strategies to maintaining the overall health and care of your horses. In an effort to promote this inaugural event, the Culpeper Horse Owners’ Association has expressed their deepest support and admiration. “As an organization dedicated to the promotion of the horse industry in Culpeper, we are really excited that HITS and Pfizer Animal Health are putting on the Culpeper Horse Owners’ Event and inviting the surrounding horse community,” said Gardiner Mulford, President of the Culpeper Horse Owners’ Association (CHOA). “What a great opportunity to get to the show, watch exciting show jumping, learn from an expert in the field of equine health and enjoy the company of fellow horsemen and horsewomen while listening to great music at the country cook out.” He continued, “We are delighted that HITS and Pfizer Animal Health have invited the Culpeper community and CHOA to this event. We are looking forward to it!”

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Competitions, Events, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

Madden, Kraut, Hough, McCrea & Farrington to Jump for U.S. at CSIO5* Hickstead & CSIO5* Dublin

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) named the following horse/rider combinations for CSIO5*competitions: Hickstead and Dublin, which are part of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Series. These riders will jump at CSIO5* Hickstead, England, July 26-31 which is held in conjunction with the Longines Royal International Horse Show and CSIO5* Dublin, Ireland, August 3-7 as part of the prestigious Royal Dublin Horse Show.

Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) will ride Coral Reef Ranch’s Coral Reef Via Volo
Coral Reef Via Volo is a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare

Laura Kraut (Wellington, FL) will ride Happy Hill Farm’s Cedric or Stars and Stripes’ Tierra
Cedric is a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding
Teirra is an 11-year-old KWPN mare

Lauren Hough (Wellington, FL) will ride Laura and Meredith Mateo’s Quick Study
Quick Study is a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding

Christine McCrea (Windsor, CT) will ride Windsor Show Stable’s Romantovich Take One
Romantovich Take One is an 11-year-old KWPN gelding

Kent Farrington (Chicago, IL) will ride R.C.G. Farm’s Uceko
Uceko is an 11-year-old KWPN gelding

Information about Hickstead and the Longines Royal International Horse Show is available here: http://www.hickstead.co.uk/horse-shows.aspx.

Information about the Royal Dublin Horse Show is available here:  http://www.dublinhorseshow.com.

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Sweat N’ Swat Show Series

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Dates: June 17, 2011; July 22, 2011; August 19, 2011
Location: Longfield Stables at Palmetto Bluff
Organizers: Lauren Marcinkoski, Swamp Fox Farms; Gini Quade, Longfield Stables
Judge: TBA

Longfield Stables and Swamp Fox Farms are pleased to present the 2011 Sweat N’ Swat Show Series, hosted by Longfield Stables at Palmetto Bluff, on June 17, July 22 and August 19. The Sweat N’ Swat Show Series is a casual, fun horse show series designed for riders of all ages and levels. Show attire is NOT required; breeches and polo shirts are just fine. Show will start Friday afternoons at 4 p.m.!

Interested in sponsoring a division for the Series? Sponsors will receive access to a hospitality beverage tent, and receive a piece of Longfield Stables merchandise. We will announce your name as division sponsor and you can enjoy being a vital and integral part of our show series. Sponsorship opportunities are $500 for the series.

Additional information and entry forms are available on our website. We look forward to seeing you!

Longfield Stables at Palmetto Bluff
24 Healey Road, Bluffton, SC 29910
www.longfieldstables.com
Email: gquade@palmettobluffresort.com
Call: 843.706.9559 with any questions.

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Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI

Yurkevich and Buikevich Sweep Double-Gold for Kazakhstan

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Lausanne (SUI), 22 June 2011 – The host nation of Kazakhstan clinched gold in both the FEI Intermediate 1 and FEI Freestyle Intermediate 1 classes at the FEI Central Asian Dressage Championships 2011 staged in Almaty over the weekend.  In a pitched battle between two seasoned riders during which good fortune swung in both directions, Sergey Buikevich claimed the Intermediate 1 title with Ispovednik while Natalyja Yurkevich squeezed ahead of Buikevich to take the FEI Freestyle Test with Don Petro.

It was a particularly satisfying result for the versatile and multiple medal-winning Buikevich, who is Vice President and Secretary General of the Equestrian Federation of Kazakhstan, Head Coach of the National Equestrian Team, an FEI Bureau Member and Chairman of FEI Group III as well as an International Jumping Judge.

The event took place in Almaty which is the former capital, and remains the largest city, in Kazakhstan.  Located on the Silk Road – the legendary network of trade routes that stretch across Asia linking East to West – the city continues to be a major centre of commerce and a meeting place for visitors from all around the world.  It has successfully staged a number of important equestrian events in recent years.

PERFECT START
In 2009 these Championships were pitched at CDI 3-Star Big-Tour level, but this time around the standard was lowered and the competitions included a preliminary FEI Prix St Georges in which Buikevich got off to the perfect start last Friday.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Driving, Events, JRPR

Chester Weber Goes Two-for-Two with Four-In-Hand Win at CAI-Altenfelden

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Chester Weber won the Four-In-Hand competition at the 20th annual CAI-Altenfelden in Austria. Weber is now two-for-two in his European tour. (Photo courtesy of Marie de Ronde-Oudemans)

Altenfelden, Austria (June 22, 2011) – Combined Driver Chester Weber is now two-for-two in his European tour, winning the Four-In-Hand competition at the 20th annual CAI-Altenfelden in Austria. Weber’s win had the foreign press praising the American driver, referring to Weber as “remarkable,” “special guest,” “the American driving sport super star” and the “dressage specialist.”

Weber proved he was the “dressage specialist” in the four-in-hand, which the Europeans call the king discipline, by decidedly winning the dressage by 12 points. “I won the dressage, was fourth in the marathon and second in the cones,” Weber said. In combined driving the winner is the driver with the lowest cumulative score, and in the end the stars and stripes were flying as Weber captured the overall win.

While Weber and his team proved they were capable of winning the entire four-in-hand class with an 8-point lead, all eyes were on the American driver during his dressage test. European news sources reported that Weber was an “American driving sport super star who was in a class of his own” following his dressage test. “I work very hard with my team on the dressage, so I am flattered to hear so many great remarks about our test,” Weber said, adding that he is pleased with the two new horses on his team, Uniek and Splash owned by Jane Forbes Clark, as they have added depth and talent to his string.

Weber, who is the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, described the Altenfelden driving competition as a great atmosphere. “I had a chance to meet and compete against drivers from the Eastern part of Europe,” he said. “I usually don’t have a chance to go up against these drivers so it was a great experience for me.”

Continue reading Chester Weber Goes Two-for-Two with Four-In-Hand Win at CAI-Altenfelden →

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Great Cash, Prizes and Fun during Summer in the Rockies II

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Bjorn Ikast Wins Second Consecutive Grand Prix

Bjorn Ikast & Omar Shariff. Photo credit: Flying Horse Photography

Parker, CO — The second week of the Colorado Summer Circuit finished Sunday with great style. Summer in the Rockies II awarded cash and prizes to riders in all divisions, from the Adult Amateur Hunters to the Open Jumpers. Competitors and sponsors were treated to a range of hospitality. Among the social highlights — Friday Afternoon Club at A Bit of Tack with margaritas and munchies, a fabulous tented party complete with a band in Central Park, and a wonderful VIP party during the $25,000 Grand Prix Presented by Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance. Sunday brunch on Father’s Day rounded out the fun.

“Our goal with the expanded circuit was to create a destination,” said CHP Vice President Brian Curry. “We have people that are staying in Colorado for the summer, so we wanted them to feel at home and help them have wonderful memories from their trip.”

Many riders that have attended shows at the Park for almost 20 years are saying that the facility never looked better. Not only are there many beautiful new flower beds, rings full of new jumps, including elegant water features in the hunter rings, there’s also the new permanent coffee shop, Stable Grounds, offering lattes, cappuccinos and pastries.

Of course, all of the new amenities are a wonderful backdrop to the real draw — the horse show. While this week’s $25,000 Grand Prix Presented by Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance found the same three riders claiming the top three spots, they had to run for their placings in the jump-off, a real thrill for the spectators.

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Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, USEF

Halpin Enjoys New Stature Post-Rolex Kentucky

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Sinead Halpin was overcome with emotion after a clean show jumping round on Manoir de Carneville that made her the highest-placing American at Rolex Kentucky. Photo by Nancy Jaffer.

Before this spring’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Sinead Halpin was just another face in the crowd of 30-and-under eventing hopefuls, far from the favorite to make the biggest mark at the USA’s only 4-star competition.

But after her impressive third-place effort as the highest-placed American, behind British eventing legend Mary King, who was first and second — and ahead of another British legend, her former mentor, William Fox-Pitt — nothing was quite the same for the 29-year-old Branchburg resident.

“It was really, really cool,” she said, reflecting on the reaction to her performance from friends, acquaintances and people she didn’t even know. Halpin was flooded with “phone calls, texts, Facebook messages, everything. I couldn’t really keep up with it all, which was exciting. It’s almost embarrassing, honestly.”

Halpin, who works out of Fieldstone Farm in Pittstown, noted that by the weekend of April 30 – May 1, when the Kentucky Horse Park was flooded with thousands of fans, “I didn’t really notice everybody else there. You are so focused on the task at hand,” she explained.

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Breeds, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, USEF

U.S. Qualifies Record Number of Horses for 2011 FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Dressage

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Eastern Selection Trial 5-year-old champion Lauren Chumley and Somer Hit. Photo by Pics of You.

Lexington, KY – With three horses earning qualifying scores of 8.2 or better at the 2011 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trials and four earning qualifying scores in Europe, the U.S. had a competitive list of seven – more than ever before – to choose from when considering who will make up the team for the FEI World Breeding Championships held in Verden, Germany, August 3-7.

“The number of horses that qualified this year was a true testament to the Markel/USEF Young Horse Program,” said USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler. “We had impressive horses come from all areas of the country with many competing overseas and doing quite well against top quality horses. The Young Horse Program is progressing in the U.S. just the way we hoped it would.”

The U.S. is invited to field a team of four in Verden – two 5-year-olds and two 6-year-olds. This year’s U.S. team will consist of a total of three (a 5-year-old and two 6-year-olds). The final team includes the 5-year-old Westphalian stallion, Florentinus (Florestan I – Lady in Red by Londonderry), owned and ridden by Jennifer Hoffman. The duo qualified by earning a score of 8.5 in Europe. The 6-year-olds include the Austrian Warmblood stallion Ratzinger (Riccione – St. Pr. St. Inschella by Pablo), also owned and ridden by Hoffman, who qualified with an 8.5 in Europe. The second 6-year-old is the Oldenburg mare, Royal Couer 2 (Royal Hit – Riva by Le Coeur), owned and ridden by Marne Martin Tucker. The pair earned a score of 8.36 in Europe to qualify for the team.

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